The 12th edition of the Melbourne International Film Festival’s MIFF Accelerator program provided intensive workshops for 23 directors.
Thety included Matthew Richards, Lucy Gaffy, Sarah-Jane Woulahan and Corrie Jones, who participated via Screen Australia’s Hot Shots program, and Chris Richards-Scully thanks to ScreenWest's West Coast Visions program.
The event kicked off last Thursday with the MIFF Accelerator-Screen Australia Talent of Tomorrow Function in association with Lexus Short Films and The Weinstein Company
Eighteen participants, who all had shorts screened at MIFF 2015, were Dylan River (Nulla Nulla); Nora Niasari (The Phoenix); Ruby Railey (The Best Way To Kill Your Mother); David White (Killer?); Sanjay de Silva (Maalu); Larissa Behrendt (Under Skin, In Blood), David Hansen (Slingshot); Tess Hutson (Euxine); Ted Wilson (Family Holiday); Isaac Wall (Looking To Buy); Tracey Rigney (Man Real); Jem Rankin (Cherokee); Meelisha Bardolia (Match); Florence Noble (Things Are Going Really Well); Michael Portway (Wawi); Tim Marshall (Followers); Keiran Watson-Bonnice (Caravan) and Christian Rivers (Feeder).
Over the 12 years some 210 directors have gone through the Accelerator program. Alumni include David Michod (Accelerator 2007), who went on to direct Animal Kingdom; Matthew Bate (2008), who directed Shut Up Little Man, An Audio Misadventure; and Justin Kurzel (2005), who directed Snowtown.
Lexus Short Films is now accepting submissions from filmmakers worldwide until October 25 via the film festival website Withoutabox for four filmmakers to each write and direct a short film produced by The Weinstein Company.
The quartet will also tour the top film festivals around the world to promote their films. The theme for the new shorts will be "Anticipation." The four filmmakers chosen will be invited to interpret the meaning for their own narrative and to tell a story based around their vision.