New documentary screened at Ettalong

Former Peninsula resident, film producer and writer Ms Sylvia Wilczynski will be screening her new film Bomb Harvest at the Cinema Paradiso, Ettalong Beach, from October 18.

The film is a documentary about an Australian bomb disposal specialist, Mr Laith Stevens, and his efforts to clear massive US aircraft bombs in Laos left from "the Secret War" during the Vietnam War.

He trains locals in the skill of detonating bombs while trying to stop the locals, particularly children, from finding them and using them for scrap metal.

Mr Stevens also grew up on the Central Coast.

The documentary premiered at this year's Sydney Film Festival.

"I think people will be very interested to find out about the making of the film and Laith's dangerous but inspiring work," Ms Wilczynski said.

Ms Wilczynski attended Umina Public School and Henry Kendall High School.

Ms Wilczynski's mother taught at Umina Public School for 20 years until recently.

"With such an unusual last name, there is bound to be a lot of my mum's former students who will be interested in the film," Ms Wilczynski said.

"She and most of my family still live here on the Coast."

Ms Wilczynski graduated from the University of Technology, Sydney, in 1992 with a degree in film and television production.

She began her career as a researcher and assistant editor on documentaries and dramas for the BBC and Channel 4 in the UK.

Ms Wilczynski married the director of the film Mr Kim Mordaunt after returning from the film shoot.

They have just had their first child together.

Press release, 24 Sep 2007 Sylvia Wilczynski