AS a kind of an appetiser to the Canberra Short Film Festival, festival organisers have teamed up with NewActon to present “Local Feats: A retrospective of Canberra-made feature films from 1971 to 2010.”

Canberra filmmakers will show  their latest short film works alongside their feature films, with a Q&A after the films and the collection will also be archived at the National Film and  Sound Archive as the” Canberra Feature Collection.”

Some of the films on the menu are  “The Chifleys of Busby Street,” (2008) directed by Andrew Pike, (about Ben Chifley and his wife Elizabeth) the futuristic political drama “The Demonstrator,” (1971) directed by Warwick Freeman, the horror thriller “Cthulu,” (2000) directed by Damian Heffernan, the psychological thriller “The Dinner Party,” (2012) directed by Scott Murden, the crime drama “Hobby Farm,” (2010) directed by Brad Diebert and the 1993 film “Sticky and Salty” directed by Serge Ou, about “the world’s greatest rock band.”

The program begins on August 16 with “The Demonstrator,” starring  Joe James as the Australian Minister of Defence. In seeking a military alliance withAsia, James is thwarted by his antiwar son, played by  Gerard Maguire. Scripter Kit Denton adapted the film from an original story by Elizabeth and Don Campbell.

All the retrospective films will be screened at theKendallLaneTheatreevery two weeks at 7.30pm until December 20.

The full program of “Local Feats” can be accessed at http://www.csff.com.au/2012-festival/local-feats/

Meantime, finalists in the Canberra Short Film Festival are being judged this week by judges Gabby Millgate, Paul McDermott, Rhys Muldoon, feature film distributor John L Simpson, & LA-based actor Chuck Noland.

The 17th Canberra Short Film Festival screens at Dendy from September 14-16.