THE Screenwave International Film Festival has announced its SWIFF’23 Preview Gala event, to be hosted on March 10 at the Jetty Theatre, celebrating the announcement of the full 2023 festival line-up – and joined by filmmaker Matty Hannon for a preview screening of the award-winning travel documentary, The Road to Patagonia.

An annual sell-out event hosted six weeks out from the festival each year, the Preview Gala is the first chance for film lovers to dive into the full sixteen-day, 130-plus session program of cinema, events and experiences.

“Working with the community to build SWIFF is a new journey every year, so it’s only fitting to present an incredible documentary about the joy of travel, with Matty Hannon’s new documentary, to celebrate the festival to come,” said Festival Director Dave Horsley.

The Road to Patagonia follows ecologist Matty Hannon as he ventures on the trip of a lifetime, journeying solo from the top of Alaska to the southern tip of Patagonia, finding an unexpected love connection in permaculture farmer and fellow surfer Heather Hillier. Together, the duo journey by both motorcycle and horseback, meeting with Zapatista rebels, Amazonian shamans and Mapuche leaders with wisdom to share, and surfing the pristine undiscovered surf breaks uniquely found all down the west coast of the Americas.

Featuring moments both stunning and intimate, The Road to Patagonia documents both a love between people, with culture, and with nature.

A big screen spectacle packed with stunning vistas, audiences at the Preview Gala will also enjoy an in-conversation Q&A deep dive with the filmmakers and SWIFF Festival Directors, Kate Howat and Dave Horsley.

Limited tickets to the SWIFF’23 Preview Gala are available now, and includes canapes, drink on arrival, and admission to see The Road to Patagonia’s preview screening.

The SWIFF’23 festival takes place from April 20 to May 5, in both Coffs Harbour and Bellingen.