A VISION SPLENDID

It’s the opening night of the Vision Splendid Film Festival and the host town of Winton, 1350 kilometres north-west of Brisbane, has turned on a typical western Queensland winter welcome. In other words it’s as cold as charity in the Royal Open Air Theatre and the popcorn sellers are doing a roaring trade hiring out fleecy blankets to the patrons who are hunkering down in the canvas deck chairs for the screening of David Stratton: A Cinematic Life. David’s not there, but his partner in film of almost 30 years, Margaret Pomeranz is, along with actor Roy Billing, director Sally Aitkin, producer Bill Leimbach, a host of local dignitaries, visiting film buffs, and curious grey nomads from the caravan park across the road, who’ve been attracted by the action in the street.

I come from this part of the world, so I’ve come prepared for the cloudless blue sky and benign mid-20-degree day to turn into a star-studded frosty night. But somehow in the juggle of overcoats, knee rugs and scarves I manage to lose