A SOLD OUT screening at the Sydney Film Festival in June, we’re proud to announce that Once My Mother has a national cinema release around Australia, starting THURSDAY 24 JULY. This is indeed exciting news as it is rare for an Australian documentary to get such a wide cinema release. Given the film’s subject matter, we know our story is of interest to Polish audiences. But we’d always hoped to show the film to the wider Australian public which is almost totally unaware of the extraordinary story of the Poles’ deportation to Siberia. We’re thrilled that we now have the opportunity to create wider public awareness of this tragic, forgotten chapter of history.

The cinemas watch box office carefully and will extend the season if audiences keep coming. It’s important to come in the first week to ensure the season continues. Please encourage your friends to do the same! With a modest marketing budget, we can’t afford big ads in print or on buses and taxis. So we’re relying on word of mouth and this is where you come in.

Please forward this newsletter with details of screenings to your email list, friends and colleagues and help us make the most of this opportunity !

NATIONAL CINEMA RELEASE
From THURSDAY 24 JULY, our two-week (minimum) season starts in:
Sydney (Chauvel and Cremorne Orpheum)
Melbourne (Nova Carlton)
Brisbane (Palace Centro)
Canberra (Event Manuka)
Adelaide (Palace Eastend),
Perth (Cinema Paradiso)
Hobart (State Cinema)
and Newcastle (Regal)

AUSTRALIAN REGIONAL SCREENINGS
Once My Mother recently screened in Newcastle as part of the Sydney Film Festival’s Travelling Film Festival. Over the coming months, the Travelling Film Festival will take this program to 20 country towns throughout NSW, Queensland and the Northern Territory !

We’re working on other screenings but so far have confirmed : Regal Cinema, Newcastle. Gala Screening, 6.30pm Saturday, 26 July. Avoca Beach Picture Palace, Avoca Beach, Q&A Screening, 7.30pm Sat 3 August.

TELEVISION BROADCAST
Once My Mother will be on ABC TV on Sunday 26 October. Our original contract was for a 1 hour cut-down version of the story. We’re very happy that the ABC will now screen the full feature-length version!

AUSTRALIAN FILM FESTIVALS Once My Mother was screened in Competition at the Sydney Film Festival in June. We were delighted to participate. Showing a film in one’s home town is always a special thrill. We were told that we came very close to winning the Audience Award!

INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVALS
Once My Mother was warmly received at the Krakow Film Festival, Poland where we won the Audience Award for Best Film! Over the coming months our Polish co-producers, Kalejdoskop Films, are planning screenings in a number of Polish cities. We’ll keep our Polish friends informed as dates and venues are confirmed.

In August Once My Mother will screen in Competition at the Rhode Island International Film Festival, Connecticut. North America has a huge Polish population, but outside of the Polish communities, the story of the deportation of the Poles to Siberia is also almost entirely unknown. We hope our screening can play a role in helping to create public awareness of this piece of history. If you have friends in that part of the world, tell them that the film is screening at the festival.

www.film-festival.org

DVD RELEASE
We've had many enquiries about the DVD release. It will be available in October. In the meantime, please register your details on our website and we'll inform you as soon as it is released. Thanks for your continuing support in helping us get the story out there to our audiences.

Sophia Turkiewicz and Rod Freedman