NOT SHORT ON RECOGNITION – SHOW ME SHORTS FILM FESTIVAL HAS TRIUMPHANT OPENING!
SHOW ME SHORTS Film Festival kicked off in Auckland last night with a very special opening and awards night. All 40 films in this year’s program were contending for the eight award categories, and winning films were showcased to the captivated audience.
Poppy was the big winner on the night, taking home three awards: SDGNZ Best Director, SDGNZ Best Editor and the Special Jury Prize. Other notable films up for awards include Kill the Alphabet, Coffee & Allah and Just Like The Others which all received two nominations and one win each.
Judging of this year’s festival was conducted by respected and experienced industry practitioners Barbara Darragh (Wardrobe for Spartacus, Bridge To Terabithia, River Queen, The Frighteners), Pietra Brett-Kelly (director of The Art Star and the Sudanese Twins) and Athina Tsoulis (writer, producer and director of Jinx Sister).
The full list of 2009 winners and finalists is:
KODAK BEST FILM – Jackie van Beek and Bridget Fogarty for ‘Just Like the Others’
Finalist – Paul Swadel for ‘Poppy’
BEST STUDENT FILM – Michael Humphrey for ‘The Big Happiness’
Finalist – Matteo Bruno for ‘Kill the Alphabet’
SDGNZ BEST DIRECTOR – James Cunningham for ‘Poppy’
Finalist – Jackie van Beek for ‘Just Like the Others’
NZ WRITER’S GUILD BEST SCREENPLAY – Waine C. Paris for ‘Kill the Alphabet’
Finalist – Imogen Thomas for ‘Mixed Bag’
PANAVISION BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER – Rewa Harre for ‘Coffee & Allah’
Finalist – Rob Marsh for ‘The Road out of Town’
STARNOW.COM BEST ACTOR – Arna-Maria Winchester from ‘Mixed Bag’
Finalist – Zahara Abbawaaaji from ‘Coffee & Allah’
SDGNZ BEST EDITOR – Paul Swadel and James Cunnigham for ‘Poppy’
Finalist – Paul Maxwell for ‘Aphrodite’s Farm’
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE – James Cunningham for Motion Capture CGI animation on ‘Poppy’
Finalist – Rachelle Bakarich for ‘Christmas Lights’ – Best Documentary
Festival Director Gina Dellabarca commented, “It was a delight to see the public along with family and friends out in support of the wonderful films and the talented winner’s of this year’s festival. I do not envy the judges who had a huge task when selecting the winners for 2009”.
SHOW ME SHORTS is now playing in cinemas throughout the country, so get along and see all these wonderful films!
