Press release from Edith Cowan University
ECU’s WA Screen Academy has received top honours, with six films selected to screen at the celebrated Dungog Film Festival, held in the Hunter Valley from Thursday, 26 to Sunday, 29 May.
Recognised in the industry as the Australian version of the Sundance Film Festival, Dungog is Australia’s most beloved and unique film festival, showcasing the very best of Australian cinema from the past, present and future.
Director of the WA Screen Academy, Mr John Rapsey, is thrilled that the Academy has a total of four dramas and two documentaries selected.
“It is an honour to have so many films selected for this great film festival, with over 10,000 people expected to attend. Every year the little town of Dungog opens its arms to thousands of people passionate about Australian films. On the streets and in the cafes between screenings, you are likely to rub shoulders with many of the great directors, producers, writers and actors. The buzz is incredible!”
“We are extremely proud of our students, with the strong showing only reaffirming our reputation as one of the leading screen training programs in the country.”
Dungog’s Screen Programmer, Ms Laura MacDonald, said the Dungog team were thoroughly impressed with the high calibre of films submitted by this year’s WA Screen Academy students.
"Every year the WA Screen Academy submits films that are consistently fascinating, challenging and exciting. It's a pleasure to welcome so many of their talented filmmakers back to the Dungog Film Festival this year.”
The selected films from the WA Screen Academy:
Casualties – written by Gregg Johnson, directed by Ben Mizzi, produced by Jessica Carlson. Casualties was nominated for four WA Screen Awards in the categories of Best Tertiary Film; Best Actor; Best Screenplay, and Best Sound.
Painful Bliss – a documentary that explores a Perth sub-culture fascinated by the eastern tradition of body suspension. It is written by Caitlan O’Conner and Emma Morris, directed by Caitlan O’Connor and produced by Jessica Carlson, and was also shortlisted for the 10th Annual Bondi Short Film Festival.
Peachy Keen – written by Suzanne Barton, directed by Kevin Mack, produced by Caitlan O’Connor. Peachy Keen, a story about a girl isolated in a 1950s bubble who falls for the married man next door, and was nominated for the Best Tertiary Film award in the WA Screen Awards this year.
The Family Tree – written by Freya Brueschke, directed by Geoff Kelso, and produced by Tase Jaycobs Stefkov, is about a girl who has serious trouble in
introducing her new boyfriend to her family. Family Tree won a Best Sound WA Screen Award nomination for 2010 graduate Adrian Jolly.
XO – (a film commissioned by the City of Perth), was written by Claudia Rondon and Eva Ramdohr and directed by Eva Ramdohr. It is a romantic comedy in which true love is only a park bench away.
Mothers' Meeting – is a documentary about a family dealing with their mother’s dementia. It is written by Andrew Kendall, Directed by Kevin Mack, and produced by Ali Roberts.
For more information visit the Dungog Film Festival website.