by FilmInk Staff
Producer Greer Simpkin, one of the creative forces behind the upcoming film adaptation of Prima Facie, starring Wicked’s Cynthia Erivo, will chair the CinefestOZ Film Prize Jury, which will decide the winner of Australia’s richest $100,000 Film Prize at this year’s festival, running 28 August to 6 September in Western Australia’s South West.
Simpkin will be joined on the jury by New Zealand actor and director Rachel House (Heartbreak High; Hunt for the Wilderpeople), acclaimed director and writer Gregor Jordan (Dirt Music, Ned Kelly); award winning cinematographer Katie Milwright (The Artful Dodger, Goolagong), and celebrated actor Mark Coles Smith (Mystery Road Origin; We Bury The Dead).
Together the jury will decide which of the four short-listed films Wilderness, The Fox, Yesterday Island and Sweet Milk Lake a MIFF@CinefestOZ film – will take home the title of Film Prize Winner and $100,000.
Speaking about her role as Film Prize Jury Chair, Greer Simpkin said: “It’s a huge honour to be invited to serve as Jury Chair of the CinefestOZ Film Prize Award.
“I have attended the CinefestOZ Film Festival many times over the years and loved it, so to have the opportunity to return to the South West of WA as the Jury Chair makes the invitation all the more special.
“Australian filmmaking is in an exciting place so I’m eager to experience the work of the finalists of the Film Prize this year.
“I’m looking forward to conversations, the discoveries and, ultimately, the difficult privilege of choosing, along with Rachel, Gregor, Katie, and Mark, a film worthy of this prestigious prize.”
CinefestOZ Chair Margaret Buswell said: “The calibre of this year’s jury reflects the festival’s commitment to celebrating the very best of Australian screen storytelling.
“This is a jury with a depth of experience across acting, cinematography, directing, producing and writing and we’re thrilled to welcome them to the CinefestOZ Film Festival.
“The CinefestOZ Film Prize is one of the highlights of the festival and the Australian film festival calendar. It gives audiences the chance to see exciting new stories while recognising the filmmakers who are pushing Australian cinema forward.
“We established the CinefestOZ Film Prize 12 years ago to recognise and reward excellence in Australian filmmaking. With four strong finalists in contention this year, the jury has a challenging job ahead of them.”
The jury will attend each of the Film Prize red carpet premieres from Wednesday 2 – Friday 4 September, before taking part in the Film Prize Jury In Conversation breakfast at Shelter Brewing on Saturday 5 September.
The winner will be announced that evening at the Film Prize Celebration, being held at its new home Saltwater Busselton.
Previous CinefestOZ Film Prize winners include:
Songs Inside (2025), The Moogai (2024), Shayda (2023), Of An Age (2022), Nitram (2021), H is for Happiness (2019), Jirga (2018), Ali’s Wedding (2017), Girl Asleep (2016), Putuparri and the Rainmakers (2015), and Paper Planes (2014).
CinefestOZ would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of this land we live and work on and pay our respect to the Elders past, present and future.
CinefestOZ is supported by the WA Government through the Regional Arts and Cultural Investment Program. Premium Festival Partners are the City of Busselton and Screenwest, and we acknowledge strong support from Screen Australia, and Lotterywest.
ABOUT THE FILM PRIZE JURY PANEL
Greer Simpkin – CHAIR
Greer Simpkin is Co-Managing Director of Bunya Productions. Greer has produced the feature films Limbo, Sweet Country, Goldstone, High Ground, Loveland, The Drover’s Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson, The Deb, Kangaroo and Wolfram. She is currently in production on the Australian/UK co-production Prima Facie, starring Cynthia Erivo.
Rachel House
Rachel House (Kāi Tahu, Ngāti Mutunga) is one of New Zealand’s most highly regarded actors. She has had a long and celebrated career, both locally and internationally, which has traversed stage, television and film. Rachel is renowned for her work in Netflix’s Heartbreak High, HBO Max’s Our Flag Means Death, Apple TV’s Foundation and Time Bandits and in film, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Thor: Ragnarok, Godzilla X Kong, Kangaroo, as well as voice work in Moana, Zootopia and A Minecraft Movie. Last year saw the release of her directorial debut feature film The Mountain to critical acclaim.
