we are getting ready for  2012!

 Calling all Directors, actors, film makers, editors and students

ENTRIES NOW OPEN!!

 Hey everyone, Im Manor Hadid, The WOW Film festival’s social media manager Im so excited to let everyone know, that WOW 2011 was an amazing sucess!

If you want to join WOW 2012, Read on !

Check out the main website at http://www.wift.org/wow/index.htm. Remember we also have volunteer positions. If you want to help out or have any questions, just send me an email at manorh76@hotmail.com. It will look good in your resume and perfect way for meeting directors, producers and actors.

The entries info are below!

18^th WOW FILM FESTIVAL

…seeing the World through the Eyes of Women…

Travelling to over 16 national locations & overseas

The 17th WOW (World of Women) Film Festival is now calling for entries for Fiction, Documentary, Animation, Digi-Vodules and Student films of less than 55 minutes duration with key creative input by women from Australia and around the world. Presented by WIFT NSW, Australia.

WOW is a unique showcase of films by women, allowing for a different storytelling and giving another perspective … of the world through women’s eyes.  WOW 2011 aims to be a festival of discovery, celebration, debate, networking and an inspiration for new work.

WOW promotes and awards the talents of women directors, producers, writers, editors, cinematographers, composers, sound designers.  New awards in 2011 for best director, best editor, best sound design, best music composition for eligible films as well as best writer & best cinematographer.  These awards are for women in the Australian film industry.  Prizes and awards in each category.

WOW SHORT FILM COMPETITION:

Entries are welcomed from any genre, with a variety of production values, from emerging and established filmmakers representing different backgrounds and nationalities. WOW welcomes works from every sector of the Australian & International women filmmaking community, particularly from Australian indigenous filmmakers and other under represented groups.

Film must either have a woman director, or, if it is directed by a man, must have a woman in at least TWO of these categories:  Producer or writer or editor or cinematographer.

WOW DIGI–VODULE COMPETITION:

Entries are for short form films designed for the “Small Screen” under length of 4 minutes.  Finalists selected will be up loaded to our YouTube channel and the Vodule with the most hits will win our Vodule competition.   Discount of 50% off entry fee for vodules for this year!

DEADLINES:

Regular:                                   15^th September 2010

Late:                                         30^th September 2010

For more information & to download  Guidelines & Entry Forms go to website:  www.wift.org/wow or enter via Withoutabox

ENQUIRIES contact Sil-Nyin :   wowfilmfestival@wiftnsw.org.au or text / phone 0402246 601

17th WOW FILM FESTIVAL  :  World of Women Film Festival

presented by Women in Film and Television (WIFT) NSW, Australia

CALL FOR ENTRIES!

Screening 8^th to 10^th March 2011 in Sydney, Australia

Travelling to over 16 locations in Australia & overseas

Regular entry closing date:        15th of September 2010

Late entry closing date:               30th September 2010

Discounted ENTRY FEE for ALL WIFT MEMBERS around the World!

 Download Guidelines and Entry Form from www.wift.org/wow

************************************************************************

Short films up to 55 minutes, any genre:

FICTION | DOCUMENTARY | ANIMATION | DIGI-VODULE | STUDENT FILM 

with key creative input by women. Woman DIRECTOR OR women in any TWO of these roles:

PRODUCER, WRITER, EDITOR or CINEMATOGRAPHER

Awards & Prizes to the value of over $16,000 are being offered by our sponsors for category winners.

ENQUIRIES: Sil-Nyin Cameron, Festival Director

 email: wowfilmfestival@wiftnsw.org.au or ph/ text 0402 246 601

ENTRY FEES & DEADLINES:

                   DEADLINES    REGULAR    STUDENT    WIFT (all Chapters)

Regular             15 September            $40                $30          $25

Late                    30 September            $45               $35           $30

Extended

WAB only         10 October                 $60                $50           $45

WHAT IS WOW FILM FESTIVAL?

READ BELOW!

WOW Film Festival…where you can experience

“Seeing the world through the eyes of women …”

THE 17TH WORLD OF WOMEN: WOW FILM FESTIVAL 2011 CELEBRATING 100 YEARS ANNIVERSARY OF INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

LAUNCHES ON INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY, 8TH MARCH 2011 AND CONTINUES

FOR 3 DAYS WITH SCREENINGS, PREMIERES, PARTIES AND AWARDS

***

March 8^th-10^th 2011

FEATURED GUESTS INCLUDE:

Minister for Women,

Hon Jodie McKay MP,

WOW patron, Claire McCarthy, director of “The Waiting City”,

Actor, writer, director Matilda Brown (“Underbelly”, “Rake”, “Offspring”),

Actor, writer, director Zoe Carides ( “Packed to the Rafters”, “All Saints”)

Actor, Anna Lise Phillips, (“Animal Kingdom”,“McLeod’s Daughters”, “All Saints”)

Sydney -siders in need of a cool, affordable yet satisfying indie film fix will be happy to hear that the WORLD OF WOMEN (WOW) FILM FESTIVAL will be celebrating 17 years of women’s short film excellence. WOW has announced an exciting, diverse showcase of contemporary short films with key creative input by women … fiction, documentary, animation and experimental. Experience a different storytelling and a unique perspective … “seeing the world through the eyes of women”. This prestigious festival is presented by Women in Film and Television (WIFT) NSW and screens from March 8^th -10^th in Sydney at Dendy Opera Quays and Parliament House Theatre with the Awards Night on 10^th March at Dendy Opera Quays commencing with drinks at 6.15pm. Check out and vote in WOW’s online competitions, the Digi-vodule competition on Youtube, www.youtube.com/user/TheWOWfilmfestival and IndieFlix sponsored WOW’s FestivalOnline, www.wiftnsw.org/au/wow. The WOW Film Festival will then travel to various locations throughout Australia and overseas.

