Local artist and filmmaker Angus McDonald is bringing his first feature film, Freedom is Beautiful, to Lennox Head Cultural Centre, fresh from its Sydney Film Festival premiere.
The powerful feature follows the journey of two extraordinary Kurdish refugees, Farhad Bandesh and Mostafa (Moz) Azimitabar, who fled persecution in Iran and arrived separately by boat into Australia seeking asylum in 2013.
They were freed from detention after being imprisoned for almost eight years under Australia's offshore processing regime.
Two years in the making, much of the 70-minute documentary was shot in this region around Lennox Head.
"Moz and Farhad spent lots of time up here shooting Freedom Is Beautiful and fell in love with Lennox," said Mr McDonald.
"Many people working on the project were from here as well, so I'm really excited we can share the film with my community straight after it premieres in Sydney, before it moves on to international festivals."
Moz and Farhad formed a close friendship while detained, they used music and art as a form of peaceful resistance to promote humanity and tirelessly advocate on behalf of all those who remained held.
Beautifully told in their own words, Freedom is Beautiful is an uplifting story of the power of love and our shared humanity.
Freedom is Beautiful screens on Saturday 24 June at the Lennox Head Cultural Centre, followed by a Q&A
Doors open at 6pm. Tickets are $25. To book visit communityspaces.com.au/tickets
