A strong crowd filled the Odeon 5 Cinema on Friday night, August 21, for the opening night of the 2026 Travelling Film Festival, with movie lovers from across the region gathering to celebrate the return of the popular event.

The festival opened with Whistle, an entertaining and uplifting documentary that explores the colourful world of competitive musical whistling. The film was warmly received by the audience, who enjoyed its humour, quirky characters and inspiring stories.

Since 1974, the Travelling Film Festival has been bringing a selection of acclaimed Australian and international films to regional communities, giving local audiences access to movies that may not otherwise be screened in country areas. Organisers were delighted with the opening night turnout in Orange, describing it as a wonderful start to the festival weekend.