The Sydney Film Festival opens this week, so it's timely to review its history. The festival started back in 1954 at a time when all you could see at the cinema was Hollywood hits. We've got a great article in the Dictionary on the history of Film in Sydney by Greg Dolgopolov and Ruth Balint. It includes an audio piece by one of the festival directors, Clare Stewart, who was responsible for the festival in 2009, talking about the origins of the film festival. The festival emerged out of the Sydney University Film Society. It was held at the University until 1967 when it shifted out to the Wintergarden at Rose Bay. The State Theatre became the home for the 21st festival in 1974. It could be considered a coming of age - literally and metaphorically. At this time the festival was under the leadership of David Stratton, and in fact he was the longest serving director, managing the film festival for 18 years. The picture palace is still the centre for the festival but in the 21st century it has grown to encompass a number of venues, as well as having a travelling film festival. The State Theatre is one of the grandest of all the picture palaces that were in Sydney in the 1930s, and a rare survivor. You enter through a Gothic entrance hall and ascend a curving marble staircase, passing art galleries in the auditorium, velvet lounges, and, in the theatre itself, Romanesque statues and a magnificently enormous chandelier. When the film festival started in the post war period there was no Arthouse cinema in Sydney. The film festival was one of the only opportunities to see foreign films. Artistic expression and censorship has created controversy at the film festival but that is all part of exploring the boundaries of film and one of the great things about the festival is that it continues to bring in international films that will never see a general release here in Australia. Now in its 61st, the film festival is one of the longest running film festivals in the world. It is very proud of its history and has published a fantastic ebook and archive on the web where you can explore the history of the festival. In their online archive you can see what films were shown on the program in any particular year. And there are essays on screen culture, the role of the film festival in Sydney's festival culture, censorship, award winners, film and graphic design, reflections by different directors....and more! If you missed Lisa's spot with Mitch on 2SER Breakfast this morning, you can catch up here. Lisa will be back in the chair again next week with more Sydney history so don't forget to tune in: 107.3 at 8:20am.