Jasper Jones movie goes down in Pemberton's history

MEDIA RELEASE - Jasper Jones movie goes down in Pemberton's history

February 2017

On Saturday, 25 February three special community screenings of the movie Jasper Jones took place in Pemberton, hosted by the makers of the movie along with their regional partners and the Shire of Manjimup. A rare and special occurrence for the Southern Forests region, the event was a token of gratitude to the local people of Pemberton, and the Shire of Manjimup, for being so welcoming and most importantly, for their generosity toward the film, cast and crew.

Locals who were 'extras' in the movie were given first preference for the 3pm screening, with the remaining seating for that session along with a 12noon screening offered to the community. "The remaining allocation for the 3pm screening was booked out within days and the 12noon screening followed suit not long after. The community support for this project has been continuous which is one of the reasons why the movie was filmed, in its entirety, in Pemberton," explained Shire President Wade DeCampo.

Special guests included Producers Vincent Sheehan and David Jowsey, Director Rachel Perkins and the Author of Jasper Jones, Craig Silvey. Guests took part in exclusive Question and Answer sessions at the conclusion of the 3pm and 7pm VIP screening, which was especially for local people who had speaking parts in the movie and who provided the crew with locations and props, including houses and vehicles.

"The crew were amazed with the generosity and involvement of the community in the production, particularly with the willingness of people to participate as extras and also accommodate the use of their personal belongings. It really made the job of the production company easier during the making of Jasper Jones - convenience wise and economically - it is not something they've experienced before and along with the scenery and settings, the people are a reason why Pemberton is such a memorable place," said Cr DeCampo.

"I really have to congratulate the team from the Shire of Manjimup, the volunteers and everybody who came along to show their support - it was a challenging day due to the heat, but the outcome was phenomenal."

Cr DeCampo promoted a publication that has been produced titled Walk in the footsteps of Jasper Jones, urging people to access it via the Shire's website and share it with their contacts. "If just 5% of the people who watch Jasper Jones in Western Australia come to visit Pemberton, imagine the outcome that will have on the regional economy, not to mention the visitation it may draw from interstate and nationally. At a time when increased tourism is one of our main focus areas as a region, Jasper Jones will really help to put us on the map," concluded Cr DeCampo.

www.manjimup.wa.gov.au/jasperjones

-ENDS-

Authorised by Andrew Campbell, Chief Executive Officer

Contact Gina Nieuwendyk, Coordinator Communication and Executive Support

Contact: 9771 7777

Contact for comment: Wade DeCampo, Shire President.

Contact: 0427 094 081