St Kilda Film Festival is nearly upon us and this edition’s lineup of 100 films includes a whopping 23 shorts by more than 30 AFTRS alumni, 3 of those being AFTRS productions. The selected works will compete in the Top Australian Short Film competition for their share of the $50,000 prize pool.
https://www.facebook.com/StKildaFilmFestival/videos/389536478325571/?__xts__[0]=68.ARCQgb90dpmoDxIwQdTDJ6HZ1FPWb8G7GO-xYaHCZMhBgovMZJaOwJoaFUttF1hfzSXrozvn0owOTLPUsUodXELMtKNrTIXlqEWeA7f9QOh2ym65-4Awz1w1HsgeUzkywj3lfQF4bWMZqrT_cKGXBQ8YmvM6kC93P0F3NN5WC8t-txzfDUBOdhnDzdFs3f9TNdtdZ7R4ePTF3eg5_buh11XjGnV2HGr8RQWmgUH7MS7rzgBRzwPDGHl4qhUtzloJ0OgYDn-HdfNoETfaOdreSSj7rYfj_fFPYIuxpbhgLX9tT1WnWvbabYXQ3BAz4i-X3raFEnix5PAOLHs7hN4oJwR3CjYszg&__tn__=-R
Opening the festival will be the SFF-selected Dendy Awards-contender The Hitchhiker which was produced by alumna Chloe Rickard (Master of Screen Arts & Business, 2015) and boasts an all-female crew and creatives. Rickard is a partner and Head of Production at Jungle Entertainent and has produced two seasons of Here Come the Habibs (Nine Network), No Activity (Stan’s first original commission), and Soul Mates (ABC/NBC Universal) to name a few.
https://www.facebook.com/JungleEntertainmentHQ/photos/a.304744979622497/2191046257659017/?type=3&theater
A standout in the program comes from 2019 European Union Film Award recipient Nathan Mewett. His short, Yulubidyi – Until The End earned Best Short Film at Flickerfest 2019 and Best Australian film at the Human Rights Arts and Film Festival in Melbourne. It’s one not to be missed.
https://www.facebook.com/BlackRussianProductions/posts/779683442433207?__xts__[0]=68.ARBJaNZ3O2x_1gxc4uGYUY7HadpkLvf9cNtKdZu2hZpWoeDXnGG3DUHGzrUeSjauJgQ7K6C5SRmqsbFXDWF3JVYHUPANYK0Z2q-rAVCHgSj58UNJExgVwtmyHfsY_A3sHbKOAVa_AzDi6Q-BW9utz1miesBSpkNcf63vyhspAb1qHWrm2nst8xM2xWxwRV57hEERDtq1V-U-02YCr7-pKjNLrBHorMyi7ndTSCrP5eor-c8V3kWxnu1ImV_BjeXAjmPPUQeg9F0nQkeqAaqbTih8iPzSBYR1NSSZoeF74aziIBdZHrvxU2_q6y1sPoS8SkDhvICJC6O4K_tL_qhz8tg&__tn__=-R
The festival’s Comedy Showcase features three projects made by alumni: Liam Heyen and Cyna Strachan’s I F**cked a Mermaid and No One Believes Me, Sad Sachs produced by Sleena Wilson and AFTRS project, Tunnel Ball by Davis Jensen, which had its premiere at Slamdance Festival, Utah and has since been doing the festival rounds.
https://www.facebook.com/tunnelballshortfilm/videos/375335816361456/
Recently selected for Melbourne Documentary Film Festival, Harriet McKern’s documentary, Smile will also screen as part of the Life, Documented session.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BpTP9-Mlhzz/
AFTRS project Loud Thoughts directed by Benjamin Ryan and starring Heather Mitchell (The Great Gatsby, A Place To Call Home) follows the last woman on earth, who has recreated her entire life with sound, but when she glimpses a dog outside her office she must break through her carefully constructed routine in the hope of establishing a connection with another living thing. The short will have its Australian premiere at the festival.
