GREG Coffey loves comedy. He always has.
In 1996, he co-founded the Over The Fence Comedy Film Festival, which is now the longest running touring comedy film fest in Australia.
Despite loving comedy, the former film student started out with a focus on drama.
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READ NOW“I was out of Murdoch University and screened my film at the Film and Television Institute and I sat behind my tutor’s wife who said ‘why make that?’,” he said.
“It was about the death of mankind and I thought if I had made a comedy, it would have made the same observations and the audience would have a good time.”
Mr Coffey said he noticed people came to the festival with hopes of huge belly laughs, but it wasn’t always the intention.
“We do offer an excellent sense of humour,” he said.
“For example, this year we have a Mexican film called Suck It, Boss and it is extraordinary how powerful, gripping and hilariously scary it is; it’s edge-of-your-seat stuff.”
He said the diverse program offered quirks from different cultures, but they usually translated to Australian audiences.
The Over The Fence Comedy Film Festival goes from January 13 to February 5 with screenings at Telethon outdoor community cinemas in Murdoch, Burswood and Bassendean before touring the country.
For the full program and more information, go to www.overthefence.com.au