2017 St Kilda Film Festival Winners Announced

by Chelsea Wick

The winner of the 2017 Best Short Film at the 34th St Kilda Film Festival, was announced on the closing night of the festival on Saturday May 27.

Andrew Kavanagh [pictured, left], writer/director of the short film Welcome Home Allen – about four soldiers returning home to a world that may no longer recognise them – was honoured with the top honour of Best Short Film, with the prize including $10,000 cash and a qualification for consideration in the OSCARS® Short Film category – a significant and unique opportunity for the filmmaker!

The prize for Best Documentary was awarded to Peter Drew, for The Khalik Family Kite. Drew is now eligible for consideration in the OSCARS® Documentary Shorts category. Other award highlights include Best Director to Mirene Igwabi for her work on Adele, and Best Actor to Sapphire Blossom for her performance in Slapper.

Altogether, the winners of this year’s St Kilda Film Festival were awarded with over $50,000 in cash and in-kind prizes at the invitation-only Closing Night Awards Ceremony at St Kilda Town Hall.

City of Port Phillip Mayor Bernadene Voss said the St Kilda Film Festival offers a platform that has platformed the incredible work of the Australian film industry over the past 34 years. “The St Kilda Film Festival has showcased many producers, directors and actors who have gone on to gain enormous recognition in the wider film industry. It has been the starting point for some of Australia’s most successful filmmakers – going on to have their films screened at renowned international festivals, be nominated for critically acclaimed awards and become industry frontrunners. We are thrilled to have played a part in acknowledging the talent that Australian filmmakers showcase and be able to continue to do so year after year.”

Festival Director Paul Harris, who has been in the news of late for all the wrong reasons, was impressed with the range of this year’s submissions. “The quality and variation of films shown at St Kilda Film Festival each year shows the changing film landscape and the demand for filmmakers to challenge themselves and push their creative boundaries. This year, the quality and diversity of entries is a testament to the exciting talent coming through in Australia’s film industry. We congratulate the 2017 award winners on their well-deserved prizes and all entrants for their wonderful work.”

The St Kilda Film Festival team will tour highlights from the Top 100 films across regional Victoria throughout June and July. This will allow people from all across the state to experience the films showcased at the festival from their very own local theatres. Tour locations include Fish Creek, Yarroweyah, Castlemaine and Mallacoota.

Below are the winners in each category:

Best Short Film

Welcome Home Allen

Director: Andrew Kavanagh

Producer: Ramona Telecican

Screenplay: Andrew Kavanagh

 

Craft Award

After All

Director: Michael Cusack

Producers: Richard Chataway

Screenplay: Michael Cusack

 

Best Director

Mirene Igwabi

Film: Adele

 

Best Screenplay

Alice Englert

Film: The Boyfriend Game

 

Best Editing

Drew Thompson ASE

Film: The Eleven O’Clock

 

Best Cinematography

Brad Francis

Film: Found

 

Best Comedy

Homebodies

Director: Yianni Warnock

Producer: Charles Williams, Yianni Warnock

Screenplay: Yianni Warnock

 

Best Actor

Sapphire Blossom

Film: Slapper

 

Best Sound Post Production

John Dennison

Film: The Boyfriend Game

 

Best Visual Effects

Michael Vorberg

Film: Face

 

Best Youth Short Film

Nice Girls

Director: Maddelin McKenna

Producer: Sarah Pellegrino

Screenplay: Maddelin McKenna

 

Best Original Score

Matteo Zingales

Film: Fish With Legs

 

Best Documentary

The Khalik Family Kite

Director: Peter Drew

Producer: Peter Drew

Screenplay: Peter Drew

 

Best Indigenous Filmmaking

Brown Paper Bag

Director: Jon Staley

Producer: Kelly West

Screenplay: Boori Pryor, Jon Staley

 

Best Young Actor

Princess Mariama Andrews

Film: Adele

 

Staff Choice Award

Slapper

Director: Luci Schroder

Producers: Jason Byrne, Stephanie Westwood, Luci Schroder, Michael Latham

 

Audience Choice Award

Adrift

Director: Jon Mark Oldmeadow

Producer: Jon Mark Oldmeadow, Caitlin Farrugia

Screenplay: Jon Mark Oldmeadow

Click here for more information on the St Kilda Film Festival.