It seems a love of short film is definitely in the air with news that Tropfest is returning to Sydney’s Centennial Parklands on February 14 next year, giving film fans an alternative to all the Valentine’s mush at the cinemas.
The saviour in the story is CGU Insurance, which has swooped in to rescue the festival after news that the iconic short film event that commenced in 1993, had to close its doors this year due to “financial mismanagement”.
The event’s founder and managing director, John Polson, dubbed it “the comeback story of the decade”, and said the outpouring of support received in recent weeks has been overwhelming.
“It’s incredibly encouraging to see that the Australian public and corporate community really want to see Tropfest return,” Polson said.
No doubt, those most ecstatic over this news are the finalists themselves, whose work was put on hold indefinitely.
This year’s shorts include stories about an Australian ex World Champion boxer battling the bottle, unlikely Taylor Swift fans, and a best friend with a dangerous secret.
“This is a line up quite unlike any other screened at Tropfest, with documentaries, mockumentaries and animations making up more than half of the finalist films,” Polson says. “We are so incredibly excited that audiences will now get to see the work of these talented filmmakers live at Tropfest.”
Polson also confirmed that Trop Jr, the festival’s competition for filmmakers aged 15 and under, will also go ahead, screening ahead of the sixteen Tropfest finalist films.
The Tropfest finalist films will premiere live in Sydney’s Centennial Parklands on Valentine’s Day, Sunday February 14, and will also be broadcast free-to-air from 9pm on SBS 2.
