A year that has seen AFTRS student films selected for major film festivals around the world, including Cannes and Palm Springs, continues with the announcement today that four titles will screen at next month’s Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF).
Three of the four selected AFTRS student films will have their world premieres at MIFF. A House, written and directed by Matthew D. Taylor, Mud Crab, written and directed by David Robinson-Smith, and Lucky Peach, written and directed by Grace Tan will be making their debuts at the festival’s 70th–anniversary edition.
Jayden Rathsam Hüa, whose igenre festival favourite Sushi Noh will also screen at MIFF, has been selected for the MIFF Accelerator Lab, alongside Matthew D. Taylor (A House).
MIFF Accelerator Lab provides four days of workshops, screenings, seminars and networking events on the business and creative aspects of the film industry by leading local and international film practitioners for 15-20 short film directors seeking to make the transition to feature filmmaking.
Sushi Noh, which had its world premiere at Encounters in the UK in 2021, has also screened at the Seattle Film Festival, the Atlanta Film Festival, the Sydney Film Festival, the Tel Aviv International Student Film Festival, Palm Springs International ShortFest and the Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival, Japan.
In addition to the MIFF selections, AFTRS student titles continue to screen in festivals around the world. Other International festival highlights include the Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia (Japan), Dances with Films (USA), LA Shorts International Film Festival (USA), Doc Edge International Documentary Film Festival (New Zealand), Maoriland Film Festival (New Zealand), Wairoa Maori Film Festival (New Zealand), SeriesFest (USA) and the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival (USA), as well as the recent world premiere of Ruby Challenger’s pop musical, MumLife, in the La Cinef competition at Cannes.
In Australia, AFTRS student titles have been selected for the Sydney Film Festival, Flickerfest International Short Film Festival, Mardi Gras Film Festival, St Kilda Film Festival, Revelation Perth International Film Festival, Antenna Documentary Film Festival and CinefestOz.
CREDITS FOR THE FOUR MIFF SELECTIONS –
MUD CRAB
Reflecting on her culpability, a woman recounts the traumatising assault she witnessed of a young man in a small Australian coastal town.
Director: David Robinson-Smith (MAS Directing, 2021)
Writer: David Robinson-Smith (MAS Directing, 2021)
Producer: Adam Daniel (MAS Screenwriting, 2020), Adam Finney (MAS Documentary, 2020)
Cinematographer: Jaclyn Paterson (Diploma in Grading, 2017)
Production designer: Sharna Graham, Calum Wilson Austin (MAS Production Design, 2020)
Editor: James Taylor (MAS Editing, 2020)
Original music: James Mountain (MAS Music, 2020)
Sound design: Nathan Turnbull (MAS Sound, 2020)
LUCKY PEACH
As a young woman prepares to leave home for an opportunity overseas, her mother begins to dig up the backyard of their family home. Memories of old family history begin to blur into the present day allowing their once strained bond to strengthen and evolve.
Director: Grace Tan (MAS Directing, 2021; GC Directing, 2016)
Writer: Grace Tan (MAS Directing, 2021; GC Directing, 2016)
Producer: Sophia O’Rourke
Cinematographer: Joanna Cameron (MAS Cinematography, 2021)
Production designer: Rosalie Waugh (MAS Production Design, 2021)
Editor: James A. Thomas (MAS Editing, 2019)
Original music: Sam Weiss (MAS Music, 2021)
Sound design: Jonathan Mendolicchio (MAS Sound, 2021)
A HOUSE
A young woman must face the trauma of her childhood whilst spending an evening alone with her estranged, terminally ill father. Over the course of the night she will be forced to confront colliding feelings of mercy and resentment.
Director: Matthew D. Taylor (MAS Directing, 2021)
Writer: Matthew D. Taylor (MAS Directing, 2021)
Producer: Katherine Shearer
Cinematographer: Joanna Cameron (MAS Cinematography, 2021)
Production designer: Emily Jansz (MAS Production Design, 2020)
Editor: James A. Thomas (MAS Editing, 2019)
Sound design: Jonathan Mendolicchio (MAS Sound, 2021)
SUSHI NOH
Trapped in the care of her lonely uncle, a young girl’s nightmares about a bizarre kitchen appliance manifest into reality.
Director: Jayden Rathsam Hüa (MAS Producing, 2020)
Writer: Jayden Rathsam Hüa (MAS Producing, 2020)
Producer: Jayden Rathsam Hüa (MAS Producing, 2020) Philippa Silva
Cinematographer: Sam Steinle (MAS Cinematography, 2020)
Production designer: Calum Wilson Austin (MAS Production Design, 2020)
Editor: Gus O’Brien Cavanough (BA Screen: Production, 2019)
Original music: Scott Majidi (MAS Music, 2020)
Sound design: Sean Doyle (MAS Sound, 2020), Sam Grimshaw (MAS Sound, 2020)