Sameee Celebrate the 100years anniversary of International Women’s Day, Tuesday March 8^th 2011 with the launch of the 17th World of Women Film Festival. at the City of Sydney Library, Customs House at Circular Quay from 12.15pm to 1pm.. The Library Session will screen a diverse selection of short films by women filmmakers and feature an exclusive Q&A session with WOW Film Festival Director, Sil-Nyin Cameron.

Opening Night at the Dendy Opera Quays Cinema will begin at 6.15pm with drinks and live music by “Entangled Note” followed by the screening of an imaginative selection of Australian Shorts at 7pm. The official WOW Festival Opening After Party will be held at Opera Bar, Lower Concourse Opera House where guests will enjoy drinks, live music and spectacular, uninterrupted views of Sydney Harbour.

AFTER PARTY

OPERA BAR

Complementary drinks from 9-10pm!

Opera Bar -The Official Bar of the WOW Film Festival 2011. Join us at Opera Bar for 15% off drinks & food post screening each night of the Festival. Opera Bar offers live music every night from 8.30pm and the best view in Sydney.

WOW Film Festival 2011 features the WOW Digi-vodule competition which is accessed on Youtube. See the stimulating and exciting finalists selection and vote for your favourites at www.youtube.com/user/TheWOWfilmfestival. WOW goes international with WOW’s FestivalOnline sponsored by IndieFlix. View the WOW on-line short film selection from 18 February to 7 March and vote for your favourite to win the IndieFlix Audience Choice Award. Check the website for details www.wiftnsw.org/wow

Australian film director, Claire McCarthy, is 2011 WOW Film Festival patron and says, “I’m honoured to be this year’s patron of the World of Women – WOW Film Festival. Audiences both in Australia and internationally will be treated to the complexity and eloquence of women’s voices, both as auteurs with unique visions as well as accomplished artists across all aspects of the filmmaking process. Presented here are a diverse selection of contemporary and vibrant films, all uniquely seeing the world through the eyes of women”

Claire Mc Carthy’s most recent feature film “The Waiting City” premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (2009) .“The Waiting City” stars Rhada Mitchell ( “Finding Neverland”) and Isabel Lucas ( “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”, “Daybreakers”) and Joel Edgerton (“Starwars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith”, “Animal Kingdom”). Claire McCarthy has been making internationally acclaimed short films and documentaries and her second feature film is in preproduction.

WOW 2011 aims to be a festival of discovery, celebration, debate, and entertainment.. WOW Festival Director Sil-Nyin Cameron comments, “Our festival recognizes the diversity of independent filmmaking by women in an industry that’s male dominated and presents the unique vision of seeing the world through the eyes of women. So join us to enjoy our contemporary exciting best selection of short drama, comedy, animation and documentaries presented by Women in Film & Television NSW (WIFT) NSW to celebrate the 100 years anniversary of International Women’s Day “

The complete film festival schedule will be available in February, visit www.wift.org/wow

Tickets can be purchased in advance at Moshtix. At venues on the day.

Festival Season Pass $60/55/50, Opening Night $30/25/20, Evening Pass $20/16/12/ $15 group (10+), Single Session $12/9/7 $9 group (10+), NSW Parliament House session $10/7/5 $6 group (10+)

Official Sponsors for 2011 festival include:

Screen Australia, Arts NSW, Office for Women’s Policy, Department of Premier & Cabinet, City of Sydney, Dendy Opera Quays, Opera Bar, Panavision, Spectrum Films, Tresscox Lawyers, AFTRS, SMPTE, Metro Screen, Wacom, ARRI Australia, Miller Camera Support, Art Resistance, Videocraft, IndieFlix, Icon Film, Dendy, Village Roadshow, Hopscotch, Corban & Blair, Millie Loves Min, The Photo Studio, A Sustainable Life, JAM Directions, Film Mosaics, Inside Film, Australian Directors Guild, Australian Cinematographers Society, Australian Composers Guild, Australian Editors Guild, Aurora Community Channel, SBS Television

WOW Film Festival Trailer

Cockroach

360

Shiny thing

Red water red

Breath

 

December 6 

DECEMBER 6 BLOG: http://december6film.blogspot.com/

THE DAY IS CREEPING CLOSER…

GRAB SOME FRIENDS AND CHECK OUT SOME FILMS

DONT MISS OUT!

8th -10th of March

FILM PREMIERES include:

                                          EMILIA ECKLE directed by Alyssa McClelland                                    

Sydney Premiere

Featured at St Kilda Film Festival 2010,  Dungog Film Festival 2009, Palm Springs International Shortsfest 2009, Adelaide Shorts Film Festival 2009

A romance comedy. Young Emilia (Alyssa McClelland, “The Bet”, “Surviving Georgia”) finds bookish Tom, (David Lyons, “Sea Patrol”,”ER”) to be charming and delightful. If he keeps his glasses on, he feels the same about her. Their first date is a hit, it does seem to be true love… at least that is, until the awkward moment after the good-night kiss.

