The Golden Spurtle is a film about people who take their porridge very seriously – and it’s on tour with the Travelling Film Festival 2025. Photo: Sydney Film Festival.
If you can’t bear to sit through another Marvel movie, we’ve got the solution for you.
The highlights from this years’ Sydney Film Festival are on the road, and coming to a cinema near you.
The Travelling Film Festival will be at eight regional cinemas around NSW, including Warrawong and Huskisson.
The festival was co-founded by David Stratton in 1974 and features acclaimed films from around the world, including prize winners from the Cannes, Sundance, Berlin and Sydney film festivals.
Manager of the Travelling Film Festival Beatrix Brady said film was a powerful way to connect people with their own communities and others around the world.
“This is a chance for people to be transported, inspired, maybe even challenged a little bit – but also gloriously entertained,” she said.
Sundance Audience Award-winner Dj Ahmet will open the festival.
The film follows a teenage sheep farmer who discovers a love of music after stumbling across a rave near his North Macedonian farm.
Another feel-good flick is The Golden Spurtle, showing at Huskisson only.
The Australian documentary follows Marrickville chef Toby Wilson to a remote village in the Scottish Highlands and the World Porridge Making Championship hosted there.
Toby said he first heard about the competition a decade ago, and something about it just nagged at him.
“I finally bit the bullet and went for it,” he said.
“I thought it was super niche, kind of funny and sounded fun.
“Professionally it’s a great exercise to spend a lot of time and energy trying to perfect something simple; you learn skills and a mindset you can apply to any dish.
“Personally I met the most beautiful people over there. Growing up and living in Sydney my whole life, to be in a community of 700 people is so far out of my day-to-day echo chamber.
“It’s a lovely place to be and a reminder of how special these communities are where everyone knows everyone and looks after each other.”
Director Constantine Costi works in opera, but when a mutual friend told him about Toby’s quest he knew the story had to be told.
Constantine said in a world that could be chaotic and uncertain, the Porridge Making Championships were a ray of light.
“There’s a warmth that permeates the film; it’s very optimistic and joyful,” he said.
“We bonded with Charlie Miller, who runs the competition, and that authenticity comes through.
“It demonstrates what’s possible when a community comes together.”
We won’t spoil the results of the championship – but we will give you Toby’s tips for making traditional Scottish porridge.
First, you’re working with three ingredients – no more, no less.
“It must be steel-cut or stone-ground oats, water and salt,” Toby said.
“A really good bowl of porridge is just cooked out to the point where it gelatinises and goes really creamy like a nice risotto.
“They’re large grains and can take 20 to 30 minutes to cook through.
“You want an ever-so-slightly chewy, al dente style of texture.
“Seasoned properly the salt makes a big difference, the way it does in bread preparation, and that’s it.”
The Travelling Film Festival will be at Warrawong Gala Cinema on Friday 15 August until Sunday 17 August and in Huskisson from Friday 29 August until Sunday 31 August.
For tickets check out the website.
