Press release from Kabuku Public Relations
Sydney sci-fi fans were out in force, when Dendy Newtown hosted Fantastic Planet, Sydney’s Science Fiction and Fantasy Film Festival.
Opening over the Halloween weekend with Sydney's first “Zombiethon”, the festival continued with extraterrestrial invasions, killer birds, cyber-Shakespeare, heart-stopping action, amazing animations, a Santa Claus tale with an evil twist, and more.
Highlights of the festival included the Australian premieres of RARE EXPORTS and Robert Rodriguez’ MACHETE, as well as the international premiere of the Philip K. Dick adaptation, RADIO FREE ALBEMUTH.
Festival director Dean Bertram said ‘it is great to see that Sydney’s genre film community is alive and well, with yet another wildly successful festival.
With more films screened and more people than even before in attendance, Fantastic Planet continues to go from strength to strength. We are already looking forward to next year’s festival’.
Following the closing night Australian premiere screening of MACHETE, awards were announced for the festival’s winning films.
Judges included head of SPAA and IFM World Releasing Antony I. Ginnane, SBS journalist Simon Foster, and The SCI FI channel’s Oscar Hillerstrom. The award winners are:
BEST FILM
I Heart Doomsday
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Evil in the Time of Heroes
BEST DIRECTOR
Matthew Avant (Lunopolis)
BEST MALE PERFORMANCE (Tied)
Dan Bierne (I Heart Doomsday)
Shea Whigham (Radio Free Albemuth)
BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE
Christine Ghawi (I Heart Doomsday)
BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS
Hooked
BEST SHORT FILM
Connected
BEST ANIMATED SHORT
The Astronomer's Sun
BEST AUSTRALIAN SHORT
Facing Rupert
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD: BEST AUSTRALIAN SHORT
The Streets Fell into My Window (Music video for the band THE RED PAINTINGS, Director Clint Lewis)
INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARD: SHORT FILM
Hotel Limbo, Episode 1: Can We Help You?
INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARD: FEATURE FILM
Mortal Fools
DIRECTORS' CHOICE: BEST FEATURE
Radio Free Albemuth
SCREENPLAY COMPETITION WINNERS:
SHORTS:
1st place: The Ladder by Faisal Qureshi
2nd place: Carbon Dating by Louis Rosenberg
3rd place: Separation by Greg Austin
FEATURES:
1st place: Cockpit by Jesse Griffith
2nd place: Cataclysm by Brian Cavallaro
3rd place: Jonas and the Werefish by John McGarrity