Australia’s gift to the world of filmmaking – the SmartFone Flick Fest (SF3) – returns in November
with record-breaking numbers of entries from all over the world, offering screenings in multiple categories,
a glittering gala final and heaps of special events – all to celebrate its 8th big year!
The Gala Finals will be held on Saturday 5 November at the Actors Centre Australia in Leichhardt.
A red-carpet party kicks off from 5pm with photo wall, videographer, live music and bar; then the screening and awards ceremony from 6:30pm.
The following morning the SF3 Kids Finals and Awards Ceremony kick off at 11am, followed by the SF3 Mini & Feature Film Screening at 4pm, all at the same venue.
The headliner feature film is a powerful tale of Venezualans fleeing to LA, The Unknowns by award-winning Latin-American stage and screen director Luis Fernandez.
There will also be a masterclass and panel discussion between sessions.
SF3 also runs online from 5-20 November!
The festival fun continues the following weekend when – on Sunday 13th November from 12-2pm – Festival Ambassador and top Australian director of films such as Red Dog, Slim & I and more, Kriv Stenders delivers a very special masterclass.
Founded in Sydney, SF3 – where each film must be entirely created using only a smart phone or tablet – brings a world of movie-making to the fingertips of every creative person… and a world of filmmakers to Australia and – via online screenings – back out to the world!
SF3 received more than 300 entries this year including from new sources, such as Kenya and Nigeria where festival co-founder/director Angela Blake conducted extensive zoom masterclasses.
Other new entrants included from China as well as host of wonderful politically-charged films from Central and South America.
As always, there was incredible work from around Australia as well as the USA, UK, France and further afield.
This year’s festival offers more than $50,000 in prizes across multiple categories. There are high-profile industry judges and a slew of festival Ambassadors!
The festival will be screening the work of scores of local filmmakers of all ages including three First Nations finalists who are competing for a $7000 prize from Dolby.
The first ever winner in this category, Kara Rose recently sold her 2021 SF3-winning film to SBS/NITV!
SF3 Online will run from Saturday 5th Nov to Sunday 20th Nov and this year will also feature some Highly Commended films.
And the first “Mobile SF3” event – in partnership with MINA (Mobile Innovation Network Australasia) – is slated for Melbourne 18-20 November – with screenings, masterclasses and networking events!
Festival Co-Founder Ali Crew (pictured centre above on left) said Smartphone film-making is refined and rough at the same time.
“That is what makes it so deeply engaging to watch. We are seeing these incredible stories from all corners of the earth, beautifully told and all being shot on these small and highly accessible cameras.”
Co-director Angela Blake added: “It’s an exciting time for creativity. There truly are no limitations, no borders; the films in our festival this year reflect all those exciting possibilities.”
For more information, visit www.sf3.com.au and SF3 Early-bird tickets (offering a 20% discount) to all screenings and masterclasses are on sale now until October 8th: https://SF32022.eventbrite.com.au
GALA FINALISTS
Jot and Flick by Kailee Cristina Brown (USA) – Dramedy
– Meet Jot and Flick, a writer and a filmmaker who can’t agree on much, but are assigned to work together.
Karl Heinz by Andrew Robb (Sunshine, Melbourne) – Comedy
– A grumpy driver installs a technical upgrade to his old car with unexpected results.
After Songs by Paco Wen, Chris Lee & Hardy Hu (with original music, China) – Drama
– A delivery man who obsessed with electronic music, an unexpected trip back to nature.
Beneath the Lonesome Sky by Rob Layton (Tallebudgera Valley, Qld) – Documentary
– An underwater photographer on the Isle of Skye, north-west Scotland, raises awareness of the island’s fragile marine ecology by focussing on the small creatures essential to the bottom of the food chain.
Big Dumb Animal by Schuyler Willson and Megan Sipos (Toronto, Canada) – Comedy
– A repressed man re-enters society after grieving a lost partner; a missing dog… and troubling planetary matters.
Forever Home by Artsy Solomon (Northern Kenya) – Documentary
– A group of nomadic pastoralists decide to settle in a barren patch of land at the edge of Lodwar Town, Kenya.
