Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute

Kadampa Meditation Series | Calm Amidst Chaos: How to Deal with Difficult People
2025-04-09 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-04-02 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-03-26 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-03-19 19:00 - 20:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Lending Library, Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, Victoria, 3350, Australia
Ballarat Film Society | Smiley Gets a Gun

December 10

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7:30 pm

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9:00 pm

BMI – Minerva Space

Further Adventures of Smiley

Our screening of Smiley (1956) two years ago was popular with film society members. In this sequel, Smiley is a young Aussie upstart and cheeky home-grown hero, who sets out to turn over a new leaf and become a ‘responsible citizen’ after his past misadventures. Sergeant Flaxman (Chips Rafferty) keeps a keen eye on the rapscallion and promises to award him a brand new .22 rifle if he stays out of trouble. Smiley of course scoots around in his mad-cap daily life desperately trying to keep his word, but eventually getting accused of stealing gold from little old granny McKinley (Sybil Thorndike). Filmed over an eight week period towards the end of 1957, shooting took place at Camden and then Pagewood Studios in Sydney. Have a walk down memory lane to a time when a Christmas present for a kid could be a .22 rifle! Roadshow.

Australia, 1958, 90 min. Dir: Anthony Kimmins. Stars Keith Calvert as Smiley, Sybil Thorndike, Leonard Thiele and Ruth Cracknell in her first feature film.

Ballarat Film Society

Membership 12 months – Feb-December: $60Feb-July: $35 – July-Dec: $30 To join or renew your membership, please e-mail or phone Angus McLachlan (5374 2474), or come with cash on the night. Membership can be paid by bank transfer or with cash. For film enquiries, phone Sue Nunn: 5341 2266 or visit the Ballarat Film Society website All films are subject to availability. If there is no next film shown below it means the BFS is working on next season’s programme.

In Conversation with Ali Lowe & Vanessa McCausland
2025-04-09 19:00 - 20:00 | BMI – Humffray Room, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia

Twilight Talks 2025, Season 2 | Connections to War from a Ballarat Perspective: War Grieving - Doctor's Perspective
2025-04-09 17:30 - 18:30 | BMI – Humffray Room, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia

This is the Way the World Ends, a Ballarat National Theatre Production
2025-04-06 14:00 - 17:00, 2025-04-04 19:00 - 22:00 | BMI – Humffray Room, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia

Zak Plays Zach: The Ultimate Zach Bryan Tribute Show
2025-04-05 19:30 - 23:00 | The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia

Twilight Talks 2025, Season 2 | Connections to War from a Ballarat Perspective: Dr Hardy
2025-04-02 17:30 - 18:30 | BMI – Humffray Room, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia

In Conversation with Mark Smith
2025-04-01 18:00 - 19:30 | BMI – Humffray Room, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia

70th Anniversary Minerva Social | Scottish Country Dancing
2025-03-30 14:00 - 17:30 | BMI – Minerva Space, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350

Twilight Talks 2025, Season 1 | Ballarat's Changing Scene - Changes to the Canadian Corridor
2025-03-26 17:30 - 18:30 | BMI – Humffray Room, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia

In Conversation with Charlotte McConaghy
2025-03-24 18:00 - 19:30 | BMI – Humffray Room, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia

Broadway to Ballarat: The Haunted Theatre
2025-03-19 19:00 - 2025-03-23 22:00 | The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia

Twilight Talks 2025, Season 1 | Ballarat's Changing Scene - Change in Ballarat's Car Industry
2025-03-19 17:30 - 18:30 | BMI – Humffray Room, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia

Ballarat Film Society | The Movie Teller
2025-03-13 19:30 - 21:00 | The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia

Kadampa Meditation Series | The Path of Peace: Three Ways to a Simpler Life
2025-03-12 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-03-05 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-02-26 19:00 - 20:30 | Lending Library, Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, Victoria, 3350, Australia

Twilight Talks 2025, Season 1 | Ballarat's Changing Scene - Ballarat's Growth: Infrastructure Pressures
2025-03-12 17:30 - 18:30 | BMI – Humffray Room, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia

A BMI Fundraising Public Talk | The world in 2025 and beyond with Professor Geoffrey Blainey AC
2025-03-05 18:00 - 19:00 | VIC

Twilight Talks 2025, Season 1, Special Event | Dancers on the Sea by Gabrielle Samson
2025-02-26 17:30 - 18:30 | BMI – Humffray Room, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia

In Conversation with Megan Brown & Lucy Sussex
2025-02-25 18:00 - 20:00 | VIC

BMI Live: Hot Club Swing & Amie Brûlée
2025-02-21 19:30 - 21:00 | The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia

Kadampa Meditation Series | New Beginnings: How to Start Meditating
2025-02-19 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-02-12 19:00 - 20:30 | Lending Library, Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, Victoria, 3350, Australia

In Conversation with Jane Cafarella
2025-02-18 18:00 - 19:30 | BMI – Humffray Room, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia

Ballarat Film Society | KNEECAP
2025-02-13 19:30 - 21:00 | The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia

Adam Harvey | Live at the BMI
2025-02-09 15:00 - 17:30 | The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute, 117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, VIC, 3350, Australia
