Aviatrix Films

27/10/2024

Any nature documentarians on the Coffs Coast? I'd love to help out! I don't have nature doco experience or my own gear, but would love to collaborate on this project if possible.

06/10/2024

Et Tu Theatre's, The Effect, is a brilliant local production on at the Bellingen Memorial Hall until Sunday, 13 October - so get in fast and get your tickets!
The play by Lucy Prebble is a powerful and thought-provoking story about love, reality, ethics, and empathy with a decent dose of humour thrown in. We are extremely lucky to have such talented actors and creatives bringing exceptional works to Bellingen and the Coffs Coast. Massive congratulations to the cast and crew and thank you to Amy and Seton for sharing opening night with us🙏 https://www.bellingenmemorialhall.com.au/Whats-on/Et-Tu-Theatre-presents-The-Effect-by-Lucy-Prebble

Connie and Tristan are both strangers when they sign up for a medical trial to test a powerful new antidepressant. But with each dose of medication, their attraction to each other grows. Is it real, or fuelled by the drug? Written by award-winning playwright and screenwriter Lucy Prebble, The Effect...

13/09/2024

Return Chute: The Survival of a Small Town Video Store is now on YouTube for all to see! We’ve been blown away by the reception and love shown for our short documentary.

https://youtu.be/RRGW2NyzBLY

The film was selected for the Adelaide Film Festival 2023, premiered at the Screenwave International Film Festival 2023, won the Special Jury Award at SydFest Independent Film Festival 2024, Best Documentary at the Far South Film Festival 2023, Best Short Documentary at the Sydney Short Film Festival 2024, and Best Open Short at the WTF Film Festival 2023. The film was also selected for the SWAN - Perth International Women In Film Festival and the Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival in 2023.

Rod O'Hara bought Bellingen Video Connection in 2018 when video stores were already considered dead. After many setbacks and against all odds, Rod and the community kept this iconic local business and bastion for lovers of television, film and screen culture alive for several years.

Filmed in late 2022 and premiering in April 2023, this short documentary tells the story of Rod and his unique store through interviews with Rod, past owners and employees, and passionate and loyal customers. It captures the history, nostalgia, love, and hopes for the video store before Rod made the tough and heartbreaking decision to sell Bellingen Video Connection in late 2023.

Massive thanks to Rod for sharing his story, to everyone who appears in the documentary, the O'Hara family, and to all the film's supporters.

The iconic video store has been reborn as The Dark Room. Follow on Instagram: or visit the website, https://www.thedarkroom.au

Rod O'Hara bought Bellingen Video Connection in 2018 when video stores were already considered dead. After many setbacks and against all odds, Rod and the co...

22/06/2024

📷 Laura & Cam🙏 I feel immensely privileged for Return Chute to have screened at the opening of The Dark Room in Bellingen last night 🎉 and to celebrate with the community, one last time, the legacy of our legendary video store. It was terrific to watch the store venture into its exciting sequel storyline even as, like a few others there, the emotions welled up. However, that iconic space is now in the loving hands of Cam and Laura, and The Dark Room is spectacular!
It’s been exquisitely refurbished with very cool throwbacks to its past. It’s the perfect venue for lovers of film, music, creative inspiration, community gatherings, and utterly delicious food. PLUS, there’s a great collection of art house, cult, classic and foreign films to hire.
Massive thanks to Cam, Laura, and the team for a wonderful night and for screening Return Chute (also for this photo👇). My unending thanks to Rod O'Hara for sharing his story and to the others who appear in the documentary. I look forward to many film screenings, music gigs, and other soul-enriching events at Bello’s beautiful Dark Room. Follow on Instagram ❤️📼📀🎶🎭

15/06/2024

Extremely chuffed that my short documentary film, Return Chute: The Survival of a Small Town Video Store, was honoured with the Special Jury Award at the Sydfest Independent Film Festival 2024. It was a fantastic night at Hilton Sydney celebrating independent filmmakers. Thanks to SydFest’s team, the award sponsors, and my sidekick for the evening, Jade.
That’s the last stop on Return Chute’s festival journey. My immense gratitude again to Rod O’Hara and his family, my amazing family, the talented film crew - Mick and Ryan, Bellingen folks who appeared or supported the film, and everyone who came along to a screening
📼 💿 ❤️

29/05/2024

📣 Exciting news! Return Chute: The Survival of a Small Town Video Store is screening in Sydfest Independent Film Festival's session 3 on Friday, 7 June, from 6:30pm at the Reservoir Cinema in Surry Hills.
Tickets from: filmfreeway.com/sydFest/tickets

Hope to see you there 📼 💿 ❤️

29/04/2024

"I’d rather regret the things I’ve done than regret the things I haven’t done." Lucille Ball 👑

Ken Miyamoto presents ten wise and inspiring quotes from one of Hollywood's greatest pioneers — Lucille Ball.

25/04/2024

We're delighted that Return Chute has been selected for SydFest Independent Film Festival 2024! SydFest will run from 1 to 9 June, with the awards screening on Sunday 9 June. We'll share more screening session details as they are announced.

Return Chute has had a terrific journey, and we're grateful for the support and positive reaction the film has had.
As always, incredible thanks to Rod O'Hara and family, all the Bellingen Video Connection customers and Bellingen locals who appeared and helped with the film, and to the tiny but mighty crew of Mick Jones (DOP/editor) and Ryan Burrows (sound mix).

01/03/2024

From Sunday, 'Return Chute' director and producer, Simone Atallah, will be attending her very first AIDC - Australian International Documentary Conference, and is ridiculously thrilled to have been selected as a 2024 Leading Light!🎉🎬 The Leading Lights initiative selects a group of diverse and emerging documentary, factual, and nonfiction practitioners from across Australia to participate in a customised professional development program. Thank you very much to the Leading Lights committee, AIDC staff, and the industry donors who make this initiative possible.

She's unable to attend in person, but can't wait for the exclusive Leading Light sessions, workshops, networking opportunities and AIDC's main program of incredible Australian and international speakers, sessions, and screenings covering film, television, streaming, and digital media. AIDC is the premier event for nonfiction screen content in the Southern Hemisphere and creates a forum to discuss content, craft, technology, and future directions that inspires innovation and ignites social change. Learn more at https://www.aidc.com.au/

The AIDC is Australia's premier event for the non-fiction screen and digital media industries.

08/02/2024

Massive thanks to Sydney Short Film Festival for awarding Return Chute Best Short Documentary. Congratulations to all the filmmakers, award winners, the festival team for a great event, to Rod and everyone who appeared in the doco, and to the RC crew 🙏📼📀❤️ with Bellingen Video Connection
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03/02/2024

Immensely delighted to say that Return Chute won the Best Documentary award at the recent Sydney Short Film Festival! Thanks to the SSFF team and festival judges; our friends and family who went along; Rod’s Mum, Rose, for running point for us on the night; and of course Rod and his family, the other interviewees, and my tiny but mighty crew, MJ and Ryan 🙏❤️

30/01/2024

Thank you to Sydney Short Film Festival for selecting Return Chute and for nominating the film for Best Documentary 📀📼❤️
With Bellingen Video Connection

>>Rod O'Hara bought 'Bellingen Video Connection' in 2018 when video stores were already considered on the way out - if not already dead. Now, years later, against all the odds and after facing many personal setbacks, Rod and the small town's local community have kept this iconic local business and bastion for lovers of television, film and screen culture alive - but for how long?