Image Upload


File size must be less than 2Mb

You must have online publishing permission or full ownership of this image

File types (jpg, png, gif)






  • Hero image
    INSPIRATION: Artist, filmmaker, and cultural advocate, Julien Poulson, who visited Dimboola during its agricultural society show last year, will open Sticky Fingers Art Prints Cambodia: A Cosmic Journey in Pop Art Screen Prints exhibition in Dimboola next week. He is also developing a film set to be based in the town.

Dimboola set to star in new film

By Lauren Henry

An art exhibition in Dimboola will help raise awareness about Cambodian rock and roll from the 1960s while also raising money for a new movie about Dimboola.

Artist, filmmaker, and cultural advocate, Julien Poulson, will open the Sticky Fingers Art Prints Cambodia: A Cosmic Journey in Pop Art Screen Prints exhibition on February 14.

Poulson will also discuss his new feature film project, Doin’ Alright in Dimboola, which is set to be filmed in and around Dimboola.



Article continues below



The exhibition will provide a sneak peek into the movie, with concept art, story-boards, and behind-the-scenes insights into the film’s development. 

Poulson’s connection to Dimboola was by chance.

While researching for his film, he discovered one of his Sticky Fingers prints in the Cambodia Room at the Dimboola Imaginarium, acquired by art enthusiasts Chan and Jamie Uoy.

Business owner Chan Uoy said their support solidified Poulson’s decision to collaborate with Dimboola, which boasts a rich arts history and cinematic legacy – making it an ideal backdrop.

“I was the first Cambodian refugee to arrive in Australia in 1976, so this exhibition is relevant to my heritage and relates to my new life in Dimboola,” he said.

The two-week exhibition will centre on Cambodia’s Golden Era of music, art, and cinema, featuring Poulson’s handmade screenprints blending Khmer icons with global pop culture.

Curated by Dimboola Art Inc., the exhibition showcases Poulson’s pop art, blending retro aesthetics with contemporary storytelling.

The prints honour the likes of Sinn Sisamouth, Ros Sereysothea, and Pan Ron, whose music was nearly erased during the Khmer Rouge era. 

The prints also pay homage to global icons such as Elvis Presley and Iggy Pop, merging East and West in a kaleidoscope of colours and imagery.

A standout piece in the collection is the ‘Mara’ print, which depicts one of the first Cambodian dancers to perform in New York. 

Poulson’s Mara print is a tribute to both the dancer and the father of pop art artist Andy Warhol, who sketched the dancer, encapsulating their shared moment of creative energy.

Poulson said the exhibition would feature more than 20 of his designs, each depicting ‘a dreamlike journey through the psychedelic sounds and surreal imagery of 1960s Phnom Penh’. 

Key pieces include ‘Galaxy Khmer’, a psychedelic ode to Cambodia’s vibrant music scene; ‘Space Apsara’, a cosmic reimagining of Cambodia’s celestial dancers; ‘The Golden Voice’, a radiant tribute to Ros Sereysothea, the voice of Cambodia; and ‘Bang Bang: My Baby Shot Me Down’, a bold portrayal of Pan Ron’s audacious spirit.

Movie

The movie promises humour, heart, and cosmic twists, in similar vein to classics like Fargo, Muriel’s Wedding, and Breaking Bad.

Poulson said the movie would blend dark comedy and rural charm, following the story of Ranjit Devi, a lovable yet hapless dreamer from India. 

“Ranjit’s quiet life in Dimboola turns wild when he encounters two runaway sisters, Emma and Leanne, fleeing from a dangerous tobacco smuggler ‘The Bulgarian’” he said.

“The chaos intensifies when Leanne steals a prized Chihuahua from Tiffany Weng, a ruthless Chinese art dealer searching for a lost Sidney Nolan painting rumoured to be hidden in Dimboola. 

“With an eccentric cast of locals – including Marj, a sharp-tongued postal clerk, and Stew, a stoner mechanic who insists Ranjit’s car has cosmic powers – Ranjit devises an outrageous plan: a Bollywood Cosplay party to raise funds for the sisters’ escape.”

Poulson was in Dimboola during the agricultural society show last year, drawing inspiration from the town’s unique atmosphere and characters. 

“Dimboola has this magnetic quality – it’s a place that feels both quintessentially Australian and entirely unique,” he said.

“The name itself is evocative, but it was my visits to the town that truly sealed the deal.”

Poulson said he was struck by the warmth and creativity of the community.

“From the Dimboola Imaginarium to the vibrant local events like the Dimboola Show – there’s a rich history too, from the iconic play and film Dimboola to its connection with Sidney Nolan, one of Australia’s most celebrated artists,” he said.

“The town’s landscapes, its Indigenous heritage, and its quirky subcultures – like Wimmera Steampunk – all contribute to a sense of place that’s ripe for storytelling. 

“Dimboola feels like a microcosm of modern regional Australia, where tradition and creativity collide, and I knew it was the perfect setting for a film that blends dark comedy, cosmic chaos, and unexpected heroism.”

The film is currently in the development stage, with the screenplay well underway and a creative team being assembled. 

Funding opportunities are also being explored to bring the project to life.

Poulson said he aimed to move into pre-production in the next 12 to 18 months, with filming tentatively planned for late 2025 or early 2026.

The film will add to Poulson’s already decorated career, which started as an art director and producer of music videos, progressing to creating Sumatra, an award-winning short film shot in Darwin, followed by Flicker and Fade, a collaboration with Mark Roy that premiered at the 70th Cannes International Film Festival. 

He also co-wrote the musical play The Road to Tibooburra.

Money raised from the exhibition will support the next generation of Cambodian artists working at the Fish Island Community Arts Centre, to help fund Poulson’s film, and enable young Cambodian artists to showcase their designs at the Wimmera Steampunk Festival on April 12.

The exhibition, at Dimboola Shire Hall, will launch at 7pm on February 14.

The entire February 5, 2025 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!