:: Spotlight :: 2006 St.Kilda Film FestivalBy: Carmine PascuzziIt is one of the traditional events of the Australian film industry calendar. For a display of quality work in the field of short films, one of the leading festivals is the St Kilda Film Festival. In 2006, the event runs from May 30 to June 4, 2006. It is a major part of the St.Kilda and Victorian cultural identity. Now entering its 23rd year, the St.Kilda Film Festival is showcasing a broad range of talent and passion for short film by the 100 winners of the National Film Competition. And with the assistance of Film Victoria, the Australian Film Commission, and major sponsors TAC and Australian Fresh, the Festival is getting bigger and better every year. With over 700 entries, this year’s highlights include international programs from Interfilm Berlin and Sao Paolo Short Film Festival, and Australia's longest running music video competition SoundKILDA. Featuring videos from artists such as Pete Murray, Spiderbait and Bernard Fanning, SoundKILDA is definitely going to surprise and delight. This year marks the return to one of Melbourne’s best-loved venues. The Astor Theatre is another cultural landmark in the cityscape and this happy reunion to one of the traditional settings is something to celebrate at the opening night on May 30. The Festival this year focuses on a number of events including a special session of Confessions of a Filmmaker with celebrated animator Anthony Lucas. The spotlight will also be on the past 40 years of the Victorian College of the Arts and, with a new exciting collaboration with the Department of Victorian Communities, the positive images of ageing will be expressed through the medium of short film. You can get your dose of local talent in the shorts, when you witness renowned actors such as Suzi Porter, Marcus Graham, Glenn Robbins, Samuel Johnson, Gary Sweet, Kerry Armstrong, John Stanton, Gerard Kennedy, Emma Lung & Michael Veitch. As well as returning to some iconic places, there are new venues added to enhance the ever-expanding amount of talent on show. The Sea Baths Function Centre is the new setting for the revamped Closing Night Awards Ceremony where the winners will be announced. Go to this year’s St Kilda Film Festival and experience the awesome world of short film at the country’s biggest exhibition of local and overseas filmic flair. **Highlights to watch for** ST KILDA SHORT FILM FESTIVAL 2006 HIGHLIGHTS This year's St Kilda Film Festival - May 30 to June 4 will be bigger than ever, with 100 of Australia's Top Short Films in the competition. Here is a rundown of some of the good ones to view. ALL IS FORGIVEN - Drama - 12mins EUROPE - Drama - 7mins (SCREENING ON OPENING NIGHT) DOMESTIC - Comedy - 7mins GRANGE - Drama - 30mins HOLE IN THE WALL - Drama - 11mins OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS - Drama - 14mins THE SAVIOUR - Drama - 18mins COOL - Drama - 14mins TEN FEET TALL - Drama - 12mins TANGO TROIS - Drama - 8mins THE DEAL - Drama - 15mins (SCREENING ON OPENING NIGHT) THE FAKING GAME - Comedy - 18mins VIRUS - Drama - 15mins VEND - Drama - 10mins THE MECHANICALS - Drama - 9 mins (SCREENING ON OPENING NIGHT) LAST STOP - Drama - 5mins THE WAGALAK SISTERS - Animation (SCREENING ON OPENING NIGHT) ******************************************************** As a central part of the St Kilda Film Festival, the SoundKILDA music video competition is an excellent way to display the talents of the music video makers who are at the forefront of redefining the use of video clips as a visual medium. SoundKILDA looks at the video clips that stay in your head, promote the song and represent the artists who made the music. It is also an opportunity for you to watch them on the big screen and vote for your favourite clip. The diversity of talent is a big part of the competition in 2006, ranging from well-known artists and directors, such as Pete Murray and Damion Escott, to first-time entrants, such as Kasimir Burgess, showcasing their abilities of using the video clip to convey the music’s messages. From the 22 finalists, film clips from Sarah Blasko, Bernard Fanning, The Living End and Grinspoon, just to name a few, are all nominated for the SoundKILDA Awards. And not only are the awards peer-voted, but as part of the ceremony, there is an Audience Award, Best Music Video and Best Music Video Animation component to ensure those who have created significant visual representations of the music are acknowledged and honoured. This year, the winners will be announced directly after the screening and, for the first time, an After Party at the Festival Club, The Lobby Bar, will kick on for those who attend the screening. 