*screening Tuesday 8^th March at 7pm

THE BRIDGE  directed by  Martha Goddard  

Australian Premiere

Busy artist Silvie, consumed by her painting, decides not to take an incoming call from her brother; A decision she later finds out may have grave consequences. Starring Diana Glenn  (Oyster Farmer, Satisfaction)

*screening Tuesday 8^th March at 7pm

WENDY VS HELVETICA  directed by Brooke Trezise

World Premiere

In a world where typography runs rampant and a new font is born every minute, Helvetica yearns for a streamlined society where all conform to his regimented ideals, while Wendy fights for freedom and self expression. Starring Marcel Bracks (Home and Away) and Kate Worsley (I Rock).

*screening Tuesday 8^th March at 7pm

CUPID  directed by Melvin Montalban

Sydney Premiere

Self-assured Cupid follows another hapless romantic into a bar to bestow his great gift love. However, he unwittingly falls prey to his own magic and soon discovers that even he has a thing or two to learn about love. Starring Richard Brancatisano. (Home & Away.

Dungog Film Festival 2010, Palm Springs International Shortsfest 2009, Raindance Film Festival 2009.

*screening Tuesday 8^th March at 7pm

SISTERS  directed by James Findlay

Australian Premiere 

Sandy always felt inferior to her sophisticated older sister Rachel, until she managed to snare her husband that is. Now she’s in a terrible mess. An apology is a good way to have the last word, but will Rachel listen? Starring Felicity Keep (Orange Love Story) and Alison Gallagher (Accidents Happen)

*screening Tuesday 8^h March at 7.00pm

THIS IS HOW YOU’LL MAKE YOUR BED IN PRISON 

directed by Katie Mitchell 

       Sydney Premiere

“The system had me from two years old, it probably had me before then because it had my mother…it could never let me go.”  Follows the story of Vickie Lee Roach, an Indigenous woman who took the Howard Government to the High Court of Australia in a landmark civil rights case.

*screening Tuesday 8^h March at 7.00pm

SHINY THING  directed by Lisa Gloufchis 

Sydney Premiere

Starring Melbourne comedian and Triple J breakfast radio host, Tom Ballard, Louise Siversen (“Rush”, “City Homicide”, “All Saints”) and Felicity Soper ( “Rush”, “City Homicide”, “Neighbours”). A heart warming comedy/drama.  17 year old boy Lochlan feels underappreciated by his dazzling attention grabbing mother, but this time Lochlan is not going to let her steal the show.

*screening Wednesday 9^th March at Parliament House Theatre at 12.30pm.  Morning tea at 12 noon.

                                      THE CARETAKER  directed by Alanna Rose                                           

World Premiere

It has been a long time since Willie ‘the Kid’ has entered the ring, but you can only run from your fears for so long. Seen through the eyes of an elderly boxer, The Caretaker tells the story of two young Aboriginal boys who run away from home to fulfill dreams of becoming professional boxers

*screening Wednesday 9^th March at Parliament House Theatre at 12.30pm.  Morning tea at 12 noon.

SIS  directed by Deborah Haywood 

World Premiere

Five year old Lauren’s teenage sister is heavily pregnant and more interested in texting her friends than watching her young sister’s gymnastics display. Lauren wants to grow a baby too, so with a friend in tow, she hatches a plan that finally gets her sister’s attention.

*screening Wednesday 9^th March at 6.30pm 

SILENCE = DEATH   France  

Australian Premiere

A diverse collection of short French films, dramas and documentaries, written and directed by talented French female directors, from the testimony of women who are HIV positive. Created for the twentieth anniversary of ACT UP Paris. Responds to the almost total absence of images on the subject of women and HIV, their fight against the disease and their militant struggle.

*screening Wednesday 9^th March at 6.30pm

FISH  directed by Asa Johannisson

 Australian Premiere

A quirky comedy from Sweden.  Can a girl who is focussed on caring for a fish find interest in a man? “Fish” is a tribute to all of us who have ever felt that we don’t fit in.

*screening Wednesday 9^th March at 6.30pm

 MAD directed by Meryl Tankard 

 World Premiere

Short documentary directed by acclaimed choreographer, Meryl Tankard.  Focuses on madness and schizophrenia, explored by poet and writer, Sandy Jeffs, who has lived with schizophrenia and all its moods for 34 years.  Sandy featured at the Melbourne Writers Festival 2010 and has 5 books of poetry published.

*screening Wednesday 9^th March at 8.30pm

WITH MY LITTLE EYE   directed by Kylie Plunkett

   Australian Premiere

On a weekend away with her parents, Charlie must look inside herself to decide how she will face the unexpected. Instead of losing hope she finds that sometimes you have to hit the bottom in order to make you realise which way is up. Starring Isabella Woodlock, Martin Blum and Meredith Penman.

*screening Wednesday 9^th March at 8.30pm

ENTANGLEMENT THEORY   directed by Richard James Allen

 Sydeny Premiere

A busy dancing man takes a nap in two realities; his live self dreams and his avatar self dreams. Entanglement Theory explores multi-dimensional realities, along with science fiction theories, within an innovative mix of media. Choreographed by and starring Richard James Allen.  Edited by Karen Pearlman.

*screening Wednesday 9^th March at 8.30pm 

PAPERBACK REHAB  directed by Catherine Graue 

 World Premiere

These are the honest stories of former prisoners, Andrew Fraser and Kerry Tucker, whose lives were transformed while paying the price of their crimes. It was the words of others that helped them survive the hard realities of prison.

