Arts & Culture
3 September, 2026
Documentary, movie shine spotlight on region
A feature documentary that is sure to boost Kangaroo Valley’s ever-increasing popularity has just been released and will hit the big screen next week.
It has been a big couple of years for movies and documentaries filmed in the local region.
A feature documentary that is sure to boost Kangaroo Valley’s ever-increasing popularity has just been released and will hit the big screen next week.
The Valley, directed by Ian Darling, is described as a portrait of a small town in rural Australia.
But it’s a three-hour documentary with a difference and relies entirely on natural sound and powerful cinematography without any commentary or cohesive narrative.
Some critics have called it meditative. Others have said it tests the attention span.
Mr Darling said he had set out to explore the deeper themes of solitude and silence – “not as abstract concepts, but as tangible, lived experiences”.
“The COVID years heightened my awareness of how powerful silence can be.
“This inspired me to explore silence and solitude, especially as they appear in rural life – a slower, more deliberate rhythm.
“Placing the film in a farming community felt like the best way to authentically capture this story.”
Mr Darling said he chose Kangaroo Valley because it embodied “physical isolation yet interconnectedness”.
“Residents work long days in solitude, milking cows, growing vegetables and baking bread.
“I wanted to immerse audiences in ‘valley time’ – a space where patience and tranquillity coexist with toil and effort,” Mr Darling said.
“The film offers viewers a chance to experience not only the hard work of valley inhabitants but the serenity and space inherent in this landscape.”
Mr Darling said The Valley was ultimately a contemplative journey and a chance for viewers to slow down, breathe, listen and observe.
“It celebrates the power of solitude and the importance of community.”
The Valley will be shown at Empire Cinemas in Bowral next Sunday, September 13 as part of a special event screening tour.
The screening will commence at 2pm.
The Birthday Trip - filmed entirely on location in Robertson and Moss Vale over a 15-day period - was released across Australian cinemas to rave reviews at the end of July this year.
The Australian described it as “a must-see Australian story” while Cinema Australia described it as “one of the best Australian films of the year”.
As was the case with Babe 30 years ago, the beauty of the Southern Highlands shines in The Birthday Trip and is expected to provide another reason for people to visit the region.
The movie has been described as “an unflinchingly funny” black drama that follows three old school friends and their partners on a trip to the Southern Highlands to celebrate a joint 30th birthday.
Written and directed by James Robert Woods the cast features Luke Jacobz, David Quirk, Ben Gerrard, Josephine Starte, Annelise Hall and Nicole Frew.
One of the scenes from the movie involves a bulldozer being driven through a Robertson home.
The Birthday Trip was recently screened to packed houses at the Robertson CTC.
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Read More: Southern Highlands, Bowral, Robertson, Moss Vale, Kangaroo Valley