by FIlmInk Staff
NOVA Employment celebrated its annual Focus on Ability Short Film Festival Awards Ceremony on Sunday afternoon at The Concourse in Chatswood.
The awards were presented by a star studded line-up of celebrities including FOA Ambassador Paula Duncan (Cop Shop, The Young Doctors), Natalie Bassingthwaighte (Neighbours), Ada Nicodemou (Home and Away), James Stewart (Home and Away), Ryan Johnson (Bump, Doctor Doctor), Travis Jeffery (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes), Nick Hardcastle (I Know What You Did Last Summer, Home and Away), John Jarratt (Wolf Creek) and 2021 Australian of the Year, Grace Tame.
South Australian Bexta Noonan was recipient of the NOVA Employment Choice Award for documentary short film Unbreakable Stride, which follows her experience coming of age as a neurodivergent lesbian amidst mental health crises. The documentary was made by producer Violeta Abarzua and director Yogi Devgan. Bexta is the winner of a brand-new Toyota Corolla courtesy of NOVA Employment and Noble Toyota.
Benjamin Huggins Strum and Grace Tame are the winners of the Australian Documentary Award for Where the World is Quiet. The documentary follows 2021 Australian of the Year Grace Tame and catalogues her experience living with autism, and the emotional outlet she has found in running.
Tas Guichard was awarded the Australian Short Film Award for his film Pieced Together, a deeply personal portrait of life with ADHD.
Queenslander Ben Rosenberg has won the Impact Award for Never Stopped Believin, an emotional and powerful documentary about the Hitzke family, their love for music and each other.
The Viewers’ Choice Award for the Australian film with the most online votes went to Victorian Peter Chambers’ film I Choose Happiness, about his own journey being diagnosed with motor neuron disease.
The International Short Film Award went to Lee Pugsley and Luke Salewski from America. Their short film, Audio Description, follows a vision impaired man who suddenly finds his life narrated by an audio description voiceover that only he can hear.
New Zealand film Sight Unseen took home the award for International Documentary, about vision-impaired skier Thomas Coysh and his employment journey.
The Viewers’ Choice Award for the International film with the most online votes went to Brazilians Dutra, Cruz and Ocdy for their film That’s So Me, about a production of Romeo and Juliet featuring neurodivergent actors.
The winner of the Australian and New Zealand School Short Film Award was Eastern Hills Senior High School (WA) for Dropkicks. The School Documentary Award went to Balgowlah Boys Northern Beaches Secondary College (NSW) for Everything Changed. The Viewers’ Choice Award for the School film with the most online votes went to Sydney Technical High School for As You Are.
Best Director was awarded to Larapinta Adaptive from Tasmania for Larapinta End To End. Matthew Tripney from Queensland won Best Actor for his performance in Spaceships. Best Producer went to John Cavallaro from Queensland for The Wednesday Crew. Tayla Richardson from Victoria won Best Screenwriter for Dandelion Bouquet. The School Best Actor Award went to Alex O’Callaghan from Victoria for her performance in Sensorium.
The full prize list can be found HERE and the full winners’ list is below.
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 by 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/
FULL WINNERS LIST
2025 Winners – PRIZE LIST
AUSTRALIAN & NEW ZEALAND SCHOOL SECTION:
Eastern Hills Senior High School (WA) – Dropkicks
JUDGES CHOICE – SHORT FILM SCHOOL WINNER
Balgowlah Boys Northern Beaches Secondary College (NSW) – Everything Changed
JUDGES CHOICE – DOCUMENTARY SCHOOL WINNER
Sydney Technical High School (NSW) – As You Are
MOST ONLINE VOTES SCHOOL WINNER
Alex O’Callaghan (VIC) – Sensorium
BEST ACTOR SCHOOL WINNER
AUSTRALIAN OPEN ENTRANTS
Bexta Noonan (SA) – Unbreakable Stride
NOVA EMPLOYMENT CHOICE WINNER
Tas Guichard (NSW) – Pieced Together
JUDGES CHOICE – SHORT FILM OPEN WINNER
Benjamin Huggins Strum & Grace Tame (NSW) – Where the World is Quiet
JUDGES CHOICE – DOCUMENTARY OPEN WINNER
Ben Rosenberg (QLD) – Never Stopped Believing
IMPACT AWARD
Peter Chambers (VIC) – I Choose Happiness
MOST ONLINE VOTES OPEN WINNER
Matthew Tripney (QLD) – Spaceships
BEST ACTOR OPEN WINNER
Larapinta Adaptive (TAS) – Larapinta End To End
BEST DIRECTOR
John Cavallaro (QLD) – The Wednesday Crew
BEST PRODUCER
Tayla Richardson (VIC) – Dandelion Bouquet
BEST SCREENWRITER
INTERNATIONAL SECTION
Lee Pugsley & Luke Salewski (USA) – Audio Description
JUDGES CHOICE – SHORT FILM INTERNATIONAL – WINNER
Becca Schall (USA) – Forced Perspective
JUDGES CHOICE – SHORT FILM INTERNATIONAL – RUNNER UP
Able (New Zealand) – Sight Unseen – Thomas Coysh
JUDGES CHOICE – DOCUMENTARY INTERNATIONAL – WINNER
Dustin Reynolds (Hawaii) – Singlehanded
JUDGES CHOICE – DOCUMENTARY INTERNATIONAL – RUNNER UP
Dutra, Cruz & Ocdy (Brazil) – That’s So Me
MOST ONLINE VOTES INTERNATIONAL – WINNER
Main Image: Grace Tame and Benjamin Huggins Strum (Photo: Ian Barnes)
