Flickerfest film awards announced

The Six Dollar Fifty Man  

MEDIA RELEASE COURTESY OF: FLICKERFEST 2010

The 19th annual Flickerfest International and Australian awards were announced at a star-studded ceremony at the Bondi Pavilion, Bondi beach. Attended by celebrated guests from the Australian and the International film industry, the Closing Night ceremony honoured those entrants with award-winning films within the Academy Accredited ®competition.

Following the ceremony, a selection of the winning films were screened before the Closing Night Party took place. The original Bondi short film festival, Flickerfest wrapped its 10-day Sydney season before embarking on a 24 venue national tour.

Awards given out on the night were as follows:

The Six Dollar Fifty Man won the Coopers Award for Best Film at Flickerfest 2010, beating competitors from around the world to take the $5000 prize – and eligibility for Oscar consideration in 2011. Written and directed by Mark Albiston and Louis Sutherland and produced by Wendy Cuthbert, the film is set in 1970s New Zealand and follows Andy, a gutsy 8 year-old boy who is
forced to break out of his make-believe superhero world to deal with playground bullies. The film was previously awarded the Short Film Special Distinction after playing in Competition at the Festival De Cannes in 2009.

The International Jury, included film industry luminaries Sarah Hoch, Festival Director of Expresión en Corto International Film Festival in Mexico; Roy Billing - much loved Australian actor and screen icon; and Andrew Lancaster, director of the upcoming feature film Accidents Happen.

Winning the Yoram Gross Award for Best Short Animation Film, along with the $1500 prize, was The Cat Piano. Directed by Eddie White & Ari Gibson, produced by Jessica Brentnall and narrated by Nick Cave, the film is also eligible for Oscar® consideration.

Luke Doolan’s Miracle Fish was awarded the Movie Extra Special Jury Prize (AUD $500) – the film premiered at Sundance and won the BAFTA LA Award at the Aspen Film Festival last
year. Miracle Fish also took out the Miller Australia Award for Best Cinematography in an Australian Short Film, with the prize of a tripod kit and case, valued at over $1600.

The SAE Award for Best use of Digital Technology in a Short Film (AUD $1,000) was awarded to
Next Floor from director Denis Villenue (Canada).

Flickerfest’s Australian Competition was awarded by a jury of local highly respected and experienced film industry celebrities – including actor Dan Wyllie, director Darlene Johnson, producer Nicole O’Donohue and Rachel Okine, Productions and Acquisitions Executive at Hopscotch Films,.

Celestial Avenue won the Madman Award for Best Australian Film (AUD $3,500,) after making its’ Australian Premiere at Flickerfest. Celestial Avenue is an offbeat tale – part karaoke video, part cross- cultural comedy – about love, personal reinvention and a startled pigeon.

The Seed Productions Award for Best Achievement in an Original Australian Screenplay (AUD$1,000 ) and Icebergs Dining Room & Bar Award for Best Direction in an Australian Short Film (AUD$1,000 AUD) were both awarded to Tomorrow, directed by Simon Portus and produced by David Curzon. The film stars Leah Purcell and was nominated for an AWGIE award in 2009 after playing at the Berlin Film Festival 14plus competition.

The Jury awarded the Chaotic Pictures and Jungle Software Awardfor the Most Resourceful Film Production (Red Camera Hire and Post Services to the value of $2000 AUD and Gorilla Scheduling Software) to Aussie zombie short Numurkah, which tells the story of two friends who find themselves in a lot more trouble than they bargained for while attempting to destroy their car to cash in on the insurance money.

The Avid Award for Best Editing in An Australian Short Film (Media Composer Software Editing kit for Mac or PC valued at more than $3,450) was awarded to comedy GPS from director Sam Bryant and producers Andrew Morris, Lucas Jenner and Lawrence Foster. The film also won the SBS Television Award, with SBS purchasing the title for broadcast.

German film Wagah was awarded the National Geographic Award for Best Documentary. Wagah has been celebrated with a host of prizes around the world, including the Berlin Today Award at the Berlinale as well as the German Short Film Prize for 2009.

The Flickerfest IF Media Award for Most Popular Film, which qualifies the winner for eligibility in the 2010 IF awards, will be announced on the IF awards website once votes have been counted in the coming weeks.

The festival draws to a close in Sydney, and now embarks on its national tour – first stop is Byron Bay with the festival touring 23 venues until the end of March, including Alice Springs, Brisbane, Perth, Bathurst, Hobart, Canberra, Melbourne and Townsville.

