Show Me Shorts Film Festival

Pacific Dreams was a recent winner at the 2011 Rhode Island International Film Festival, with Dame Kate Harcourt taking home first prize for Best Female Actress for her role.

Show Me Shorts is thrilled to make the early announcement that Pacific Dreams will be part of their 2011 programme.  This film, along with 46 others, was chosen from hundreds of entries.  The full line up for the festival is due to be announced in October.

In Pacific Dreams, Dame Kate’s character Grace is a new arrival at a rest home run by a stern head nurse. The short independent Kiwi film depicts Grace, an elderly and determined lady, striving to bring life into a rest home where residents exist, but don’t live.

Director David Strong, who wrote, directed and co-produced the short film, which was shot in Wellington, commented “I am very proud and happy for Dame Kate receiving such high-profile recognition for her work in Pacific Dreams.  She is a beautiful and brilliant actress who brought depth and life to the film.  It’s a great honour for Pacific Dreams to be selected as a competitor for the 2011 Show Me Shorts Film Festival; it is testament to the amazing work of everyone involved in bringing the film to life.”

Pacific Dreams was also accepted to compete in the Mobile SIFF Competition at the prestigious 2011 Shanghai International Film Festival in June, and screened at the recent 2011 New York City International Film Festival.

Don’t you wish there was somewhere you could hang out during the International Film Festival in Auckland between movies? Somewhere to go with those friends you bumped into after the last movie and want to have a quick coffee or glass of wine and a catch up with?

Introducing the Film Café! Show Me Shorts is proud to present this new segment of the NZIFF programme, hosted by The Edge in the opulent grotto that is the Wintergarden (under the Civic).

No longer will you be forced out into the cold rain of winter! Inside this cosy cave you will find good coffee and strong liquor, festival going information, art installations and interactive games, plus a happy hour and free screenings of short films and filmmaker talks in lunch hours and early evenings. You are welcome!

From Saturday 16 July until Sunday 31 July (the final day of the Festival), the Film Café will be open from 12pm weekdays and from 2pm on weekends. Daily film events will be held at 6.30pm as well as weekday lunchtime events at 12.30pm.

One Film Café programme highlight already confirmed is a package of the latest films from the Media Design School. Included in this session will be ‘Das Tub,’ one of the school’s most-awarded student films. ‘Das Tub’ recently won Best Short Short at Aspen Shortsfest – an Oscar qualifying category, as well as Best Director for course leader James Cunningham at the Honolulu Film Awards. The film was also nominated for a prestigious VES Award (the Oscars of the visual effects world) in early 2011.

Script to Screen are coordinating the Film Talks, which promise opportunities to engage with visiting filmmakers and learn from their experiences. Among the interactive installations present in the Film Café, the Film Archive celebrates 30 years of New Zealand short film history via a set of viewing stations loaded with one short film for each year.

We are now calling for entries for the 2011 Show Me Shorts Film Festival.

Exciting news this year is that due to popular demand we are including a section for international films. That means if your film does not qualify as a New Zealand or Australian film, although you aren’t eligible for our awards you can still enter.

We have also made another small change due to audience feedback: Shortening the minimum and maximum film lengths, and the maximum time since the film was made. The new requirements are for all films to be between 2 and 20 minutes, and made within the last two years.

If your film meets those criteria, visit the ‘enter your film’ page for entry guidelines and details on how to submit your short film now!