The Danish film Blood Sisters (Blodsostre) has won the Coopers Award for Best Film at Flickerfest 2008, beating competitors from around the world to take the $5000 prize.
Directed by Louise N. D Friedberg and produced by Lottie Terp Jakobsen & Jesper Morthorst, the film focuses on 7 year old Sidsel who is fixated by her best friend, and neighbour, Dea. However, when Caroline moves into the building Sidsel is abandoned, leaving the young girl angry and determined to win back her pal.
Winning the Yoram Gross Award for Best Animation at Flickerfest is the Canadian film Madame Tutli Putli, produced by Marcy Page and directed and animated by Chris Lavis & Maciek Szczerbowski. Australian film, Dance Like Your Old Man won the National Geographic Award for Best Documentary. Produced by Chunky Move and directed by Gideon Obarzanek and Edwina Throsby.
Winners in 14 categories at Flickerfest 2007 were announced last night at the Bondi Pavilion (January 13) as Australia’s premier short film festival wrapped its highly successful 10-day Sydney season before embarking on a national tour. ‘With a record 1300 entries this year the standard of the competition for 2008 has been our highest yet. My congratulations goes to all the filmmakers that screened at Flickerfest this year. There are far more excellent films than we have awards for and the judges had advised me that deciding the final winners was extremely difficult. It was wonderful to see so many sell out sessions and the audience embracing short film.’ Said Bronwyn Kidd, Festival Director.
The judges included UK producer Luke Morris, renowned film critic Ruth Hessey, Lien Aguilar from SBS TV and Australian producer Kylie du Fresne. Documentary judges are Peta Watermeyer – National Geographic Channel, one of Australia’s best known political satirists and cartoonists Bruce Petty and Anna Broinowski – Australian Documentary director and producer.
Prize winners of Flickerfest 2008, driven by MINI:
INTERNATIONAL
Coopers Award for Best Film $5,000 – BLOOD SISTERS (BLODSOSTRE) – Denmark
Produced by Lottie Terp Jakobsen & Jesper Morthorst
Directed by Louise N. D Friedberg
Yoram Gross Award for Best Animation $1,250 – MADAME TUTLI PUTLI – Canada
Produced by Marcy Page
Direction & Animation by Chris Lavis & Maciek Szczerbowski
MINI Special Jury Prize $500 – SOFT – UK
Produced by Jane Hooks
Directed by Simon Ellis
SAE Prize for Best Use of Digital Technology In A Short Film $1,000 – TYGER – Brazil
Directed by Guilherme Marcondes
Produced by Guilherme Marcondes & Trattoria
National Geographic Award for Best Documentary $1,000 – DANCE LIKE YOUR OLD MAN – Australia
Directed by Gideon Obarzanek & Edwina Throsby
Produced by Chunky Move
Highly commended – NIGGER LOVERS – Australia
Directed by Rhonda Hagan
Produced by Daryl Sparkes
Special Mention – THE WRONG TRAINERS – UK
Produced & Directed by Kez Margrie
AUSTRALIAN
Producer Kath Shelper and director Warwick Thornton picked up the JVC Short Film Award for their film Nana.
Dugong written by Erin White won The Seed Production Award for Best Original Screenplay. Seed principals Deborra-lee Furness, Hugh Jackman and John Palermo are all on board as sponsors for the second year.
David Michod’s film Crossbow, about a kid, his mum and dad, the sex and drugs and the boy next door who watched the whole thing unravel won the Iceberg Dining Room & Bar Award for Best Direction.
JVC Short Film Award for Best Australian Film HDV camcorder GY HD111E – NANA Produced by Kath Shelper
Directed by Warwick Thornton
Seed Award for Best Achievement in an Original Australian Screenplay $1,000 – DUGONG
Written by Erin White
Icebergs Dining Room & Bar Award for Best Direction in an Australian Short Film $1,000 – CROSSBOW
Directed by David Michod
Special mention for Direction in an Australian short film – MEDITATIONS ON A NAME
Directed by Bonnie Elliott
Produced by Genevieve Derwent & Suzy Spoon
SBS Television Award – Recipient to be awarded with the program purchase of their short film for broadcast – YOLK
Directed by Stephen Lance
Produced by Damon Escott
Written by Stephen Lance & Cory Taylor
FujiFilm Award for Best Cinematography in an Australian Short Film – 35mm filmstock to the value of $2000 AUD – PLAY
Cinematographer – Nicola Daley
Avid Australia Award for Best Editing in an Australian Short Film
Avid Media Composer Editing Software for MAC & PC rrp $7400 AUD – SPIDER
Editing by Luke Doolan & Nash Edgerton
Film Support Award for most resourceful production $500 – WHAT THEY DON’T KNOW
Produced by Caelin Smith
Directed by Samuel Bennetts
AudioLoc Sound Design Award for Best Achievement in Sound – One days sound mix at Crystal Palace – CROSSBOW
Sound designed by Sam Petty
Flickerfest IF Media Award for Most Popular Film Award – Qualifies the winner for nomination in the 2008 IF Awards. One year’s subscription to the IF Club. – TBA
All Australian Films Screening at Flickerfest are eligible for the Inside Film Awards 2008.
Flickerfest 2008 will open in Byron Bay on January 18 at A & I Hall, Bangalow.
And then head off to Darwin, Alice Springs, Katherine, Adelaide, Narrabri, Gunnedah, Kempsey, Noosa, Sawtell, Brisbane, Perth, Broome, Bathurst, Hobart, Canberra and Melbourne January 18th – March 28th.
http://www.flickerfest.com.au/
[release from The Lantern Group]