Press release from Tsuki
The winner of the prestigious ‘SPAARTAN Award’ for the 2009 DigiSPAA Feature Film Competition, sponsored by Movie Network Channels, was announced today at the Screen Producers Association of Australia’s (SPAA) annual conference.
Award-winning producer/director Khoa Do has taken home the prize for his ground breaking film Missing Water. Filmed entirely on the Red One HD camera, Do recreated the experiences of four Vietnamese refugees fleeing in a dilapidated river boat across the open seas, within the confines of a clothes making factory in suburban Sydney.
Missing Water impressed the judges with its startling creativity and ability to immerse its audience in such a striking story, using sewing tables, machines, clothes racks and sound effects to recreate the ‘boat’, and special effects that ‘weathered’ the props and actors as their harrowing journey unfolded.
It is also the first feature film to be made in Australia with an entire cast of Vietnamese-Australians, and is the first drama in the world to solely focus on the journey of the Vietnamese boat people. The film will be released nationally in cinemas in 2010 through Titan View, a timely date to coincide with the 35th anniversary of the arrival of the first Vietnamese refugees in Australia.
The film has previously received acclaim winning the Sydney Film Festival CRC Award in 2009, and screening at the 2009 Brisbane International Film Festival.
“’Missing Water’ should be required viewing for all Australians as they continue to comprehend the boat people experience. The film is a visceral emotional journey that will help us all understand. Khoa Do is a major talent", says Antony I. Ginnane SPAA President & Co-founder of DigiSPAA.
“Khoa Do is an extraordinary filmmaker. ‘Missing Water’ is an amazing film which will have a profound and long lasting effect on those who see it. Not to be missed” says Daniel Scharf, DigiSPAA Co-ordinator and judge.
Presented with the prestigious SPAARTAN Award, Khao Do will also receive $15,000 cash, $20,000 worth of post-production, a guaranteed screening of their film on the Movie Extra channel, plus a return airfare and free registration to the prestigious CineMart International Film Festival Rotterdam.
Runner Up is Girl Clock, produced and directed by Jennifer Ussi, a heart-warming, coming-of-(middle)age comedy, which follows the journey of three women in their 40’s who take on the might of Mother Nature with hilarious results. A sneak preview of the film screened at the Dungog Film Festival in May 2009, receiving an overwhelming response. The film will next screen at the Gold Coast Film Fantastic Festival in November 2009 and as part of the La Femme Festival in Los Angeles in October 2009.
DigiSPAA is a creative project of the Screen Producers Association of Australia (SPAA) an industry body that represents Australian independent film and television producers on all issues affecting the business and creative aspects of screen production.