*screening Wednesday 9^th March at 8.30pm

                CLEAN UP ON AISLE 9   directed by Anthea Hewett 

World Premiere

 A necessary escape from reality allows two adult men to slip into their fantasy world, where they find themselves fighting for their lives. This is no ordinary trip to the supermarket, and there will definitely be a clean up on aisle 9!

*screening Wednesday 9^th March at 8.30pm 

 RED WATER RED directed by Qing Xie 

 Sydney Premiere

Blisteringly sensual, an eerie feeling of unease fills every meticulously composed frame.” STOCKHOLM International Film Festival (XX Short Film Competition) 2009  *Awards*  WINNER – Film Victoria Award BEST FILM (VCA Premiere Awards 08) // WINNER – GOLD AWARD, Australian Cinematographers Society 2009 // NOMINEE – Kodak-Award NEW DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR 2009 

 Sadomasochism, the spectre of a dead mother and an elaborate and grotesque fantasy all play a part as a young Chinese girl draws her father into a sexual relationship, and a forbidden feast.  “Red Water Red” is an uneasy story about the bonds of family, the bounds of intimacy, and the returns of love.

*screening Thursday 10^th March at 8.30pm

AN UNFINISHED ROMANCE  directed by Alison Heather 

 Sydney Premiere

A romantic comedy about two strangers, two hookers, two paper boats and a whole raft of assumptions. 

Stars Zoe Ventoura (Packed to the Rafters, Footloose), Matt Rossner (Wolf Lullaby, Corpus Christi) and Danika Armytage (Death and the Maiden, Persephones Wolf).                     

*screening Thursday 10^th March at 8.30pm

 NERVE ENDING  directed by Peter Humble 

 Sydney Premiere

“The beauty of dance is found not in a perfect physical form but rather from within.” Features dancer Michelle Ryan in an experimental, visually rich exploration of film and dance form, interweaving the beaches of Townsville and an interior life.

*screening Thursday 10^th March at 8.30pm

Tickets can be purchased in advance at Moshtix,

 www.moshtix.com.au 

PH 1300 GET TIX (438 849).

At venues on the day.

Festival Season Pass $60/55/50,

Opening Night $30/25/20,

Evening Pass $20/16/12/ $15 group (10+),

 Single Session $12/9/7 $9 group (10+),

NSW Parliament House session $10/7/5 $6 group (10+)

For more information & festival program go to

 www.wift.org/wow

 EMAIL:  wowfilmfestival@wiftnsw.org.au

PH 0402 246 601

Hey everyone! I’m Manar Hadid, the new Blog Manager.

The trailers of the films that will be viewed at the 2011 WOW Film Festival are below.

Check them out!

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask!!

FILM TRAILERS

WOW Film Festival Trailer

Cockroach

360

Shiny thing

Red water red

Breath

 

December 6 

DECEMBER 6 BLOG: http://december6film.blogspot.com/

WHAT IS WOW FILM FESTIVAL?

READ BELOW!

WOW Film Festival…where you can experience

“Seeing the world through the eyes of women …”

THE 17TH WORLD OF WOMEN: WOW FILM FESTIVAL 2011 CELEBRATING 100 YEARS ANNIVERSARY OF  INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

LAUNCHES ON INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY, 8TH MARCH 2011 AND CONTINUES

FOR 3 DAYS WITH SCREENINGS, PREMIERES, PARTIES AND AWARDS

***

March 8^th-10^th 2011

FEATURED GUESTS INCLUDE:

Minister for Women,

Hon Jodie McKay MP,

WOW patron, Claire McCarthy, director of “The Waiting City”,

Actor, writer, director Matilda Brown (“Underbelly”, “Rake”, “Offspring”),

Actor, writer, director Zoe Carides ( “Packed to the Rafters”, “All Saints”)

Actor, Anna Lise Phillips, (“Animal Kingdom”,“McLeod’s Daughters”, “All Saints”)

Sydney -siders in need of a cool, affordable yet satisfying indie film fix will be happy to hear that the WORLD OF WOMEN (WOW) FILM FESTIVAL will be celebrating 17 years of women’s short film excellence.  WOW has announced an exciting, diverse showcase of contemporary short films with key creative input by women … fiction, documentary, animation and experimental.  Experience a different storytelling and a unique perspective … “seeing the world through the eyes of women”.   This prestigious festival is presented by Women in Film and Television (WIFT) NSW and screens from March 8^th -10^th in Sydney at Dendy Opera Quays and Parliament House Theatre with the Awards Night on 10^th March at Dendy Opera Quays commencing with drinks at 6.15pm.  Check out and vote in WOW’s online competitions, the Digi-vodule competition on Youtube, www.youtube.com/user/TheWOWfilmfestival and IndieFlix sponsored WOW’s FestivalOnline, www.wiftnsw.org/au/wow. The WOW Film Festival will then travel to various locations throughout Australia and overseas.

Sameee Celebrate the 100years anniversary of International Women’s Day, Tuesday March 8^th 2011 with the launch of the 17th World of Women Film Festival. at the City of Sydney Library, Customs House at Circular Quay from 12.15pm to 1pm..  The Library Session will screen a diverse selection of short films by women filmmakers and feature an exclusive Q&A session with WOW Film Festival Director, Sil-Nyin Cameron.

