Press release from the Lantern Group
The jurors for two of the competitions that form part of the Sydney Film Festival, the 2009 Dendy Awards for Australian Short Films and the 2009 Foxtel Australian Documentary Prize are announced today.
“The mix of people, leaders in their field who will be on the judging panel for the Dendy Awards and Foxtel Prize this year adds to the quality of the Sydney Film Festival, we are honoured to have them onboard and look forward to their involvement with us,” said Festival Director Clare Stewart.
Antonia Barnard, leading Australian producer (Last Ride; co-producer The Painted Veil, Welcome to Woop Woop and Bootmen; line producer The Quiet American), Warren Coleman, writer (co-director/writer/co-producer, Happy Feet) and Sean Kruck director/writer of Summer Breaks) winner 2008 Rouben Mamoulian Award will judge the 2009 Dendy Awards for Australian Short Films incorporating the Yoram Gross Animation Award and Rouben Mamoulian Award.
"I’m looking forward to this. Competition attention focuses us all on the work, and we all benefit when Australian artists can find their audience." said Warren Coleman today.
The Live Action Short Award, sponsored by Dendy Cinemas provides a $5,000 cash prize while The Yoram Gross Animation Award, sponsored by Yoram and Sandra Gross carries a $4,000 cash prize. Both award winners will be Academy Award eligible. The Rouben Mamoulian Award, presented to the best short film overall, also sponsored by Dendy Cinemas, carries a cash prize of $5,000.
“Dendy Cinemas is proud to have supported these awards for the last 21 years. We are particularly excited about the finalists this year and know these awards are in safe hands with the esteemed panel of judges the festival has selected,” said Nick Hayes National Operations Manager Dendy Cinemas today.
The inaugural Foxtel Australian Documentary Prize judges are Jim Buchan, Group Channel Manager Crime & Investigation Network, The History Channel, GM Factual Acquisitions, George Negus, renowned international journalist who has reported for Nine’s 60 Minutes, ABC’s Foreign Correspondent and currently on SBS Television Dateline and Olivia Rousset, winner of the 1997 ABC TV’s Race Around the World, Dateline reporter since 2000, two times Walkley Award winner.
“As a television current affairs tragic involved daily in what might be called ‘mini-docos’ to immerse yourself in this amazing array of Australian documentaries is a real buzz. In what are seriously challenging global times, the so-called documentary is going through a reinvigorated, flourishing ‘hey-day’. And so it should – be it on the box or in the theatre. It’s great to be part of the Sydney Film Festival, such a big part of the Sydney Cultural life.” Said George Negus today.
Entrants were invited to submit documentaries of any length and one winner will be awarded a cash prize of $10,000.
The winning films will be announced at the Festival’s Closing Night Sunday June 14.