Also screening at the festival will be Shadows – Part 1, an AFTRS project by Eugene Dyson.
Another highlight is Djali, directed, written and produced by alumnus Hunter Page-Lochard, who you might be familiar with from his starring role in ABC TV’s Cleverman (2016-2017) and acting credits, The Sapphires and Bran Nue Dae.
There’s loads more to catch at the festival in this year’s bumper program for AFTRS alumni. Check out the full program here.
Full list of AFTRS alumni-made films at the festival –
The Hitchhiker
Producer: Chloe Rickard (Master of Screen Arts & Business, 2015)
Shadows – Part I
Director: Eugene Dyson (Master of Screen Arts, 2017)
A Low Hum
Director: Scott Otto Anderson (Graduate Certificate in Screenwriting Fundamentals, 2013)
Although listed as Scott Anderson on AFTRS Alumni list
Producer: Jessica Giacco (Graduate Diploma in Producing, 2014)
We’re All In This Together
Director & Producer: Logan Mucha (Graduate Diploma in Documentary, 2012)
Djali
Director: Hunter Page-Lochard (Graduate Certificate in Story Development and Screenwriting Fundamentals, 2012)
Lost & Found
Director: Bradley Slabe (Master of Screen Arts, 2012)
Producer: Lucy J. Hayes (Graduate Diploma: Directing [Fiction & Non-Fiction], 2010)
Loud Thoughts
Director: Benjamin Ryan (Bachelor of Arts [Screen], 2017)
Producer: Melissa White (Bachelor of Arts [Screen], 2017)
Sherbet Rozencrantz, You’re Beautiful
Director: Natalie Van Den Dungen (Graduate Certificate in Screenwriting Fundamentals, 2013)
The Rolling Ground
Director & Producer: Simon Cunich (Graduate Certificate in Documentary, 2011)
Water
Director: John Harvey (Graduate Certificate: Screen Drama – Screenwriting & Producing, 2008)
Smile
Director & Producer: Harriet McKern (Specialist Extension Certificate Editing, 1991)
In Dreams, In Reverse
Director & Producer: William Suen (Graduate Certificate in Directing Fundamentals, 2016)
Shooter
Producer: Romany Lee (Graduate Certificate in Producing, 2011)
Date Night
Director & Producer: David Redman (Master of Arts [Film & Television] Editing, 1997)
Stranger
Director & Producer: Peter Skinner (Graduate Diploma in Directing, 2013)
Sleepwalking
Director: Melissa Anastasi (Graduate Diploma in Directing, 2012)
Producer: Eva Di Blasio (Graduate Diploma in Producing & Screen Business, 2012)
The Life I’ve Seen
Producer: James Carr (Graduate Diploma in Screen Business, 2013)
Nursery Rhymes
Director: Thomas Noakes (Graduate Diploma: Directing [Fiction & Non-Fiction], 2008
Producer: Lucy Gaffy (Master of Screen Arts, 2009)
Producer: Will Goodfellow (Master of Screen Arts, 2009)
Yulubidyi – Until The End
Director: Nathan Mewett (Master of Arts Screen, 2008)
Shiloh
Director: Vanessa Gazy (Master of Screen Arts, 2014)
Producer: Liam Heyen (Graduate Diploma in Producing, 2014)
Producer: Cyna Strachan (Graduate Diploma in Producing, 2014)
Tunnel Ball
Director & Producer: Davis Jensen (Bachelor of Arts [Screen], 2017)
Producer: Archie Oxenbould (Bachelor of Arts [Screen], 2017)
I F**cked a Mermaid and No One Believes Me
Producer: Liam Heyen (Graduate Diploma in Producing, 2014)
Producer: Cyna Strachan (Graduate Diploma in Producing, 2014)
Sad Sachs
Producer: Sleena Wilson (Graduate Certificate Screen: Creative Producing, 2018).
Ritual
Producer: Andrew Brinsmead (Graduate Diploma in Producing & Screen Directing)