Winners Announced for the 2022 Very Short Film Festival
The Very Short Film Festival recently announced the winners for the national competition at a special ceremony at Spring Bay Mill, Tasmania. Justin Kurzel says, “The quality of films at the festival was really exceptional. I am just so pleased I had the pleasure of judging such a unique festival here in Australia.”
Open Category Winners
Winner: Mark Bernard: New Life (Vic)
Second: Matthew Newton, Anna Brozek: Spring Release (Tas)
Third: Adam Bigum, Dan Farmer, Ramas McRae: The Hunted (Vic)
Mark Bernard says, “This experience held at the beautiful Spring Bay Mill was certainly a game changer for me. The past two years have been a struggle for myself creatively – the festival came into my life at the right time. I used the festival’s strict (and short) timeline to my advantage – it gave me confidence that I could actually complete a film!
“My animation skills were not great, but the restricted time frame allowed me to overlook this and focus more on the impactful message behind the film itself. It’s also given me a massive boost to develop my skills further in animation – something that I’ve wanted to do for such a long time! Really grateful to win – I’m still pinching myself! Thanks so much to the inspirational judges, Artology, Spring Bay Mill, The Guardian and Wide Angle Tasmania for restarting my creative career!”
Justin Kurzel says, “The films we judged were extraordinary across the board in both categories and it’s nights like this that give you a massive burst of passion. Well done to everyone.”
Junior Category Winners
Winner: Jahvis Loveday, Joy Ben Hur (Aged 21, NSW): Home
Second: Anika Jocumsen (Aged 18, QLD): Under the Rainbow
Third: Lily Lunder (Age 17, Vic), Koko Crozier (Age 18, Vic): The Backwater
Jahvis Loveday and Joy Ben Hur say, “Being a part of the Very Short Film Festival was truly a dream from beginning to end. The energy of everyone involved made us feel like we had won before we had even received any award. So grateful to the amazing team involved for nurturing young filmmakers and amplifying diverse stories that need to be told. We left feeling truly inspired.”
Leta Keens says, “The standard in the junior category was amazing, and to us, you are all winners. Brilliant stories told in such a short amount of time. The films were moving, hilarious and surprising.”
The Very Short Film Festival is a vehicle for social change – a place where diverse voices are front and centre in an environment full of opportunity. Using the power of storytelling through film, the festival provides a chance for creative sides to be discovered and existing skills sharpened. It’s where many of the entrants pick up a camera to shoot something for the first time in years (or ever!).
The festival nurtures the spirit of filmmaking with all place getters receiving cash prizes valued between $500 to $5,000 and an invitation to attend a mentoring session with the judges.
The festival is brought to you by Artology, a powerhouse for developing creativity, and Spring Bay Mill, one of the most idiosyncratic performance and conference venues on the East Coast of Tasmania.
Renowned judges are on board to mentor successful applicants, including:
- Director of award-winning Tasmanian film Nitram, Justin Kurzel
- Proud Goa-Gunggari-Wakka Wakka Murri woman and author, actor, director and playwright Leah Purcell
- CEO of Australian Film Television and Radio School, Nell Greenwood
- Writer and editor Leta Keens
- Artist Rocco Fazzari, well-known for his cartoons and illustrations in the Fairfax press
- Producer and director, Bain Stewart.
Very Short Film Festival – Winners Announced
View all films: https://veryshortfilmfestival.com.au/meet-the-filmmakers/
The premiere screening was held on Friday 20 May 2022, Spring Bay Mill, Tasmania, with award-winning writer, musician and radio broadcaster Casey Bennetto as MC.
Media enquiries, interviews, photos, please call:
Philippa Horn P: 0411 606 077 / e: philippa@artology.org.au
