Aviatrix Films

Return Chute: The Survival of a Small Town Video Store is now on YouTube for all to see! We’ve been blown away by the reception and love shown for our short documentary.

https://youtu.be/RRGW2NyzBLY

The film was selected for the Adelaide Film Festival 2023, premiered at the Screenwave International Film Festival 2023, won the Special Jury Award at SydFest Independent Film Festival 2024, Best Documentary at the Far South Film Festival 2023, Best Short Documentary at the Sydney Short Film Festival 2024, and Best Open Short at the WTF Film Festival 2023. The film was also selected for the SWAN - Perth International Women In Film Festival and the Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival in 2023.

Rod O'Hara bought Bellingen Video Connection in 2018 when video stores were already considered dead. After many setbacks and against all odds, Rod and the community kept this iconic local business and bastion for lovers of television, film and screen culture alive for several years.

Filmed in late 2022 and premiering in April 2023, this short documentary tells the story of Rod and his unique store through interviews with Rod, past owners and employees, and passionate and loyal customers. It captures the history, nostalgia, love, and hopes for the video store before Rod made the tough and heartbreaking decision to sell Bellingen Video Connection in late 2023.

Massive thanks to Rod for sharing his story, to everyone who appears in the documentary, the O'Hara family, and to all the film's supporters.

The iconic video store has been reborn as The Dark Room. Follow on Instagram: or visit the website, https://www.thedarkroom.au

Return Chute: The survival of a small town video store Rod O'Hara bought Bellingen Video Connection in 2018 when video stores were already considered dead. After many setbacks and against all odds, Rod and the co...

Massive thanks to Sydney Short Film Festival for awarding Return Chute Best Short Documentary. Congratulations to all the filmmakers, award winners, the festival team for a great event, to Rod and everyone who appeared in the doco, and to the RC crew 🙏📼📀❤️ with Bellingen Video Connection
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Thank you to Sydney Short Film Festival for selecting Return Chute and for nominating the film for Best Documentary 📀📼❤️
With Bellingen Video Connection

>>Rod O'Hara bought 'Bellingen Video Connection' in 2018 when video stores were already considered on the way out - if not already dead. Now, years later, against all the odds and after facing many personal setbacks, Rod and the small town's local community have kept this iconic local business and bastion for lovers of television, film and screen culture alive - but for how long?