The Winners In Short:

International Short Film Awards:

Award: Coopers Award for Best Short Film* - $5,000 cash
* This Is An Academy® Accredited Award
Film: The Six Dollar Fifty Man
Writer/Director: Mark Albiston & Louis Sutherland
Producer: Wendy Cuthbert
Country: New Zealand
Duration: 15 mins
Finished format: 35mm
Year: 2009

Award: Yoram Gross Award for Best Short Animation Film * - $1500 cash
* This Is An Academy® Accredited Award
Film: The Cat Piano
Director: Eddie White & Ari Gibson
Writer: Eddie White
Producer: Jessica Brentnall
Country: Australia
Duration: 8:30 mins
Format: 35mm
Year: 2009

Award: Movie Extra Special Jury Award - $500 cash
Film: Miracle Fish
Writer/Director: Luke Doolan
Producer: Drew Bailey
Country: Australia
Duration: 18 mins
Format: 35mm
Year: 2009

Award: SAE Award for Best Use of Digital Technology in a Short Film - $1,000 cash
Film: Next Floor
Director: Denis Velleneuve
Producer: Phoebe Greenburg, Caroline Binet
Country: Canada
Duration: 11:30 mins
Format: 35mm
Year: 2008

Documentary Award:

Award: National Geographic Award for Best Short Documentary - $1,000 cash
Film: Wagah
Writer/Director: Supriyo Sen
Producer: Hennig Kamm & Fabian Gasmia
Country: Germany
Duration: 13:30 mins
Format: Video
Year: 2009

Highly Commended Documentary:
Film: Cicada
Director: Amiel Courtin-Wilson
Writer/Story: Daniel P Jones
Producer: Sally Hussey
Country Australia
Duration: 9 mins
Format: Video
Year: 2009

Highly Commended Documentary
Film: Salt
Director: Michael Angus & Murray Fredericks
Writer/Producer: Michael Angus
Country: Australia
Duration: 26 mins
Format: Video
Year: 2009

Australian Short Film Awards:

Award: Madman Award for Best Australia Short Film – $3,500 cash
Film: Celestial Avenue
Writer/Director: Colin and Cameron Cairnes
Producer: Scott Alexander
Country: Australia
Duration: 20 mins
Format: Video
Year: 2009

Award: Seed Productions Award for Best Achievement in an Original Australian Screenplay
$1,000 cash
Film: Tomorrow
Director: Simon Portus
Producer: David Curzon
Scriptwriter: Simon Portus
Country: Australia
Duration: 15 mins
Format: Video
Year: 2008

Award: Icebergs Dining Room and Bar Award for Best Direction in an Australian Short Film -
$1,000cash
Film: Tomorrow
Director: Simon Portus
Producer: David Curzon
Country: Australia
Duration: 15 mins
Format: Video
Year: 2008

Award: SBS Television Award – Purchase of the film by SBS for Broadcast on Television
Film: GPS
Writer/Director: Sam Bryant
Producers: Andrew Morris, Lucas Jenner & Lawrence Foster
Country: Australia
Duration: 6 mins
Format: Video
Year: 2009

Award: Miller Australia Award for Best Cinematography in an Australian Short Film
- Miller Tripod kit – (RRP $1650)
Film: Miracle Fish
Writer/Director: Luke Doolan
Producer: Drew Bailey
Cinematographer: Brad Shield
Country: Australia
Duration: 18 mins
Format: Video
Year: 2009

Award: Avid Technology Award for Best Editing in an Australian Short Film – Media Composer
software – (RRP $3,450)
Film: GPS
Writer/Director: Sam Bryant
Producers: Andrew Morris, Lucas Jenner & Lawrence Foster
Editor: Mark Burnett
Country: Australia
Duration: 6 mins
Format: Video
Year: 2009

Award: Chaotic Pictures and Jungle Software Award for Most Resourceful Production - $2,000
worth of Red Camera Hire and Post services & Gorilla Film Production & Story O Software from
Jungle
Film: Numurkah
Writer/Director: Ryan Coonan
Producer: James Hicks
Country: Australia
Duration: 12 mins
Format: 35mm
Year: 2008

Award: Audioloc Sound Design Award for Best Achievement in Sound in an Australian Short Film – 1 day Sound Post at Audioloc Sound Facility
Film: Zero
Writer/Director: Christopher Kezelos
Producer: Christine Kezelos
Sound Design: Brendan O’Brien
Country: Australia
Duration: 13 mins
Format: Video
Year: 2009