Aspen Shortsfest and the Annecy International Animated Festival have announced their programs, which include a selection of five Australian films across the two festivals.
Selected into the International Competition at Aspen Shortsfest are Burley! (d: Dave Edwardz, Gareth Cowen) and Spider (d: Nash Edgerton). Both films have had recent success on the international festival circuit with Burley! screening at the prestigious Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival in February, and Spider screening at the Sundance Film Festival in January where director Nash Edgerton received an Honourable Mention in Short Filmmaking. Aspen Shortsfest runs 2–6 April 2008.
Annecy International Animated Festival selected three Australian films to screen in their Official Selection Program. Chainsaw (d: Dennis Tupicoff) will screen in the shorts section, Crooked (d: Tali Gal-on) will screen in the graduation film section, while Mutt (d: Glen Hunwick) will screen in the short films out of competition section. Annecy runs 9–14 June 2008.
Aspen Shortsfest
Burley!
(9 minutes)
Writer: Dave Edwardz
Directors: Dave Edwardz and Gareth Cowen
Producer: Andrew Goode
Sales: Andrew Goode
Cast: Barbara Baugh, Hayden Spencer, Marcus Graham, Stefan Cooper-Fox
Synopsis: Burley! is the story of a young tetra fish, one of a million in her school, who just wants some attention. Feeling lonely and bored, she is attracted by the manic antics of a gang of older fish who spend their time inventing new extreme sports. She begins a quest to gain their acceptance, but at what cost?
Spider
(9 mins)
Production Company: Blue Tongue Films
Director: Nash Edgerton
Writers: Nash Edgerton, David Michod
Producer: Nicole O’Donohue
International Sales: Nash Edgerton
Cast: Nash Edgerton, Joel Edgerton, Chum Ehelepola, Mirrah Foulkes, Tony Lynch
Synopsis: Jack and Jill are always hurting each other’s feelings. But like Mum said: “It’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye.”
Annecy International Animated Festival
Chainsaw
(24 min)
Production Company: Jungle Pictures Pty Ltd
Director/Writer: Dennis Tupicoff
Producers: Fiona Cochrane, Dennis Tupicoff
Sales: Jungle Pictures Pty Ltd
Finance: Australian Film Commission, Film Victoria, SBS Independent
Cast: Luke Elliot, Anni Davey, Adam Pierzschalski, Nina Landis, David Cameron
Synopsis: Frank and Ava face the reality behind romance and celebrity, machismo and chainsaws.
Crooked
(1 min 5 secs)
Production Company: VCA School of Film and Television
Director/Writer: Tali Gal-on
Producer: Robert Stephenson, Paul Fletcher
Sales: VCA School of Film and Television
Synopsis: When the world around her isn’t straight, an old lady takes matters into her own hands. From the Victorian College of the Arts, Crooked is a short haiku, in praise of imperfection.
Mutt
(7 mins)
Production Company: Circe Films & Glen Art Productions
Director/Writer: Glen Hunwick
Producer: Beth Frey
Finance: Australian Film Commission
Sales: Circe Films
Synopsis: A simple game of ‘fetch’ is Mutt’s only desire in exchange for his loyalty and hard work, but the harsh taskmaster, Mac, is too busy to play – obsessing over the meagre income from the milk of the farm’s only cow, Matilda. When Mutt turns to the cow to play, the milk suddenly stops and the only hope for survival will be Mac’s acknowledgement of co-dependence.
[release from the AFC]