Unscene competition winners with 'Offspring' star Alicia Gardiner, who hosted the Gala.
Marie Kelly has taken out the top prize in Village Cinemas' Unscene short film competiton.
The inaugural comp, run in partnership with Event Cinemas and Open Channel, tasked filmmakers with making a film based around the “effects of piracy on the industry”. Finalists had their films screened at the Unscene Film Festival Gala earlier this week at Village Cinema Rivoli.
Kelly took home the $10,000 top prize for her film Pirating a Film IRL. A short of the film will also now play across cinema pre-shows, as well as in selected foyers. Kelly will also receive membership and a mentoring session at Open Channel.
Michael Campbell came in second with The Cost of War, taking home $2,000, while Elizna van der Walt, Ellie Betramin and Ben Bellette won the $1,000 third prize for their film Midnight. Their films will also screen in foyers.
The films were judged by a panel that included Village Roadshow chair and co-CEO Graham Burke, Event CEO David Seargeant, Film Victoria CEO Jenni Tosi and Open Channel CEO Caroline Waters.
“We had an overwhelming response to the concept and we are now looking to grow the festival to be even bigger and better,” said Village’s sales and marketing GM Mohit Bhargava. "The future of cinema" is this year's theme.
View the finalists' films here: http://unscenefilms.com.au/finalists