[press release from Miranda Brown Publicity]
The 2009 BigPond Adelaide Film Festival will world premiere eleven new Australian films from established and emerging Australian filmmakers including five features, one feature documentary, five short films, and for the first time a moving image art installation, all of which have received funding from the Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund.
The titles include new features by Sarah Watt, whose LOOK BOTH WAYS opened the 2005 Adelaide Film Festival, Kriv Stenders (BOXING DAY), and Safina Uberoi (MY MOTHE INDIA) plus first features by acclaimed ‘talents to watch’ Granaz Moussavi, Glendyn Ivin and Warwick Thornton and short films by a dazzling array of Australian talent.
Appearing in these films are amongst others,Sacha Horler, Matt Day, Hugo Weaving, John Brumpton, Aden Young, Robert Menzies and the voice of Nick Cave. Plus a host of very talented newcomers including ten year old Tom Russell (LAST RIDE), nine year old Portia Bradley and fourteen year old Jonathan Segat (MY YEAR WITHOUT SEX), and fifteen year olds Marissa Gibson and Rowan McNamara (SAMSON & DELILAH).
The stories these films tell, both real and imagined, are diverse in style and content – sometimes funny sometimes
sad – stories with distinctive Australian style but looking outwards into the world we live in. They all fit into the AFF’s funding criteria, boasting strong creative teams, and wonderful ideas.
The slate includes the first Australian Iranian feature film collaboration. Iranian poet, filmmaker and Adelaide resident, Granaz Moussavi’s first feature MY TEHRAN FOR SALE was entirely shot in Iran and all post production completed in Adelaide. Acclaimed Iranian filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi generously provided production assistance and supported the project.
For the first time this year’s Investment slate also includes a moving image art installation, DUALITY of LIGHT by
acclaimed Australian artist Lynette Wallworth, recognising the increasing contribution of artists in the cinematic landscape.
The AFFIF provides equity investment in Australian screen production of $500,000 per year for two years [2008 – 2009]. The Adelaide Film Festival Board, considering recommendation by the Festival’s Director Katrina Sedgwick, selects the projects. To date the AFFIF has invested $2.743m in 32 projects including 11 features, 4 feature documentaries, 12 short films and 3 cross-platform projects.
Since its establishment in 2002, the AFFIF has created a highly impressive track record. Sarah Watts’ LOOK BOTH WAYS opened the 2005 Adelaide Film Festival and went on to win awards across the world; Rolf de Heer’s TEN CANOES has achieved stunning success around the globe and Tony Ayres’ HOME SONG STORIES received 31 international nominations and awards following its 2007 Adelaide Film Festival premiere.
2009 BigPond Adelaide Film Festival Chairperson, Cheryl Bart said, ““The AFFIF continues to support creative and ground-breaking Australian screen projects. Our support for the Australian film industry is a key platform for the Adelaide Festival’s success and 2009 will build on that strength.
"We are also delighted to be welcoming BigPond as our namimg rights sponsor. We share a vision for screen industries and telling stories from our unique Australian perspective nationally and beyond. We are delighted with the calibre of this new slate of projects which demonstrate once again our position as a key player in financing structures available to independent and art house screen production in Australia. It is an honour and pleasure to work with these talented Australian filmmakers and to assist them in realising their projects and taking their stories to the world.”