Renee Webster’s How to Please a Woman had a satisfying night at Sunday’s WA Screen Culture Awards, taking home four gongs, including Narrative Feature Film with a budget over $1 million.
Webster also triumphed in the Outstanding Achievement in Writing category, while editor Merlin Eden and actor Hayley McElhinney were also recognised.
Filmed in Fremantle and Perth last year, the comedy-drama opened on 250 screens when it was released in May, going on to earn $2.4 million at the Australian box office (Numero).
The most nominated film of the night, Martin Wilson’s Pieces, converted two of its 11 nods to win awards for Narrative Feature Film with a budget under $1 million and Production Design.
Of the other major categories, Tim Mummery’s Namarali received the Feature Documentary prize, while Olivia Martin-McGuire’s Freedom Swimmer won the Short Film or Animation award and Outstanding Achievement in Sound/Sound Design.
Two Special Industry Awards were also awarded as part of the event, with lawyer Joan Peters awarded Contribution to the Industry Luna Palace Cinemas managing director Ingrid van den Berge named as the recipient of the Independent Spirit Award.
Revelation Film Festival director Richard Sowada said he couldn’t have been happier with the response to the awards and the subsequent ceremony at Luna Cinemas Leederville.
“With more than 200 entries across categories that capture games, art and traditional forms, our national and international judges had their work cut out for them – which is the whole point,” he said.
“More than that though was the enormous diversity of WA work presented to them, which is something we should all be proud of, and congratulations to all entrants, nominees, and winners.”
The full list of winners is as follows:
Innovation Awards
Narrative Feature Film with budget under $1m
o Pieces
Narrative Feature Film with budget over $1m
o How to Please a Woman
Feature Documentary / Non Fiction
o Namarali
Short Film / Animation – presented by Raz Rentals
o Freedom Swimmer
Student Film – presented by the City of Vincent
o Walk Run Strive
Music Video
o The Hills – The Faim
Game Design – presented by StemSmart
o Isle of Trials: Curse of the Fire Gods
Commercial Content – presented by PAV
o Queens on the Edge
Moving Image and Installation Art – presented by the City of Vincent
o Making Dalison
Virtual Reality, 360° or Augmented Reality – presented by XR:WA
o Galup VR Experience
Web Series or Online Content – presented by RevStream
o Making Dalison
Outstanding Achievement Awards
Directing – presented by The Backlot Perth
o Where All Light Tends To Go – Ben Young
Cinematography or Visualisation
o Facing Monsters – Rick Rifici
Writing
o How to Please a Woman – Renee Webster
Performance
o How to Please a Woman – Hayley McElhinney
Performance Under 18s – presented by The Ali Roberts Studio
o (Not So) Great Expectations – Lauren Campbell
Production Design (incl. costume, set design, hair and makeup etc)
o Pieces – Dennon Pike, Monique Wilson, Kristie Rowe, Tess Rowe, Shannon Murphy
Editing – presented by Sandbox
o How to Please a Woman – Merlin Eden
Sound or Sound Design – presented by Soundbyte
o Freedom Swimmer
Original Music – presented by RTRFM 92.1
o Laugh With Me – Sean Tinnion