Hollie Hughes (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Friday evening last week I was thrilled to be at the opening night of the third annual Croatian Film Festival. A huge congratulations to Croatia House Committee for not only keeping this event going but for continuing to grow and for introducing non-Croatian Australians to the history, art and community of their homeland. I acknowledge the strength of this community. We've all lived through probably the worst period we will ever see throughout our lifetime. This has certainly been an unprecedentedly difficult time filled with isolation, separation and, perhaps, both physical and mental health challenges we have never experienced before and hope to never do so again..

A highlight of the festival was the showing of the film Countryman,and we were joined by director Peter Pecotic, who followed in his migrant father's footsteps on a 10,000-kilometre road trip around the Northern Territory. A highlight of the story is the link between Croatia and an Indigenous artist, Joseph Williams, whose father was a Croatian who came to Australia to cut sugarcane. A friendship develops between Peter and Joseph as they share each other's Indigenous and Mediterranean history and culture. We were also joined by world-famous artist Charles Billich and his wife, Christa, along with Steve Ravic, who produced and directed the documentary Beyond the Canvas, previously screened at Cannes Film Festival in a further celebration of Croatian filmmaking.

The film festival has fit almost perfectly with us entering the Christmas season, when those of us with family pretty much anywhere in the world—other than Western Australia—we will be able to see them, hug them and spend time with them, making up for the time we've lost. I send congratulations to Mirjana Cestar and the whole committee on another wonderful event. I thank the Croatian community, which has made me feel so welcome, and I look forward to supporting Croatia House well into the future.