Celluloid By The Sea begins today at the town’s surf lifesaving clubrooms and will show seven films across 48 hours.

Organising committee member Jon McLeod said the weekend of film would begin with child-friendly offerings on Saturday afternoon — Five Children & It and screenings of select entries from recent Trop Jr competitions, which highlights the talents of young Australian filmmakers.

A locally-produced film will make its debut in the evening. 

“We have the world premiere of Choice Cuts by local filmmaker Peter Kirkhouse,” Mr McLeod said.

“It’s mostly a surfing film shot around the world and there will be live music from a local band playing during the screening.”

Kirkhouse has been a surf filmmaker since the 1980s and said he had amassed a wealth of footage in that time.

“I’ve just done a compilation of my footage over the years and some local musos who play grungy, surf guitar kind of music will be playing live,” Kirkhouse said.

He said it was a format that had worked at previous events, including the Queenscliff and Apollo Bay music festivals.

Locally-made short films A Day in the Life of Timboon, Peterborough: Landscapes & Locals and Big Dave’s Legacy will also screen, as well as box office hit Pride.

“Finally we will have local historical society president Peter Younis presenting Port Campbell — Now and Then,” he said.

Mr Younis will use the Rose postcard series, dating from the early 20th century to the 1950s, to show how the town has grown and changed.

Tomorrow’s screenings will begin with Australian drama Healing, before surf films Dear Suburbia and The Old, The Young & The Sea.

Mr McLeod said any profits from the event would go towards establishing a local cinema in the town’s former Baptist church.

For more information visit www.portcampbellfilmfestival.com