While David Vincent Smith’s debut feature He Ain’t Heavy is yet to officially premiere, it’s still the most nominated title for this year’s WA Screen Culture Awards.
The annual awards, founded by Revelation Film Festival director Richard Sowada, aim to celebrate achievement, innovation and ambition among Western Australian creatives across both emerging and established screen practices.
He Ain’t Heavy will vie against It Only Takes A Night for Narrative Feature Film with a Budget over $1 million award. It is also nominated for prizes recognising directing, cinematography, writing, production design and editing, while stars Greta Scacchi and Sam Corlett will vie against each other for the performance award.
This year’s WA Screen Culture Awards will be held on November 26 at Luna Leederville, hosted by comedian and YouTuber Ozzy Man Reviews, aka Ethan Marrell.
“The event is unique on the national cultural scene in its approach in platforming and unifying all moving image forms in the one event to show the depth and diversity of the local sector. In doing this, we look toward not just platforming and rewarding these forms but encouraging their development in building a fully integrated cultural environment,” said Sowada.
The nominees are as follows:
Innovation Awards
Narrative Feature Film with budget under $1m
Frank and Frank
Rampage Electra
Sweet Rhythm
Violett
Narrative Feature Film with budget over $1m
He Ain’t Heavy
It Only Takes A Night
Feature Documentary/Non Fiction
Black Cockatoo Crisis
Dolphins: Is Our Love Too Deep?
The Last Song
Short Film/Animation
An Origin of Rape Culture
Bird Drone
Making Waves
Max Pam: The Freddie Incident
Tee Ken Ng
The Grey Line
Student Film
Dare to Dream
Diary of Death
Injustice
Melody of Life
School Makes Me…
Tea’s Ready
Television
Claremont – A Killer Among Us
New Leash on Life
Ningaloo Nyinggulu
Music Video
Anna Schneider – Lyrebird
Booxkid – The Battle
Bad Weather – Flowers in Your Room
Moana – Kingdom and Temple
Studio Orange – Healthy Hygiene Behaviours
Game Design
Nekograms
Tactical Response: PVP, Apocalypse and Genesis
Commercial Content
2023 Certified Organic Vintage – Voyager Estate, Margaret River
Kaleep
Raith Skateboards – World Record Attempt
Real Good Honey – Nothing to Hide
Wizard Pharmacy: Xmas Rap!
World Transplant Games 2023
Moving Image and Installation
A Leap of Faith
LightWaves
Virtual Reality, 360° or Augmented Reality
Bidi Walbraaniny – Path to Healing
BoodjAR
Tactical Response: PVP, Apocalypse and Genesis
The Careful Project – Kiera Jas – Thoughts
Wiluna Martu Ranger VR – Protecting Culture and Country
Web Series or Online Content
Cool Mum
Dr Russell’s World of Curiosities
Love Me Lex
Puntukurnu – Smoking Aware
Outstanding Achievement Awards
Directing
Claremont – A Killer Among Us – Anthony Barwell
He Ain’t Heavy – David Vincent Smith
I’m Not a Nurse – Jessica Bailey
Making Waves – Christian Horgan
Raising Thunder – Kaleb McKenna
Tee Ken Ng – Ella Wright
Cinematography or Visualisation
Bird Drone – Radheya Jegatheva
He Ain’t Heavy – Lewis Potts
I’m Not a Nurse – Damian Fasolo
Marlu Man – Christian Kennedy
Tee Ken Ng – Rhys Jones
Writing
Bird Drone – Clare Toonen
Good Fortune – Lata Periakarpen
He Ain’t Heavy – David Vincent Smith
It Only Takes A Night – Callan Durlik
Love Me Lex – Sanja Katich
Ningaloo Nyinggulu – Tim Winton, Peter Rees
Performance
Frank and Frank – Myles Pollard
He Ain’t Heavy – Greta Scacchi
He Ain’t Heavy – Sam Corlett
I’m Not a Nurse – Christine Ayo
It Only Takes A Night – Ana Ika
Love Me Lex – Sarah Light
Performance Under 18s
A Novel Christmas – Koko Kelemete
Raising Thunder – Chloe Brink
Violett – Valentina Blagojevic
When Doves Fly – Lauren Campbell
Production Design (incl. costume, set design, hair and makeup etc)
A Novel Christmas – Casey Renzullo, Kayleigh Lux
He Ain’t Heavy – Emma Fletcher
It Only Takes A Night – Johnny Ma
The Redemption – Stephanie Davis
Violett – Helena Polley
Editing
Good Fortune – Saxon Wright
He Ain’t Heavy – Antony Webb
Love Me Lex – Oliver Dear
Tee Ken Ng – David Vincent Smith
The Grey Line – Scott Quayle
Sound or Sound Design
Claremont: A Killer Among Us – Ben Morris, Kim Lord
I’m Not a Nurse – Ben Morton
It Only Takes A Night – Nick Gallagher
Ningaloo Nyinggulu – Ric Curtin, Xoe Baird, Glenn Martin, Brett Stayt, Elizabeth Parer-Cook, Marcus Lorenz
Raising Thunder – Brad Habib, Holly Miller, Jake Isard, Tam Glover, Brendan Hill, James Brock
Original Music
A Novel Christmas – Andrew James Bartlett
An Origin of Rape Culture – Nicholas Gardiner
I’m Not a Nurse – Ben Morton
Raising Thunder – Robert Woods
Violett – Steven J. Mihaljevich, Ben Chase
Two Special Industry Awards will also be announced at the event – the Independent Spirit Award and the Contribution to the Industry, presented by the Revelation Perth International Film Festival.