The sold-out opening night at the Empire Cinema on July 20 featured two book launches and an advanced screening of The Wife.​

The film was about a woman stepping out of her husband’s creative shadow, a theme which set the tone for the rest of the event held at the Highlands School of Performing Arts on July 21. 

“There’s something in the zeitgeist at the moment in which people are willing to look at women’s stories,” festival director Michaela Bolzan said. 

Michelle Scott Tucker’s book about pioneer pastoralist Elizabeth Macarthur, who shipped the first commercial quantities of wool out of Australia, shone a different light on Australia’s early colonial life.

“I went looking for some of the women in Australian history and Elizabeth was hiding plain sight,” said Ms Tucker. 

Nicola Moriarty, sister of best-selling author Liane Moriarty, recounted her journey to becoming an author in a literary family while setting herself free from the ‘chick-lit’ label while Virginia Lloyd’s book ‘Girls at the piano’, traced her own experience at the piano with women throughout history. 

Ms Bolzan said the overarching theme of this year’s festival had created an intimacy and connection between author and audience unlike any other previous year. 

“I put a lot of thought into every decision and it’s been such an amazing response. There was something extra special about this year. I don’t know how to top it,” she said. 

“With women’s stories, you get to see the other side of the embroidery,” Ms Tucker said.