Press release from Limelight
On Tuesday 25 May, the iconic Palais Theatre will host the opening of the 27th annual St Kilda Film Festival. Produced and presented by the City of Port Phillip the Festival will once again showcase the year’s best with Australia’s Top 100 short films alongside an eclectic selection of international shorts in five unique programs, as well as Australian music videos on the big screen in SoundKILDA.
The Festival will take place from May 25 – 30, with all screenings excluding opening night taking place at The Palace George Cinemas. Touting over $40,000 worth of cash and in-kind awards, the winner of the Best Film will be awarded the richest cash prize in Australian short film – $10,000.
This year’s competition features Australian talent known to local audiences as well as a range of films recently seen on foreign shores; Gemma Lee’s The Wake which stars Angus Sampson and Pippa Black recently took the Best of the Fest Audience Favourite awards at Palm Springs; John Jarratt and Dan Wyllie star in The Edge of Reality which follow the downward spiral of an out of control Elvis Impersonator; thrash metal, yoga and inner demons are explored in Don’t Thank Me, Thank AA: the Dave Mustaine Story.
First time directors are a prominent part of the festival each year. This year sees a number of notably anticipated directorial debuts; Deborah Mailman (Secret Life of Us, Bran Nue Dae) brings us her first short Ralph; while Alexandra Schepisi, daughter of Australian cinema icon Fred Schepisi helms One Night, a peepshow into the darker side of love, lust and loneliness.
Alongside Australian highlights, this year’s international program features five programs from the 2009 Interfilm Berlin Short Film Festival; highlights from the German competition, Focus On: The Netherlands, Confrontations: Films Against Violence and Intolerance, and two special sessions to mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall – Berlin: The Wall and Beyond and Inside the Wall: Operation Stasi – A State in Panic. This year’s international guests are Matthias Groll from interfilm Berlin and Berlin Golden Bear winning Dutch filmmaker Hanro Smitsman.
SoundKILDA once again gives audiences the unique experience of viewing some of Australia’s best music videos on the big screen in this amazing setting. This year sees a number of highlights from big names in the music world as well as notable filmmakers; acclaimed filmmaker Nash Edgerton (The Square, Spider) brings us two music videos directed for Bob Dylan; festival regular Natasha Pincus builds on her tremendous catalogue with music videos for Pete Murray and Powderfinger; also featured are videos from highly popular Australian artists such as Dappled Cities, The Mess Hall and Eddy Current Suppression Ring.
In addition to the screenings the festival will feature a special Triple R live outdoor broadcast of Festival Director Paul Harris’ Film Buffs Forecast on Saturday 29 May as well as a number of free forums.
Prizewinning films and stand out favourites will then embark on a national tour taking in over 30 destinations in all states and territories from June to September.
The St Kilda Film Festival runs from Tuesday 25 May to Sunday 30 May. For more information and booking details visit www.stkildafilmfestival.com.au (2010 program goes live 6 May)