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Meet the Tropfest Finalists
The 16 finalists of the 2010 Tropfest main competition have been announced, and there's a few familiar faces in the house.
The festival, which is the largest short film festival in Australia, if not the world, received over 650 entries this year. With an average of over 150,000 people at live sites around the country in attendance and more watching on Movie Extra, it will be a nerve-racking night for the 16 skilled filmmakers.
Founded in 1993 by John Polson, Tropfest has grown remarkably over its 18 years. This year he shared his thoughts on choosing the final 16. "Watching the entries each year is one the best parts of my job. But choosing the 16 finalists is one of the toughest. This year's line-up encompasses an incredible, entertaining and thought-provoking mix of comedy, drama, animation, documentary and even mockumentary. There are some familiar faces amongst the 16 finalists, including some past Tropfest finalists, but it's also great to be able to showcase some of Australia's best, new filmmaking talent."
And without further ado, here are the 16 Tropfest hopefuls:
First time Tropfest entrant, animation wiz Liam Newton with his film Awakening, which is about a lonely robot who tries to fix his only companion before it's too late.
Scott Holgate has been making student films for the last five years and worked on regional TV before shooting an unscripted documentary over three months in Western Sydney. This turned into his Tropfest entry Every Second Weekend.
Harrison Murray started his film career at TAFE. While there, he worked on over 60 short films and three features. He is involved in a writing team for an internet comedy and is in negotiations to co-direct a feature. His Trop entry is a reflective view of the finality of decisions, called Falling Backwards.
Third time finalist Duane Fogwell is back with his new film Fish Lips, which is "about love, about family, about fish fingers and a game called Yahtzee".
After his first directorial effort Happenstance, TV actor John Marsh has realised that directing is what he should be doing. The film is about Valentine's Day causing pain and heartache, until a fateful knock gives the main character Grey, hope.
Matilda Brown, daughter of Aussie actor Bryan Brown and Beautiful Kate director Rachel Ward, has made the finals with her film How God Works, a look at the weird and wonderful ways the guy/girl upstairs goes about their business..
My Neighbourhood Has Been Overrun By Baboons is the self explanatory directorial collaboration of young filmmakers Cameron Edser and Michael Richards.
AFI nominated actress Alyssa McClelland gets behind the camera for her third short film Nic & Shauna, which looks at a dance video from Nic and Shauna's childhood becoming an internet hit.
Paul Watters is an experienced producer, having worked with Baz Luhrmann on both Moulin Rouge and Australia, as well as working on films such as Goal!, Cat In the Hat and Shrek 2. His short No Dice Hollywood follows independent filmmaker Joel as he tries to make a commercial hit.
One... is the short from Gareth Davies and actor Damon Gameau. Damon acted in last year's Trop winner for Best Comedy Being Carl Williams. One... is about the journey to find the ‘one'.
Sydney based director and last year's Best Comedy winner Abe Forsythe has entered a film named Shock into this year's competition. Shock is about a man waking up to realise the choices he has made have led him to where he is in his life.
Victoria's Raphael Sammut's dream is to write and direct original stories as he has done with his comedy short Smoking Will Kill You, based on the premise that cigarettes don't kill people, people kill people.
Gene Albert has been making films since the age of 12. After becoming a corporate filmmaker, he left to backpack throughout Europe. He is back to focus on his filmmaking with Stakeout, which is about two cops with too much time on their hands.
Sheldon Lieberman and Igor Coric became friends after meeting at the 2004 Ottawa International Animation Festival and, after Igor moved to Australia, they have continued to pump out shorts at a brilliant rate. Their film Testicle follows Spike, who at only a few months old is missing a testicle.
Despite being obsessed with stunts as a kid, Matthew Chuang belongs behind a camera. As well as finishing his first feature Braille, Chuang entered The Last Roll Of The Dice into Tropfest. It follows Kathy, who desperate and alone, turns to internet dating.
Charles Williams is a talented director, who has already won Tropfest's Young Director Award in 2002. He has made several shorts since then but There Had Better Be Blood is about two brothers whose incessant fighting has led their mother to send them away.
The 2010 Movie Extra Tropfest awards and screening will take place on February 21 at the Domain, Sydney as well as live sites in Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra, Perth, Hobart and Surfers Paradise, and are also simulcast on Movie Extra. Head to the website for festival details, screening venues and regular updates on all things Trop!