by FilmInk Staff
NOVA Employment celebrated its annual Focus on Ability Short Film Festivals Awards Ceremony on Sunday afternoon evening at a ceremony at The Concourse in Chatswood.
The awards were presented by a star studded line-up of celebrities including Paula Duncan (Cop Shop, The Young Doctors), Lynne McGranger (Home and Away), Craig Bennett (The Don Lane Show), Amanda Muggleton (Prisoner), Nick Hardcastle (Home and Away), Tony Bonner (Cop Shop, Skippy the Bush Kangaroo), Judy Nunn (Home and Away, Sons and Daughters), Bruce Venables (Bootmen, Paperback Hero), Travis Jeffrey (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes) and writer, disability advocate, actress, screenwriter, author and media personality, Hannah Diviney.
Minister for Social Services, Amanda Rishworth was also in attendance at the event to congratulate the creatives involved on their achievements. Minister Rishworth is a strong advocate for people with disability and is passionate about the role that storytelling plays in elevating their voices to build a more inclusive Australian film industry, as well as its important role in creating a more inclusive Australian society. Minister Rishworth is proud to have supported the event under the International Day of People with Disability program.
Queenslander Jodie Van de Wetering took home the NOVA Employment Choice Award for her film World Famous, a documentary about two autistic improv performers who go world famous in their hometown after creating their own web series. Jodie is the winner of a brand new Toyota Corolla courtesy of NOVA Employment and Noble Toyota.
A Victorian filmmaking team of parents with intellectual disability, Positive Powerful Parents, were awarded the Australian Short Film Award for their film Compare the Parents, based on their own lived experiences. The filmmakers will receive two return flights to Utah with tickets to attend Sundance Film Festival where film is going to be screened at Sundance Impact Lounge including Panel Discussion in January 2025, $5,000 towards accommodation and spending money courtesy of Your Local Club and mentoring sessions from leading Australian screen industry practitioners.
The award for Australian Documentary went to Riley Eli Jones from the ACT for his deeply moving documentary about brain cancer, DAD.
The viewers’ choice award for the Australian film with Most Online Votes went to Victorian Shriya Rangaraju’s Unleashing Potential – Embracing Ability over Disability about Shriya’s own journey joining searching for employment.
The International Documentary Award went to Henry Ng’andwe from Zambia for Tale to Tell – Ian Banda about youth disability rights advocate Ian Banda, with a runner up prize awarded to Andrew Aijuka from Uganda for Enabling Recycling. The viewers’ choice award for the International film with Most Online Votes went to Indian filmmaker Shamil Raj for ISSAI – The Voice Unheard.
The winner of the School Documentary award was St George College in South Australia for Autism is my Superpower and the School Short Film Awards went to Eastern Hills Senior High School in Western Australia for Special Means. The viewers’ choice award for the film with the most votes made by a school went to Al-Taqwa College in Victoria for Heart of Our Home.
The Best Director prize went to Noah Michael from NSE for Beyond the Obscurity, the Best Producer prize went to Casey Andrew from Queensland for Against the Odds and the Best Screenwriter prize went to Lorraine Holmes for NSW for Interview in Progress.
Ashleigh Goodwin from Queensland took home the Best School Actor Awards for Me and My ADHD and Stewart Limpus from Queensland received the Best Actor Award – Open Category for Eye Another Day.
The full prize list can be found HERE.
The Focus on Ability Short Film Festival began in Western Sydney as the idea of Martin Wren, CEO of NOVA Employment, whose mission is to support individuals with a disability get a job in their chosen field. Since its inception, the festival has grown enormously with international screening events in Uganda, Ethiopia, Malawi, Zimbabwe USA, Spain, Kenya and the team presenting the winning films each year at The United Nations Economic Commission for Asia and Pacific.
The festival offers inspiring stories, cultural exchange and community celebration showcasing films that highlight the diverse experiences and achievements of people with disabilities.
For further information about Focus on Ability, visit: https://www.focusonability.com.au/
