Lifelong Footscray resident Adrian Ortega is preparing to start filming his second feature film ‘Westgate’, by raising much-needed funds through the Australian Cultural Fund.
Production is scheduled to start in July, and although the team has raised the funds required to film, Ortega said any extra would go far into making it the best it can possibly be.
“This time I have used the Australian Cultural Fund to crowdfund the film,” he said.
“They’re a really great government website which supports artists in all different kinds of art, and we have already reached our target which is great news.”
Ortega said he needed $5000 to produce his film which will celebrate Footscray and the western suburbs of Melbourne in the ’90’s.
“The good news is we can go past our target and raise more, the more we raise, the better resources we can afford for the film.”
With the team gearing up to start filming in less than two months, Ortega is excited to share his latest passion project with fellow westies.
“I will soon be making my second feature film which is a very personal story about my childhood growing up in fifth grade in the late 90’s,” he said.
Ortega thinks anyone who grew up in the west will have an immediate connection to the film, and will be available for viewing next year.
“It touches on the theme of single parenting and migration, and will also tie into the history of the West Gate collapse of 1970,” he said.
“It will focus on the West Gate disaster and how it affected so many migrant workers whose children and grandchildren are still around.”
The fundraiser will end on Friday, May 31.
Details: donations.australianculturalfund.org.au/s/project/a2EMn000005R9QvMAK/westgate-feature-film