Ghosted by Danny Barton (Potts Point) – Comedy
– When Robert’s best friend tricks him into speed dating, he never expected to run into the guy that ghosted him six months ago after that perfect date. Now he waits anxiously for his moment to find out why he never called…
Songlines of Change by Kara Rose (La Perouse) – First Nations and Documentary
– The influence of music on politics and cultural revolution within Aboriginal society.
Daddy’s Assessment by Aaron Scully (Castle Hill) – Comedy
– A father is forced to lift his game as he is assessed by his 2 year old.
Who I Was Before I Forgot? by Naomi Sequeira (Sutherland) – Drama
– A grieving young woman, feeling adrift in the world, decides to return to a favourite childhood haunt to retrace her steps and rediscover parts of herself she’d thought lost. Fairies, magic and dreams…
One Yarn by Michael Harris (Balmain) – Drama – A monologue short.
The Unseen by Tom Major (London, UK) – Spoken word
Gambling addiction and the searching to be free of this illness. Based on his poem “A Wheel That Spins”.
WAKE by Dmitri Ellerington (Bondi) – Drama. Wake follows a young drifter coming to terms with life and loss.
Wake is a micro-budget micro-film made by a macro-talented cast and crew.
FREE by Cassius Rayner (London) – Documentary
AJ is a parkour practitioner and trainer seeking inner freedom in a chaotic world. When he moves he feels alive and FREE. Cassius was recently named the top smartphone filmmaker in Europe.
V by Tallulah Remond-Stephen
Roots by Harlisha Newie-Joe (First Nations) (Point Frederick, Central Coast) – Documentary
“My film is about my ancestral roots, Samoan, Niuean and Torres Strait Islander. Tracing back on their stories and their journeys. About the blood flowing through my veins, the reason my heart beats. I carry their stories while also creating my own.” Harlisha is a student at the NAISDA dance college
SF3 KIDS
Secluded by Amin Yekta (Melbourne) – Drama
– A 12-year-old’s perspective on Isolation during Stage 4 COVID-19 in Victoria.
The Call by Indianna Thompson (Frenchs Forest) – Horror
– A sick young girl, gets interrupted on the way to the shops, by a phone call from a payphone.
Hoods Off by Barrowland Ballet (Glasgow, Scotland) – Dance/Doco
– Created and filmed by Glasgow based choreographer Natasha Gilmore and the pupils from St Albert’s Primary School. The children voice their lived experiences of racism and islamophobia.
Sisters One World by Aneira Rowlands (Ulladulla, NSW) – Drama
– About 2 young sisters never leaving each other’s side
Courthouse Chaos by Cash Daley (West Pennant Hills) – Comedy
A disorderly courtroom doesn’t even get close to finding out the truth
Victim Impact by Aurora Iler (Coomera, QLD) – Drama
– No one wants to be on the receiving end of a Statement like this.
The Heist and the Plan by Jackson Iler (Coomera, QLD) – Action
– A group of three plan a bank heist. Problems in the plan are pointed out, so it needs to be constantly changed.
The Rose Scam by Sophia Budd (Castle Hill) – Rom-com
– Who needs a rose anyway. Two friends are forced to have “that conversation”
The Tale of the Fortune Teller by Gwen Johnson (Castle Hill) – Comedy
– Three young kids come-across a fortune teller…
Could I? by Brielle Peters (Castle Hill) – Drama/horror
– When a girl is forced by her friends to summon a demon, they realise how important they are to her.
And our hero is faced with a difficult decision.
Birthday Fail by Noah Kennedy (Beaumont Hills) – Comedy
– When Noah organises a party for Joshua, all seems to be going well. Until he realises that no one is coming!
The Special Guest by Scarlett Fisher (Labrador, Qld) – Comedy
– A family gets their home ready to greet a very special guest.
The 5 Stages of Grief by Amelie Correa (Kellyville Ridge) – Drama
– For 12-year-old Sarah, her life is turned upside-down at the news of her best friend dying from a heart attack.
A story about compassion, care and the true power of friendship that will always remain in our hearts.
Hide and Seek by Dylan Burgess (Manly) – Horror
– A pair of siblings play a game of hide & seek while their parents are away, unaware of the approaching horrors.
Masters in Persuasion by Mila Kazantzidis (Bilgola Plateau) – Comedy
– Sisters Zoe and Alex find a cunning way to persuade their mother to buy them new mountain bikes!
