The COVID experience and deeper aspects of the human condition are among the themes explored by the nominees for this year’s Byron Bay Film Festival Young Australian Filmmaker of the Year award.
Now in its 17th year, the competition rewards emerging storytellers who “dare to dream big”, with the 10 finalists to be screened at Byron Palace Cinemas on October 21, before being shown at The Regent Cinema in Murwillumbah.
The shorts vying for this year’s prize are Christina Yu’s Tapwater, Cameron Mitchell’s Porcelain, Joanna Zhao’s Things Are Good, Jack Voegt’s Tint, Taylor Venter’s Cathy’s Doll, Finegan Sampson’s Teach Me How to Cry, Maggie Brittingham’s Me, My Ralph and I, Will Calleja’s The Trials and Tribulations of Being Jordan, Aimee Patmore’s Pinch, and Harvey Abrahams’ SUBSTRATUM.
The 17th Byron Bay International Film Festival runs from October 20-29.
Find full synopses below:
Tapwater – A minimalist family drama with themes of generational difference and communication challenges facing a mother and daughter coming to terms with life in a new country.
Porcelain – Spanning two days, Porcelain centres on the life of a poor Vietnamese family in Australia, with the title carrying significance both as a plot device and resonance in relation to the delicacy of young schoolgirl Hanh and the sensitivity of her father.
Things Are Good – A high school student’s determination to lead a picture-perfect life proves unrealistic in the harsh real world.
Tint – Montages, vignettes, and fantasy scenes are used to emphasise the comical awkwardness of the characters’ interactions, which in turn gives rise to some serious themes around race.
Cathy’s Doll – Cathy is a young girl at her dad’s funeral, trying to make sense of it all, taking in the masks covering up the family’s sadness – especially her granddad’s, who cannot be seen to cry – and finding her own understanding of death.
Teach Me How to Cry – An older actor begins to lose his audience due to an inability to communicate deep emotion. Forced to overcome this blockage, he faces his own sorrow.
Me, My Ralph and I – Nine-year-old Lenora seeks more and more comfort from her imaginary friend, Ralph.
The Trials and Tribulations of Being Jordan – When a teen starts getting the silent treatment from her peers, she initially reacts with defiance, before taking the opportunity to change and become who she really wants to be.
Pinch – A story focussing on eating disorders as one of the many mental health problems observed as being on the rise during the pandemic.
SUBSTRATUM – A futuristic story of an isolated young boy, his response to his dictator father, and the legacy of violence and power.