Fast-rising SA actor Tilda Cobham-Hervey will front an innovative short film written and directed by the public as part of the Adelaide Film Festival's program, which was announced today.

In a Festival program that features names as big as Cate Blanchett and Michael Caine, local actor Tilda Cobham-Hervey still stands out.

The young actor, who first came to the world’s attention through her leading role in 52 Tuesdays, is surrounded by hype and swell about her talent and work. With a new series (The Kettering Incident) just out on Foxtel and a move to Sydney in the offing, her star is no doubt set to rise even higher.

But her association with the Adelaide Film Festival is about more than the value of her undoubtedly recognisable face.

A true and engaged lover of film, Tilda has come on board to front the Festival and star in its unusual crowd-controlled campaign because she wants to celebrate and explore the medium as much as possible.

“Film is such a powerful story telling medium,” she tells CityMag.

“I feel like its the closest you can get to being inside someone else’s head or experiences. I love that about film. When I think about the stories or characters that have challenged or influenced me the most I think they are usually from films.

“I also love that when you watch a film at a cinema it can unite an audience of strangers through a shared experience. That can be very powerful. Its those excellent  conversations that you have after a screening that you miss out on when you watch movies in bed on your laptop. Its the magic and experience of cinema that I think is wonderful and I desperately want to keep that alive!”

This year’s Film Festival will be introduced to audiences through a campaign that aligns with Tilda’s aims as it, too, tries to find ways to reignite peoples’ passion for the medium.

Called The Film You Wrote, the campaign will ask audiences to write a script for a short film through a series of multiple choice questions posed on the Film Festival’s website. The resultant film will star Tilda against the backdrop of Port Adelaide and with a soundtrack from local artists.

Set to premiere as part of the Festival, The Film You Wrote will be screened for the first time ever on October 19 at 7pm in the Palace Cinema.

Tilda says she was excited to be involved because she thinks it truly reflects the collaborative nature of film.

“Film is such a collaborative art form,” she says.

“You only see a few people on the screen in the final product, but there are so many people that made each second of the film come to life. Its something that amazes me on set. Everyone has such particular tasks and then all of a sudden action is called and each person is focused on telling one beat of a story.

“It’s such a wonderful process and something I am really excited about attempting with such a huge group of people. I cant wait to see what we make together!”

Other highlights of the Festival’s full program announce include:

World premieres
Scott Hicks’ new documentary Highly Strung will open the Festival, on October 15 at Her Majesty’s Theatre with a red carpet event.

Highly Strung is one of thirteen projects to come from the Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund 2015 slate. Other features premiering at the festival include; the dramedy feature A Month of Sundays, starring Anthony LaPaglia and directed by Matt Saville; Spear, a new work from Bangarra’s Stephen Page; Girl Asleep, filmed in Adelaide from director Rosemary Myers and the Sundance Film Festival hit, Sam Klemke’s Time Machine from Adelaide director Matthew Bate making its Australian premiere.

CityMag presents The Lobster
CityMag has partnered with the Film Festival to present the Australian premiere of this surrealist work from director Yorgos Lanthimos. In this, his first film shot in English, the central idea is that singles must find a mate or be turned into animals. Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz and John C. Reilly star in this new work, which is like nothing you have seen before.

The Foxtel Movies International Feature Competition
Featuring a series of Australian premieres – including Cate Blancett’s new vehicle Carol that captivated audiences at Cannes – this competition brings high quality cinema from around the world to Adelaide. Other titles making the journey to the Festival State include Freeheld, Looking for Grace, Gold Coast, Lamb, Neon Bull, Office, 316, Father and Tanna. 

Margaret and David return!
Adelaide Film Festival is re-uniting the much loved Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton, Australia’s film champions. They will be back in Adelaide to entertain audiences as ringmasters of the Ultimate Quiz Night. Margaret and David will preside over the evening’s proceedings of games, raffles and rowdy, competitive, one-upmanship at the Freemasons Hall on October 23, at 7pm.

On October 25, David will then join forces with South Australia’s Yalumba Wines for a special event in their beautiful winery grounds. Here, David will select a vintage film and talk to the audience about why this film has improved with age, just like a good wine.