The Magic in Liberia by Oliver and Lucas Hamm (Melbourne) – Documentary
– Oliver and Lucas travel to Liberia to experience a traditional Liberian wedding.
Social Media Fright Night by Sonya Clarke (Kellyville) – Horror
The next time you’re having trouble falling asleep, you may want to check your late night social media chats…
SMITE the Movie by Lachlan Familton (Cherrybrook) – Action
– Two Gamers battle it out in a light-hearted action film.
Secrets by Ajila Miller-Gersbach (Blacktown) – Drama
– A teen girl named is exposed on the internet. As more people get exposed… the ending will shock you.
Ghost School by Cabramatta PS Class 4Z (Cabramatta) – Comedy
Three Wishes by Cabramatta PS Class 5-6B (Cabramatta) – Comedy
All the Time in the World by Farrah from Newtown School of the Performing Arts – Drama
Deadly Dining by Asia from Newtown School of the Performing Arts – Drama
Thief vs Thief by Elodie from Newtown School of the Performing Arts – Comedy-Action
The Feening by Quinn from Newtown School of the Performing Arts – Dramedy
Misdelivered by Alyssa from Newtown School of the Performing Arts – Drama
Shady Shades by Marianna from Newtown School of the Performing Arts – Dramedy
SF3 Mini (theme: ‘Free’)
The Monstering: Sister GlitterNullius, the Monster Speaks by Juundaal Strang-Yettica (Corrimal, NSW) First Nations
– I am Other, I am a monster. Your mirror & creation. You are our shadow, the shadow over all creation.
Crossed by Jean-Charles Fritz (France) – Drama
– Paris. A night. Murielle, retired, goes home until she crosses paths with Julie.
Mild Symptoms by Darshan K (India) – Drama
– With an old smartphone and poor internet, a student from a lower-class family struggles to complete an exam.
The Stuff by Sean Perez and Joanna Gorton (Eastlakes/Alexandria) – Comedy
– Lilith needs the money otherwise someone she loves will meet their end. Finn needs to get the stuff otherwise those he loves will meet their end. But this is Finn’s first time doing anything like this. How will he handle it?
Out of Thin Air by Alexandra Guillossou (USA) – Documentary
– About the Philosophy of Available Resources by an actor who practices it in film and also in furniture making.
Nonno by Zev Howley (Balwyn, VIC) Adaptation / Drama
– When Bella is asked to accompany her troublesome grandfather to the market, they get more than they bargain for.
Crazy/Love by Narelle Nash (Caringbah) – Comedy
– Is love insanity? After drinking too much and passing out following another disastrous romantic encounter, a woman embarks on a strange quest.
A modern day parable exploring the concept of free will.
Move Me Joshua Belinfante (Sydney) – Dramedy
– A short film made in 48 hours about a woman who just wants to be free to dance her own way, but gets distracted by the voices of what her parents (French, German & Austrian puppets) wanted her to be.
Free Hugs by Jared Jekyll (Bondi Junction) – Comedy
– When Trevor turns down a free hug – their luck goes from bad to worse… Is it a curse??
Unplugged by Kenny Foo (Jannali) – Comedy – A beachcomber discovers something he’d never seen before.
Ode to Wild Horses by Billie Dean (Braidwood, NSW) – Spoken word
– A personal essay by the filmmaker, giving voice to the majesty of horses living free and wild.
It’s Up To You by Olivia Charlotte (Castle Hill) – Comedy
– When Alyssa and Anne find out they are characters in a movie, they must try and figure what their movie will be about before time is up.
Guess the Word by Aaron Scully (Castle Hill) – Comedy
– Students on detention have to guess the word before they can go home.
Thief by Kaelyn Ward (Coonamble, NSW) – Drama
– She’s the only one left after an attack killed everyone she knows. Now she must find a way to survive on her own.
Cockroach by Claire Ford (Coogee) – Comedy
A woman battles with whether it’s morally right to spray cockroaches. Maybe they just want to be free like she does?
How Hard is it to Upload a Video to YouTube on the Queen Mary 2? by Robert Braiden (Beenleigh, QLD)
– Comedy/doco Doco – A short comedic record of one man’s attempt to upload a video to YouTube from an ocean liner in the middle of the ocean. Each attempt fails yet he struggles on, never giving up. Until he gives up.