Opening Night at the Dendy Opera Quays Cinema will  begin at 6.15pm with drinks and live music by “Entangled Note” followed by the screening of an imaginative selection of Australian Shorts at 7pm.  The official WOW Festival Opening After Party will be held at Opera Bar, Lower Concourse Opera House where guests will enjoy drinks, live music and spectacular, uninterrupted views of Sydney Harbour.

AFTER PARTY

OPERA BAR

Complementary drinks from 9-10pm!

Opera Bar -The Official Bar of the WOW Film Festival 2011.  Join us at Opera Bar for 15% off drinks & food post screening each night of the Festival.  Opera Bar offers live music every night from 8.30pm and the best view in Sydney.

WOW Film Festival 2011 features the WOW Digi-vodule competition which is accessed on Youtube.  See the stimulating and exciting finalists selection and vote for your favourites at www.youtube.com/user/TheWOWfilmfestival.  WOW goes international with  WOW’s FestivalOnline sponsored by IndieFlix.  View the WOW on-line short film selection from 18 February to 7 March and vote for your favourite to win the IndieFlix Audience Choice Award.  Check the website for details www.wiftnsw.org/wow

Australian film director, Claire McCarthy, is 2011 WOW Film Festival patron and says, “I’m honoured to be this year’s patron of the World of Women – WOW Film Festival.   Audiences both in Australia and internationally will be treated to the complexity and eloquence of women’s voices, both as auteurs with unique visions as well as accomplished artists across all aspects of the filmmaking process.  Presented here are a diverse selection of contemporary and vibrant films, all uniquely seeing the world through the eyes of women”

Claire Mc Carthy’s most recent feature film “The Waiting City” premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (2009) .“The Waiting City” stars Rhada Mitchell ( “Finding Neverland”) and Isabel Lucas ( “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”, “Daybreakers”) and Joel Edgerton (“Starwars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith”, “Animal Kingdom”). Claire McCarthy has been making internationally acclaimed short films and documentaries and her second feature film is in preproduction.

WOW 2011 aims to be a festival of discovery, celebration, debate, and entertainment.. WOW Festival Director Sil-Nyin Cameron comments, “Our festival recognizes the diversity of independent filmmaking by women in an industry that’s male dominated and presents the unique vision of seeing the world through the eyes of women.   So join us to enjoy our contemporary exciting best selection of short drama, comedy, animation and documentaries presented by Women in Film & Television NSW (WIFT) NSW to celebrate the 100 years anniversary of International Women’s Day “

FILM HIGHLIGHTS include:

“Franswa Sharl’ directed by Hannah Hilliard

Award-winning comedy: Crystal Bear Award at Berlin Film Festival, IF Media Award for most popular film at Flickerfest, Best Australian Short at Melbourne International Film Festival.

Twelve year old Greg has inherited his father’s competitive streak. On a family holiday to Fiji they have different ideas about where Greg should focus his talents. When his creative pursuits fail to amuse his father Greg goes to bizarre lengths to win him back. Based on a true story.

*screening Tuesday 8^th March at 7pm

“How God Works” directed by Matilda Brown

A Tropfest finalist. Matilda Brown (“Underbelly”,“Rake”,”Offspring”), has inherited the talents of her famous parents Rachel Ward and Bryan Brown where she directs and acts in this amusing story of two opposites who both love the strange ways that God works.

*screening Tuesday 8^th March at 7pm

“Shiny Thing”  directed by Lisa Gloufchis

Starring Melbourne comedian and Triple J breakfast radio host, Tom Ballard, Louise Siversen (“Rush”, “City Homicide”, “All Saints”) and Felicity Soper ( “Rush”, “City Homicide”, “Neighbours”). A heart warming comedy/drama.  17 year old boy Lochlan feels underappreciated by his dazzling attention grabbing mother, but this time Lochlan is not going to let her steal the show.

*screening Wednesday 9^th March at Parliament House Theatre at 12.30pm.  Morning tea at 12 noon.

“Not Even a Mouse” directed by Zoe Carides

Actor Zoe Carides (“Death in Brunswick”, “Packed to the Rafters”, “All Saints,” “Brilliant Lies”, ‘Grassroots”) directs this moving drama starring Anna Lise Phillips ( “Animal Kingdom”, “The Boys”), Dan Wyllie (“ Chopper”, “Muriel’s Wedding”, “Romper Stomper”)

A family drama where a prodigal son returns to an excited family, but, trouble looms when anther estranged member of the family turns up on the doorstep.

*screening Wednesday 9^th March at Parliament House Theatre at 12.30pm. Morning tea at 12 noon

“Silence = Death”

Australian Premiere

A diverse collection of short French films, dramas and documentaries, written and directed by talented French female directors, from the testimony of women who are HIV positive. Created for the twentieth anniversary of ACT UP Paris. Responds to the almost total absence of images on the subject of women and HIV, their fight against the disease and their militant struggle.

*screening Wednesday 9^th March at 6.30pm

“Mad” directed by Meryl Tankard

World Premiere

 Short documentary directed by acclaimed choreographer, Meryl Tankard.  Focuses on madness and schizophrenia, explored by poet and writer, Sandy Jeffs, who has lived with schizophrenia and all its moods for 34 years.  Sandy featured at the Melbourne Writers Festival 2010 and has 5 books of poetry published.

