Chris's incredible tale to star at film festival

THE Boondocs movie festival will have a local flavour for its second year with a documentary about Boonah's Chris Petherick who suffers from Parkinson's.

Chris Petherick of Boonah has a starring role in a documentary at the Boondocs festival. . Picture: David Nielsen

THE Boondocs movie festival will have a uniquely local flavour for its second year.

The festival, to be held at the Boonah Cultural Centre from next Tuesday to Saturday, will feature a documentary about Boonah man Chris Petherick.

Mr Petherick, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, was the subject of the documentary Shaking it Off by members of the Griffith Film School.

The film tells the story of Mr Petherick's decision to have deep brain stimulation surgery. He now has a "brain pacemaker" installed in his head.

Mr Petherick said when faced with a decision between having wires implanted in his brain or a lifetime on various drugs, the decision was an easy one.

Boondocs founder Kimberly Sakzewski said the films for the second annual festival had been chosen with a theme of health and healthy living.

"This year's diverse program has a clear focus on physical and mental wellbeing, with documentaries handpicked to reflect many topical issues that people, especially more mature members of our community, are having more experience with or questions about," she said

Shaking it Off is one of six films showing as part of the Boondocs Festival.

For more information about the festival, the line up of movies and ticket information visit boondocs.com.au.

FESTIVAL LINE-UP

• Tuesday at 7pm, coal seam gas activist documentary Brimblebox will kick off the festival.
• Wednesday 7pm, Forks Over Knives looks at why people are so sick despite the best medical technology in history.
• Thursday 7pm, Oops, Wrong Planet examines Asperger's Syndrome and asks if some of history's best known geniuses had the condition.
• Friday 7pm doubleheader. Shaking it Off followed by You're Looking at Me Like I Live Here and I Don't, a film from the perspective of an Alzheimer's sufferer.
• Saturday, noon, a free screening of The 100+ Club will look at the world's only social club for centenarians.

Originally published as Chris's incredible tale to star at film festival