Gregor Jordan
Gregor Jordan is an Australian film and television writer, director and producer. His first short film Swinger won the Jury Prize at the 1995 Cannes Film Festival. His debut feature film Two Hands starring Heath Ledger, Bryan Brown and Rose Byrne won Australian Film Institute awards for Best Screenplay, Best Director and Best Film. His second film Buffalo Soldiers, starring Joaquin Phoenix, Anna Paquin and Ed Harris won a British Independent Film award for best screenplay. His other films include Ned Kelly starring Heath Ledger, Naomi Watts and Geoffrey Rush; The Informers with Billy Bob Thornton, Kim Basinger, Winona Ryder and Mickey Rourke, and Unthinkable starring Samuel L Jackson, Michael Sheen and Carrie Anne-Moss. His most recent film Dirt Music stars Kelly MacDonald, Garrett Hedlund and David Wenham. Gregor’s TV work includes the Channel 7/ Roadshow Rough Diamond series Australian Gangster, the ABCTV Australia documentary Ian Thorpe- The Swimmer, the ABC TV Australia series OLD SCHOOL starring Bryan Brown and Sam Neill as well as North Shore for Paramount Plus and ITV.
Katie Milwright
Katie Milwright is a three-time AACTA-nominated DP, working across TV, film, commercials, and documentaries. She has set up series for Disney, Netflix, Amazon, and Sky/Fox. Her many feature credits include: Sweet As—Crystal Bear award winner at the Berlin Film Festival, and Looking For Grace— in Competition’ at the Venice Film Festival. Katie set up TV series The Clearing for Disney, Deadloch for Amazon and Upright for Fox/Sky. Also shooting series of The Artful Dodger, Black Snow S02, High Country S02 and recently setting up the new Wentworth Halfway Home series. Beyond AACTA nods, Katie has received nominations at CameraImage, as well as the Film Critics Circle Awards. In addition to her numerous ACS awards, she won a Golden Tripod for her work on the dramatised documentary Guilty. Beginning her career in the Camera Department after graduating VCA Film School, Katie learnt from some of Australia’s best DPs before charting her own journey. Katie loves what she does, cinematography is a passion that allows her to work with amazing people and help bring incredible stories to life.
Mark Coles Smith
Star of ABC drama Mystery Road: Origin series, Mark is Nyikina man who grew up on the Martuwarra (Fitzroy River) and began working at a young age as an actor in Broome. In the time since he has gone on to forge an incredible career in film, television, music and stage. With numerous awards and nominations under his belt and an incredible body of work already behind him, Mark has continued to grow and challenge himself as an artist and creative, earning industry attention as the wild card from the west. Mark’s recent film credits include We Bury The Dead, Beast of War and Sweet As, and in television – Apple Cider Vinegar, The Clearing and Savage River
Film Prize Finalist Films
Sweet Milk Lake – a heartfelt drama and MIFF@CinefestOZ selection, directed, written by and starring Western Australian filmmaker Harvey Zielinski (White Fever) alongside Hunter Page-Lochard (Reckless), Kieran Darcy Smith (Apple Cider Vinegar) and Ngaire Pigram (Sweet As).
Wilderness – an uplifting and emotional drama directed and written by Martin McKenna, produced by Mat Govani and starring Yael Stone (Orange is the New Black) and Mirrah Foulkes (Mr Inbetween).
The Fox – a dark, fantastical comedy directed and written by Dario Russo and starring Jai Courtney (Dutton Ranch), Emily Browning (One More Shot), Miranda Otto (Lord of the Rings), Olivia Coleman (The Roses) and Sam Neill (The Twelve).
Yesterday Island – a quirky, time-loop comedy directed and written by Sam Voutas and starring comedian Ivan Aristeguieta (Aftertaste), Florence Noble (The Paragon), Francis Greenslade (High Country)
