The lauded outback film festival started in 2013 and has delighted film buffs every year since.

The festival’s creative director, Greg Dolgopolov, teaches film at the University of New South Wales and says the festival is very much integrated with his day job.

“I do teach film and I have a passion for Australian cinema.

“I get my students to come to Winton during the festival, they make films in collaboration with others from the film school.

”I try to mix it up. There’ll be some crowd pleasers and some films that are a bit more difficult and testing, but I also know that there’s different audiences.”

The 2017 program also pays tribute to women in film.

Female Australian film directors, actors, and writers in attendance will include Sally Aitkin, Edwina Exton, Alicia Banit, Trish Lake, Megan Riakos, Sara West and Maya Stange.

Dolgopolov said the program featured over 30 films, 50 per cent of which are written, directed and/or star women in a prominent, independent role.

“We’ve specifically identified films that pass the Bechdel Test.

“During the festival we don’t just screen films. We plan films, we talk about films, we find a common language and work together.

“In addition to this year’s programming, the festival will host a number of world premiers and Queensland premiers for films that deserve an audience as special as that found in Australia’s Outback Hollywood”.

For tickets and information, visit www.visionsplendidfilmfest.com