2006 SoundKILDA Finalists: Always Worth It - Sarah Blasko Opportunity - Pete Murray Wish You Well - Bernard Fanning I Was Alive - The Whitlams Rock Bottom Riser - Smog Sweet As Sugar - Grinspoon Bleed You Dry - Grinspoon Broken Bones - Blackchords Class A - Pete Murray Say What You Say - Soma Rasa Hurricane - Faker Skindance - Soma Rasa Drunk on Election Night - Dan Kelly & The Alpha Males Yesterday - SS Pecker On My Way - Spiderbait Then Till Now - Bliss N Eso Children of The Underground - Zulya and the Children of the Underground The Shake - Kisschasy Clown Prince - Hilltop Hoods What’s On The Radio - The Living End Prun Sunk (Feeding Time) - Because of Ghosts Wake Up - The Living End SoundKILDA is on Thursday, June 1 from 9.00pm at the George Cinemas, 135 Fitzroy St, St Kilda ******************************************** **Winners announced** The 23rd St Kilda Film Festival was the most successful yet, featuring 100 of Australia’s Best Short Films. The winners were announced and the BEST SHORT FILM and the $10,000 prize money was taken out by VEND directed by James Findlay and Produced by Natasha Gray. The list of winners Best Short Film - Vend, Directed by James Findlay Craft Award - Domestic, Directed by Katie Hides, Produced by Brett Snelgrove Best Director - The Eye Inside, Directed by Cordelia Beresford Best Documentary - Butterfly Man, Directed by Samantha Rebillet, Produced by Justin Davies Best Animation - The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello, Directed and Produced by Anthony Lucas Best Comedy - The Mechanicals, Directed by Leon Ford, Produced by Nicole O’Donohue Best Achievement in Screenplay - The Saviour, Written by Peter Templeman Best Actor - Richard Wilson, Debut Best Achievement in Cinematography - The Eye Inside, Cinematography by Cordelia Beresford Best Achievement in Editing - Domestic, Edited by Ben Joss Best Achievement in Visual Effects - A Message from Fallujah, Effects by Tad Price Best Achievement in Sound Post Production - The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello, Sound Design by John Rowland Best Original Score - Carnivore Reflux, Score by Benjamin Speed SBS Television Award - The Last Chip, Directed by Heng Tang, Produced by Donna McCrum & Andy Canny Most Positive Image of Ageing - Butterfly Man, Directed by Samantha Rebillet, Produced by Justin Davies Judges Special Commendation - Azardi, Directed by Anthony Maras, Produced by Scott McDonald & Anthony Maras Judges Special Commendation - The Last Chip, Directed by Heng Tang, Produced by Donna McCrum & Andy Canny SOUNDKILDA Best Music Video Animation - Rock Bottom Riser, Directed and Produced by Brendan Cook & Paul Mcneil Best Music Video - Broken Bones, Directed by Kasimir Burgess, Produced by Adrian Moses & VCA ******************************************** **The Festival set to go on tour** To celebrate the winners of the St Kilda Film Festival 2006, the Festival is showcasing the cream of the crop and touring Australia’s top short films nationally from June 11 to July 29, 2006. The St Kilda Film Festival is hitting the road with the best our short filmmakers have to offer. These fine examples of contemporary, creative and visually captivating stories will be re-told in six cities across Australia- Canberra, Brisbane, Perth, Hobart, Adelaide and Sydney. Throughout the National Tour there will be two screenings of the highly acclaimed short films that were part of the St Kilda Film Festival, including the winning short VEND. The Best of Australia’s Top 100 will screen around the country in two sessions. Session one features the winning film from the Festival, and includes highlights such as Message From Fallujah, which won the Best of the Fest Award at the Los Angeles International Short Film Festival and was short-listed for the 2006 Academy Award Nominations. Ten Feet Tall, stars AFI Award winning actor Samuel Johnson and comic actor Michael Veitch, and marks multi-platinum singer/songwriter Pete Murray’s first foray into composing for film. Session two showcases more fine examples of the artistically talented filmmakers such as Stephen Amis, whose film Virus, staring Kerry Armstrong, will screen in this session. In 2000, Amis co-wrote, produced and directed the romantic comedy The Real Thing starring Kate Fischer. Olivia Peniston-Bird, who directed and produced the 4-minute drama Goggles, appearing in this session, has been in film production for eight years. She has worked with renowned filmmakers such as Roger Michell (Notting Hill), Sally Potter (Orlando) and Jonathon Glazer (Sexy Beast). As well as these amazing showcases of short films, in each state there will be Retrospective Sessions, displaying local storylines and issues relevant to each of the six capital cities that the Festival will be touring to. CANBERRA - JUNE 11 - ELECTRIC SHADOWS ********************************************** |
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