by Abhi Parasher

Now in its 39th year, St Kilda Film Festival (SKFF) returned to the big screen on Thursday 1 June and runs until Monday 12 June 2023. SKFF is Australia’s longest-running short film festival, recognising the genre of short film, including music videos, gaming and immersive forms, celebrating some of Australia’s best local short filmmakers and screen artists.

The St Kilda Film Festival’s Top Short Films are judged by a panel of industry professionals, with the 2023 judging panel made up of Cinematographer Ellery Ryan, Producer Julie Ryan and Filmmaker Rhianna Malezer.

The winners of this year’s Best Short Film and Best Documentary will also be eligible for consideration in the OSCARS® Short Film and OSCARS® Documentary Shorts Award categories.

The 2023 St Kilda Film Festival’s most prestigious title of Best Short Film will see one of five nominees take home a $10,000 cash prize courtesy of City of Port Phillip. This year’s nominees for Best Short Film are Perspectives, By Lucas Wilson, Mud Crab, MYTH and Incarnation.

“Looking at all the wonderful films that we received and programmed this year, the Sophie’s Choice of the judging process is both excruciating and invigorating – they’re all performing at the top level,” says Festival Director Richard Sowada. “The fact that we can provide a potential pathway to the Oscars through our awards is a bonus for us, and we all feel personally connected to each and every one, along with the filmmakers behind them. What a year!”

This year’s winners will be announced at the St Kilda Film Festival’s Awards Ceremony on Sunday 11 June, 8.30pm at The Astor Theatre. There will be a special screening of all the Award winning films on Monday 12 June, 3pm at The Alex Theatre.

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

Zhao Shen – Famished Shell

Jason Kumwar – Marionettes

James Mountain – Mud Crab

Rainbow Chan – Butter: A Love Story

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND POST-PRODUCTION

John Kassab – Breathe

Jared Plant, Yee Lee + Bernard Winter – Incarnation

Nathan Turnball – Mud Crab

Folklore Sound – OUR HAUNT

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING

James Taylor – Mud Crab

Geoff Hitchins – Svengali

Cal McLean – Hash Browns

Tania Nehme – MYTH

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SCREENPLAY

Grace Tan – Lucky Peach

Neer Shelter – Perspectives

Elizabeth Packett – Tarneit

James Robert Woods – Svengali

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN INDGENOUS FILMMAKING

Galup VR Experience

Bangay Iore

The Lost Crystal’s in Jessica’s Room

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY

Jaclyn Paterson – Mud Crab

Valentino Filimon – SUGA RUSH

Tania Lambert – MYTH

Bernard Winter – Incarnation

BEST YOUNG ACTOR

Ella Harrold – The Lost Crystal’s in Jessica’s Room

Sheldon Pickett – The Lost Crystal’s in Jessica’s Room

Calvin Black – Tarneit

Antanhe Zewdu – Tarneit

Federico Gazzilli – By Lucas Wilson

Lena Nankivell – MYTH

BEST ACTOR

Joshua Mehmet – Mud Crab

Jack Riley – Incarnation

Ben Gerrard – Svengali

Gael Ballantyne – Good Times and That’s Okay

BEST ANIMATION

Teacups

Dies Irae

The Only Photograph of Emily Dickinson, American Poet

Blockhead and Sparkles and the Flood of Tears

BEST DOCUMENTARY

Fearless: Jazmin Theodora

Memorabilia

Declutter

Galup VR Experience

BEST DIRECTOR

David Roberson – Smith

Neer Shelter – Perspectives

Bernard Winter – Incarnation

Alies Sluiter – MYTH

CRAFT AWARD

$2000 cash prize sponsored by VicScreen

Dies Irae

SUGA RUSH

TREES

Famished Shell

BEST SHORT FILM AWARD

Perspectives

By Lucas Wilson

Mud Crab

MYTH

Incarnation

SKFF is supported by major government partners Screen Australia and VicScreen.

For more information visit: www.stkildafilmfestival.com.au

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