Bendigo locals are talking about the Film Society's new epic screening series at the Capital Theatre

The Bendigo Film Society opened its winter screening series last Friday at the Capital Theatre on View Street with a double bill of modern takes on classical journeys, and 312 ticket holders filled the seats for the first night.

The timing lines up with wider discussions about how stories from the Odyssey keep resurfacing in film and television, prompting local programmers to build a short season around the same themes for Bendigo audiences who missed the Melbourne International Film Festival program.

Venues drawing the crowds

Sessions will rotate between the Capital Theatre and the Bendigo Art Gallery on View Street, with post-screening talks scheduled at the Bendigo Library branch on Hargreaves Street every second Tuesday through August. Organisers chose the three sites because each already runs regular public programs and sits within a short walk of the central tram stop.

Local detail shows the series mixes free community nights at the library with paid screenings at the theatre and gallery, a format the society has used before to reach both regular members and first-time visitors from suburbs such as Flora Hill and Kangaroo Flat.

Numbers behind the interest

Society records show membership rose 25 percent between January and the end of June, reaching 1,184 paid members, while single tickets for the current series sell for $18 for non-members and $12 for members. The first screening sold out three days ahead, and advance bookings for the July 20 session at the art gallery already sit at 180.

Next screenings run on July 20 at the Bendigo Art Gallery and July 28 at the Capital Theatre. Tickets and the full schedule are listed on the society's site, with doors opening 30 minutes before each start time.