[press release from Well Above]
Over 1000 wine appreciating short film enthusiasts from all over the world converged on the Elliot Rocke Estate again last weekend for Mudfest, the 5th annual Mudgee International Short Film Festival.
Of the 15 films that had been shortlisted as finalists from over 500 entries, six were from Australia, three from the USA, two from the UK and there was one each from Belgium, Canada, Sweden and Spain.
Under amazing stars on a beautiful clear night Tropfest 2009 winner ‘Be My Brother’ kicked off proceedings and when all 15 films had been viewed, Nash Edgerton’s ‘Spider’ won both Fujifilm Best Australian Film and the Mudfest People’s Choice Awards. Edgerton said, "It’s great to be part of a film festival that is finding an audience for short films from around the world to be seen in regional areas.”
An Italian language film from Spain, “PORQUE HAY COSAS QUE NUNCA SE OLVIDAN” (“BECAUSE THERE ARE THINGS YOU NEVER FORGET”) directed by LUCAS FIGUEROA took out the Judges choice award.
“The reaction to the films has been fantastic.” Said festival co-organiser Peter Scott. “Some of the films we show receive their only Australian screening at Mudfest with the feedback from the crowd being that 2009 was the best yet. I’m delighted to say that Mudfest has grown year-on-year from fairly low-key beginnings in the Butcher Shop Café where we sold 50 tickets, to this year again at the Elliot Rocke Estate and selling well over 1000. In fact, for the last couple of festivals we have sold most of our tickets by January as people want to make sure they don’t miss out. This year we had entries from as far afield as Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan and visitors from all over Australia and the globe including some from as far as Croatia.”
Marc Van Agten Fujifilm Australia General Manager Recording Media/Motion Picture Film added, “Fujifilm are absolutely delighted to be the sponsor of such a great event as Mudfest. Our policy is to support the film festivals that help local filmmakers and Mudfest certainly does that. It’s also great to see a wonderful film like Spider win the Fujifilm award and recording media prizes as well as the People’s Choice Award, reaffirming again the quality and calibre of Australian directors, DOPs and producers.”
The 6th Elliot Rocke Mudfest will be held on Saturday the 20th of March 2010 with entries open on 1st September 2009.