*screening Wednesday 9^th March at 8.30pm

“Red Water Red” directed by Qing Xie

Sydney Premiere

Blisteringly sensual, an eerie feeling of unease fills every meticulously composed frame.” STOCKHOLM International Film Festival (XX Short Film Competition) 2009  *Awards*  WINNER – Film Victoria Award BEST FILM (VCA Premiere Awards 08) // WINNER – GOLD AWARD, Australian Cinematographers Society 2009 // NOMINEE – Kodak-Award NEW DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR 2009 Sadomasochism, the spectre of a dead mother and an elaborate and grotesque fantasy all play a part as a young Chinese girl draws her father into a sexual relationship, and a forbidden feast.  “Red Water Red” is an uneasy story about the bonds of family, the bounds of intimacy, and the returns of love.

*screening Thursday 10^th March at 8.30pm

“Fish”  directed by Asa Johannisson

Australian Premiere

 A quirky comedy from Sweden.  Can a girl who is focussed on caring for a fish find interest in a man? “Fish” is a tribute to all of us who have ever felt that we don’t fit in.

*screening Wednesday 9^th March at 6.30pm

“An Unfinished Romance” directed by Alison Heather

Sydney Premiere

Starring Zoe Ventoura (“Packed to the Rafters”, “Kick”, “Footloose”) and Matt Rossner (“Wolf Lullaby”, “Corpus Christi”), Danika Armytage (“Death and the Maiden”, “ Persephones Wolf”)

About two strangers, two hookers, two paper boats and a whole raft of assumptions. A gentle romantic comedy looking at the assumptions we make about other people, which in the end can make or break our sense of enchantment, the essence of romance.

*screening Thursday 10^th March at 8.30pm

“This is How You’ll Make Your Bed in Prison”  directed by Katie Mitchell

Sydney Premiere

“The system had me from two years old, it probably had me before then because it had my mother…it could never let me go.”  Follows the story of Vickie Lee Roach, an Indigenous woman who took the Howard Government to the High Court of Australia in a landmark civil rights case.

*screening Thursday 10^th March at 8.30pm

“Pushbike” directed by Mairi Cameron

Multi-award winning

Stars Karmen Raspovic (“Being John Malkovich”,”Stark”, “Boys from the Bush”, “Blue Heelers”),. Michelle swims lap after lap after lap at the local pool, trying to escape the humdrum of her domestic life. When her clothes are stolen from the change room one night, she must brave a nude ride home on her old push bike, where something even more thrilling and illicit awaits her in the dark.

*screening Thursday 10^th March at 8.30pm

The complete film festival schedule will be available in February, visit www.wift.org/wow

Tickets can be purchased in advance at Moshtix.  At venues on the day.

Festival Season Pass $60/55/50, Opening Night $30/25/20, Evening Pass $20/16/12/ $15 group (10+), Single Session $12/9/7 $9 group (10+), NSW Parliament House session $10/7/5 $6 group (10+)

Official Sponsors for 2011 festival  include:

Screen Australia, Arts NSW, Office for Women’s Policy, Department of Premier & Cabinet, City of Sydney, Dendy Opera Quays, Opera Bar, Panavision, Spectrum Films, Tresscox Lawyers, AFTRS, SMPTE, Metro Screen, Wacom, ARRI Australia, Miller Camera Support, Art Resistance, Videocraft, IndieFlix, Icon Film, Dendy, Village Roadshow, Hopscotch, Corban & Blair, Millie Loves Min, The Photo Studio, A Sustainable Life, JAM Directions, Film Mosaics, Inside Film, Australian Directors Guild, Australian Cinematographers Society, Australian Composers Guild, Australian Editors Guild, Aurora Community Channel, SBS Television

WIFT NSW CELEBRATES  INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY  SHORT FILM  SHOWCASE 2010

Monday 8th March 2010,
Australian Film Television & Radio School,
130 Bent St, Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park
6pm for screening 6.30pm

PROGRAM

AUSTRALIAN FILM, TELEVISION & RADIO SCHOOL SHORTS
Two Award winning short films Plastic and Look Sharp produced by AFTRS

PLASTIC /   7 minutes 26 secs
Director / writer:  Sandy Widyanata     Producer:  Courtney Wise

Synopsis
Whilst Anna is preparing for a first date with Henry, a man she has secretly loved for years, everything goes wrong. Thus begins Anna’s downward spiral of self-criticism. If only she could change a few things about how she looks. If she can, will she? And… how far is too far?

ATOM Awards Nominated for Best Tertiary Short Fiction Film, Visual Effects Society Awards
Nominated for Most Outstanding Visual Effects in a student project
Los Angeles, U S A, In the Bin Film Festival, Best Sharp Short, Currumbin, Australia

LOOK SHARP /     9 minutes
Director / writer:  Amy Gebhardt      Producer:  Ben Commens

Synopsis
After spending a drunken night together, Jo, a photographer, is compelled to capture the emotional truth beneath the rough exteriors of Sharpie gang members, Darren and Jason. But to what lengths will she go in the name of art?

Inspired by the art of Nan Goldin, Diane Arbus and Carol Jerrems, Look Sharp is a gripping one-scene psychological drama set in 1970s Melbourne.

[Sharpies (also known as Sharps) were members of suburban youth gangs in Australia in the 1960s and 1970s, particularly in Melbourne. The term comes from their focus on looking sharp. The dress and dance styles were strongly influenced by the British ska, mod and skinhead subcultures. Sharpies were known for being violent, although a strict moral code was also evident.]

