Filmmaker re-imagines classic Mem Fox children's book for Flickerfest

The book, first published in 1984, tells the story of a young boy who lives next door to a nursing home and befriends the elderly people there. When one resident, Miss Nancy, starts suffering from Alzheimer's, Wilfrid sets out to help his "best friend" regain her memory.

When Irwin was in the final year of study at Sydney's Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) in 2022, he was required to produce a short film as an assignment. Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge made for perfect source material.

"It was a book I read as a kid and loved," Irwin said. "But it was one of those stories that stuck with me because it's personal.

"My grandma also had Alzheimer's so it was one of those stories that I really liked. But when I was at film school and I had to make short films, my thoughts went straight to, what are the shortest books I've read?

"I went back to kids books and thought, 'wait a minute, there's some really good stories back here'."

Irwin's adaptation of Fox's classic tale was chosen to premiere last November at the Chicago International Children's Film Festival and in January it made its Australian debut at the Flickerfest International Short Film Festival.

On Saturday Irwin's home town audience will have the opportunity to see Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge when it screens at the Flickerfest short film festival at the Civic Playhouse.

Beloved Play School performer Benita Collings plays Miss Nancy and the cast also includes veteran Kiwi actor Bruce Spence (Mad Max, Star Wars).

"I wanted it to appeal to all ages, so one of the things I did was to get Benita Collings from Play School to be in it," Irwin said. "I wanted people to watch it and have that sense of nostalgia with it, like they're remembering something here."

The former North Lambton resident and St Philips Christian College student won't be the only filmmaker with links to Newcastle at Flickerfest.

Igbo-Australian filmmaker, Kalu Oji, who attended Lambton High School, will showcase his Spectrum Award For Best Direction-winning short film What's In A Name.

The film explores a fracture within a young couple's relationship during the making of a documentary.

Other films curated for Flickerfest in Newcastle include the Australian premiere of the animated Darwin Story and the world debut of wedding film Cordelia, Daughter Of The Sea.

As usual the 33^rd edition of Flickerfest doesn't shy away from exploring difficult concepts. Some films address loss and grief (Favourites and Ashes), toxic masculinity (Yeah The Boys) and family disputes (Fences).

"It's powerful," Irwin said. "In a long-form film you can give people a lot of information, but a short film you have to pack it in quite quickly, so it's a cool art form as you need to do that with a limited amount of time, but still make an impact that people are going to remember."

Flickerfest will also feature a curated Short Laughs Comedy program, scheduled for 9.30pm following the Best Australian Shorts from 6pm.

Festival director Bronwyn Kidd, also grew up in Newcastle, and said the city has been a strong supporter of Flickerfest for more than a decade.

"We always find there's lots of Newcastle connections every year, with filmmakers who've grown up and gone to school in Newcastle," Kidd said.

"Yes, there is a creative story-telling community of filmmakers definitely. It's also nice when I've grown up here to bring the films and the festivals home."