The two winners will have their sub-5 minute films showcased on Guardian Australia’s website, as well as receiving mentorship sessions.
Screenhub by Jini Maxwell, 25 May 2021
The winners of Artology’s inaugural Very Short Film Festival have been announced at a special Premier Screening Spring Bay Mill in Tasmania, 21 May 2021. The new film competition celebrated films that were between 2-5 minutes, giving out awards in two age categories: Open, for all ages, and Junior, for entrants who were under 21. In an interview with Screenhub earlier this year, director Anna Cerneaz described the time constraint as particularly relevant to current screen artists, as well as being creatively inspiring: ‘Watching short films is not about the “short attention span” that so many young people are accused of having,’ she said, ‘it’s about experiencing the art of film and a wide variety of stories told in interesting ways.’ ‘We expect that the experience might be uncomfortable at times, but it will probably also be life-affirming, funny, entertaining, transporting and surprising.’
‘Watching short films is not about the “short attention span” that so many young people are accused of having… it’s about experiencing the art of film and a wide variety of stories told in interesting ways.’
Anna Cerneaz, VSFF Director Actor Marta Dusseldorp, who was one of VSFF’s 2021 judges, described the entries as ‘smart, engaging, thoughtful stories –full of intrigue, heart and connection. Celebrating this complex life and nodding to our beautiful Tasmania.’ She continued: ‘What an enormous pleasure it has been watching all the short films submitted for the festival.’ READ: Very Short Film Festival and the Rise of the Tiny Film The winners are as follows: OPEN CATEGORY Winner: Ainsley Halbmeijer (Vic): The Hotline Second: Thomas Herbert (Vic): Complete and Utter Garbage Third: Eva Justine Torkkola (Vic): Bound JUNIOR CATEGORY Winner: Olivia Buonopane (Age 21, ACT): Sweet Dreams Second: Luca Yi (Age 16, NSW): The Waiting Room Third: Chloe Kealy (Age 16, Tas): Chloe’s World As part of the program, Olivia Buonapane’s Sweet Dreams and Ainsley Halbmeijer’s The Hotline will be featured for one month on the Guardian Australia website. Both winners will also receive a mentoring session with our judges.