by FIlmInk Staff
Sydney-based Italian-Australian filmmaker Ramon Mazinga has won the Award of Recognition for Film Short from The Accolade Global Film Competition for his debut narrative short, Nanni Fortuna and the Cold Heart of Winter.
The six-minute fantasy-comedy, which was also pre-selected for Tropfest, Australia’s premier short film festival, follows a cynical Italian novelist navigating the absurdities of Australian immigration with the grandiosity of a fantasy epic.
The film has been submitted to multiple international festivals across four continents, with results from several major festivals still pending.
Nanni Fortuna and the Cold Heart of Winter stars Nino Lo Giudice, Kate Bookallil, Alexander W. Hunter, and Lucy Lock. Narrated as a grand quest, the film tells the story of Nanni Fortuna, a struggling writer who arrives in Sydney to promote his flopped novel, only to find himself entangled with a charismatic hustler and a dubious migration agent, both dangling the legendary artifact of Australian permanent residency.
This film “exists in the friction between Nanni’s grandiose, overthinking mind and the cold, unyielding reality of the Australian immigration system,” said Mazinga, who wrote, directed, and co-produced the film.
“It’s a satirical love letter to the immigrant experience — about the arbitrary nature of borders and the legendary artifact of a visa that we imbue with the power to give our lives meaning.”
Shot across Sydney over three days in December 2025, the production brought together a 35-member cast and crew. The film was lensed by cinematographer Michelle Pizanis, whose credits include Mad Max: Fury Road, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Thor: Ragnarok, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Pacific Rim: Uprising, George Miller’s Three Thousand Years of Longing, and NCIS: Sydney. Colour grading and visual effects were handled by Chris Downey, whose VFX credits span the BBC’s Doctor Who animated specials. Sound design was by Daniel Becker.
The Accolade Global Film Competition recognises film, television, videography and new media professionals who demonstrate exceptional achievement in craft and creativity. Entries are judged by highly qualified professionals in the film and television industry. Past Accolade winners include the Oscar-winning production The Lady in Number 6 by Malcolm Clarke, Disney’s Dave Bossert, and Hollywood veteran Ron Howard. Information about the Accolade and recent winners can be found at www.accoladecompetition.org.
Nanni Fortuna and the Cold Heart of Winter is currently on the international festival circuit and is being developed as a feature-length film.
About Ramon Mazinga
Ramon Mazinga is an Italian-Australian writer, filmmaker, and founder of SemiReal.