SF360
Tricycle Bicycle Cycle – Out of Context by Ryan Murray (USA)
– A stereoscopic 360 experience made up of multiple fragmented and collaged 3D 180 recordings filmed during the recording of their new EP, this psychedelic music video captures the garage rock spirit of Pittsburgh/Baltimore-based indie band Tricycle Bicycle Cycle.
The Virtual Circle by ReVerse Butcher (Docklands, VIC)
– Six ephemeral digital sculptures, hand-made in Virtual Reality & presented as an Augmented Reality short film. Six intangible glass bodies floating in code and light. Six high-tech hauntings, glitched into exquisite being(s).
Mixed-reality & fine artist ReVerse Butcher leads you through a private tour of six of her immersive 3D artworks from her ongoing “”Circle Series””, installed in The Grand Hotel Melbourne. A personal meditation on the strengths, fragilities, & permutations of the human form(s), and their representation(s) in figurative art.
The Careful Project – Another Quiet Day in the Hall by Christopher Young (Margaret River, WA)
– Experimental dance piece with choreography Adelina Larsson. Working closely with musicians, dancers and actors, The Careful Project aims to develop highly engaging, compelling and surprising Virtual Reality experiences for aged care residents in the South West of Western Australia.
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Mis dos x uno primaveras y un tiquete con destino directo al baño de la Carretera Voss by Andrea Miranda Gonzalez
(Costa Rica) – A woman. a monologue. Seven days. In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, a lesbian woman who is the daughter of an evangelical pastor, lays bare her childhood traumas in the bathroom of her new apartment in a foreign country.
Time by Elizabeth Marlo (Mexico)
– Christina wakes up in a place that’s completely foreign to her, where she will have a defiant encounter with Time.
Syron by Jenny Fraser (First Nations, Qld) – Documentary
– Gordon Syron is the God Father of Contemporary Aboriginal Art in Australia, and turned 80 in December 2021.
The First Wave by Jimmy Gannon (Sydney) – A family driving along a quiet country road have a close encounter of the third kind. The parents try to calm their daughter, but maybe her cries are a warning of the danger ahead…
Smile of the Mask by Abbas Ghazali (Iran)
A woman who is the victim of acid attack struggles to be present in her community. But with Covid, she uses a mask and now it’s the mask that smiles, not her.
Anxiety Train by Rob Leach (UK)
– A woman with severe social anxiety attends the leaving party of her best friend who is moving to Australia.
The Voice by Benjamin Lapierre (France) – A lonely man sees his voice assistant obey a strange voice.
These Three Birds by Taveeta Szymanowicz (Queens Park, NSW)
– Bird takes a trip into the inner workings of her mind, where the darkest, deepest trials of confrontation must occur.
Space Junk by Adam Peltier (USA)
– An astronaut returns to Earth so he can meet his newborn baby girl…and attend his wife’s funeral.
The Lantern (Qandeel) by Rabiya Nazki (India)
– A 6-year-old Kashmiri tribal girl sets out on a quest for her lost brother- a rollercoaster ride of emotional mishaps and helpless surrender.
Zero One Zero by Graham High (USA)
– Looking to boost his confidence, Chuck tries a new meditation technique and manifests a night he won’t forget.
The Genius by Thomas Midena (Nakara, NT)
– Three teams of Australia’s best and brightest go head to head in a contest of invention.
Surprise! You’re Creative by Michele Jedlicka (Inverell, NSW)
– A woman reviews craft projects to connect with the world, with varying levels of success.
Depressing Reality by Olive Blakemore (Blue Mountains, NSW)
– Balloons, onesies and turtlenecks. The story of an impactful day for a suicidal teen.
A Boat On The Sea by Arman Gholipour Dashtaki (Iran) – Documentary
– A river, two houses across the river, four girls waiting for someone to bring them closer to their dreams…
One Night Stand by Debora Tamay (Broadbeach, QLD)
– In this short horror film, Jane invites a certain type of guy home. From the outside, the red glow in her room speaks volumes of her creature-of-the-night behaviour. But the house hosts secrets. What happens after the deed is done?
Is This How? by Morounfoluwa Deborah Ajayi (Nigeria)
– A lonely girl, and events around her which leave her with a decision that will change everything…
Chookin by Jas Shennan (Yorkey’s Knob, QLD) – An amusing documentary look into the world of Show Chickens.