Awards and Recognitions

Winner Best Student Production, Melbourne International Film Festival, Australia, 2006
Winner Best Direction, Flickerfest International Short Film Festival, Sydney, Australia, 2007
Winner Best Film, My Queer Career, Mardi Gras Film Festival, Sydney, Australia, 2007
Winner Best Actor (Rhonnda Findleton), St Kilda Film Festival, Melbourne (joint) Australia, 2007
Winner Special Jury Prize, Best Narrative Short, Seattle International Film Festival, USA, 2007
Winner Jury Prize, Post Alley Film Festival, Seattle, USA, 2008

WINNER BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM: WOW FILM FESTIVAL 2009

OPEN YOUR EYES
Director / Writer: Susan Cohen       Producers Alisa Wiegers, Amy Sommer, David Newsom

Struggling to come to terms with her life and marriage after breast cancer, Julia gets more than she bargained for when she attends a bridal shower and finds herself locked in a bathroom with a stranger. OPEN YOUR EYES is a poignant and humorous look at our complex relationship with breasts, each other and what it really means to be whole.

Winner:  WOW Best International Short Film Award, Canada International Film Festival
Winner – Best Director, Vancouver, Canada, February 2009 (Film Festival)

Beverly Hills Shorts Film Festival
Winner – Best Film, Best Drama, Best Actress (Traci Dinwiddie), Best Director
Beverly Hills, U S A, February 2009 (Film Festival)

Anchorage International Film Festival
Winner – Best Short Film. Anchorage, U S A, December 2008 (Film Festival)

Palm Springs International ShortFest
Winner – Alexis Award for Most Promising Student Filmmaker, Palm Springs, U S A
August 2008 (Film Festival)

American Film Institute’s Directing Workshop for Women Showcase
Winner – American Film Institute Jean Picker Firstenberg Award for Excellence DWW 2008, Los Angeles,
U S A, May 2008

WIFT INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM SHOWCASE 2010

OFFICIAL BEST OF SELECTION
Australia’s exclusive screening of the International Program of short films selected by Women in Film & Television International to celebrate films made by women as part of the worldwide commemoration of International Women’s Day.  Featuring outstanding shorts by some of today’s best female directors.
FILMS:
On the Cliffs, Arpoador, URSA Dream, Hand Sum, A Warm and Comforting Home, Kylie Goldstein/All American

ON THE CLIFFS / 15 minutes
Director: Lisa M. Perry – USA

Film Synopsis: Best friends Penelope and Dora are the producers and stars of a local cable access show devoted to staging classics such as Macbeth and Moby Dick, only the productions are based on the Cliff’s Notes version of the novels rather than the classics themselves. Problems rise to the surface when Penelope and Dora attempt their interpretation of George Orwell’s Animal Farm. This documentary-style short follows the friends as they deconstruct the plot–and each other.

Director bio: After graduating with honors in directing and acting from Skidmore College,
Perry moved to NYC where she began producing plays.  In 2001 she moved to Toronto to work on A&E’s Nero Wolf.  Upon returning to New York she began work on several independent films, including IFC’s IN THE COMPANY OF WOMEN. In 2004, Lisa co-founded Sloane Road Productions with fellow NYWIFT member Jessie Hutcheson.

Winner Best Short Comedy – Ohio Independent Film Festival 2004
USA Film Festival Finalist 2005
Best of CineWomen 2005

ARPOADOR / 4 minutes
Director: Fernanda Ramos / Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Synopsis: A day at Arpoador (Brazil), told with still photographs.

Director Bio: Since graduating in Cinema Studies from São Paulo University, Fernanda has been working in the audiovisual market for eight years. She has directed projects featuring photographic animation, video installations, theatrical performances, opening titles for feature films, video-clips and video-screenplays, alongside her work as a freelance photographer on graphic projects.

She is a sought-after speaker who has participated in numerous panels, courses and workshops. She has been interviewed about her work for print, electronic and television media.

Selected for Special Screening: Flickerfest, Sydney, Australia 2007
Official Selection: 14 Gramado CineVideo, Special Jury Award Winner 2006
Official Selection: Canadian Film Centre’s WorldWide Short Film Festival 2006
Official Selection: Mexico_ Expresion En Corto 2006
Official Selection: Rio de Janeiro International Short Film Festival 2005

URSA DREAM / 6 minutes
Director: Kate Brown / New Mexico, USA
Synopsis:  A young girl from an unnamed tribe is drawn into a ceremony where she begins a frenzied dance that will change her life forever.  Hand drawn and painted animation.
Director Bio: Kate Brown discovered animation after 40 years of work as a potter. In 2001, she enrolled as an undergraduate at Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA and discovered her passion to study animation. URSA DREAM is her first film, with each frame drawn or painted using techniques developed in her work with clay. She plans to continue to work in both clay and animation.  She ponders whether the eventual outcome will be her own form of claymation.
First Place: Animation / Second Place: Best of the Festival:
Port Townsend Film Festival, WA 2005
Official Selection: NYWIFT/ Hamptons International Film Festival: To the Point 2006

Spiritual Film Festival: Goa, Thailand and India 2006
Santa Fe Film Festival 2005
Organ Mountain Film Festival, Las Cruces NM 2005

HAND SUM / 8min, 3 secs
Director: Eva Colmers  – Canada
Film Synopsis: – Miro moves through life without much conviction until a magical incident prompts an escape from the routine of her daily life.  Miro climbs onto a cloud, listens to the birds and has an adventure.  Shot as stunning shadow projection and rich in images, HAND SUM is driven by a compelling rhythm.  Miro is the allegorical “everyone”, searching for the meaning of life.

Director bio – Many years ago, Eva Colmers travelled to the islands of Java and Bali and fell in love with shadow theatre. In Hand Sum, she tries to incorporate some of the wayang kulit elements into her screen work. Eva has created a variety of film work which includes short films, film scripts, a documentary with the National Film Board of Canada and a PSA.  Her work has been seen at national and international festivals as well as on television.  Eva is also very active in her film and theatre community.  She loves photography and likes to travel.

A WARM, COMFORTING HOME / 3 minutes
Director: Annette Apitz / New York, USA

Film Synopsis: Using ’60s home movies of the filmmaker as well as quotes and events from her life, the director examines her complicated relationship with her mother.

Director Bio: Annette received her B.A. at McGill University in Montreal and her M.F.A from Columbia University’s Film School. Screenings for her short films include the Hamptons Film Festival, the Palm Springs Short Film Festival, the KarlovyVary Film Festival, the Florida Film Festival, PBS, HBO Latin America, the Baltimore Museum of Art, and MOMA. For her thesis film, A River in India, Annette received the New Line Cinema Award at Columbia and won awards at the Austin Film Festival, the Crested Butte Reel Fest and Film Fest New Haven. Annette is currently developing her first feature film, Fighting Fish, and is completing her script Phoenix, a thriller.

NYWIFT/ Hamptons International Film Festival: TO THE POINT 2006
Austin Film Festival, USA 2007

KYLIE GOLDSTEIN, ALL AMERICAN / 3 minutes
Director: Eva Saks – USA

Film Synopsis: KYLIE GOLDSTEIN, ALL AMERICAN is the story of Kylie, a little girl adopted from China who is now an American Goldstein.

Director bio: Eva Saks has written/directed for SESAME STREET, Nickelodeon, Time Warner Cable, UPN and the Independent Film Channel (currently airing her CONFECTION and COLORFORMS).  Her FAMILY VALUES (available on Netflix) won a Student Academy Award, screening at Sundance, Telluride and Tribeca. She has a law degree from Yale and an MFA in Filmmaking from NYU (2005).  She is developing “family-friendly” film and television projects.

Eight stimulating short films, both fiction and documentary,
showcase the diversity of Australian shorts made by women.

AUSTRALIAN SHORT FILM SHOWCASE
A provoking program to entice you to think and to laugh.

16TH WOW FILM FESTIVAL NATIONAL TOUR 2010
… Seeing the World Through the Eyes of Women …

Tuesday 9th March, 2010
At the NSW Parliament House Theatrette, NSW Parliament House,
Macquarie St, Sydney

Time: 11.45am for 12 noon morning tea
12.30 pm Opening address by Hon. Jodi McKay MP, NSW Minister for Women

WIFT NSW acknowledges the support of Screen Australia for the WOW National Tour and
the NSW Office for Women for the NSW Parliament House event.

Tickets: $10 adult/ $7 Concession / $5 WIFT members
(Ticket includes morning tea)
Bookings essential: ph/txt 0402 246 601, EMAIL: wowfilmfestival@wiftnsw.org.au
Supported by the Office for Women’s Policy, Department of Premier and Cabine

‘Ink’
is an animated tale of loss, longing and
resilience. Young May looses her
favourite toy to the hands of her
mother’s cruel boyfriend. Years later,
adult May’s obsession with her loss is
evident in the graffiti she pastes across
the city’s walls.
Winner:
WOW Best Animation Award

‘Plastic’
involves clever use of computer
generated graphics to convey one’s
desire to be perfect and to attract the
opposite sex. Whilst Anna is preparing
for a first date with Henry, a man she
has secretly loved for years, everything
goes wrong. Thus begins Anna’s
downward spiral of self-criticism.
If only she could change a few things
about how she looks. If she can, will
she? And… how far is too far?
Multi award winning!

‘The Party Shoes’
In an attempt to rid her mother
of sadness, 10-year-old Jenny
devises a plan. When her mother
discovers the plan involves
stealing from the neighbours she
must decide whether to make
some positive changes in her life.
Winner: WOW Best Woman
Cinematographer Award

‘Terror on the Northside’
A ‘comedy of embarrassment,’ a satire
on casual racism, and the desire to
accept but not understand. Annabel and
Mike, university students in their 20s,
arrive at Annabel’s family home to
announce their engagement to her
Sydney North Shore parents. Annabel
fears the worst. It turns out Harold and
Marg are terribly interested in Mike’s
Muslim background, and a nightmare of
misunderstanding ensues.
Winner:
WOW Best Fiction Comedy Award

Screening includes 4 other films: ‘Dancing Through the Pain’- a documentary, gives a glimpse of one of the worst humanitarian disasters in the world,the brutalization of child soldiers and sex slaves in Northern Uganda over more than 20 years …..

‘War Paint’ is a simple story which asks its audience to explore much larger themes and world issues -Winner of WOW SBS Award …..

‘Necessity’ Dance encompasses physical disability A game between two girls eternally bound together as they trace their loves onto the walls of their room and try to get below the surface.Winner of Best Short Film at the South Australian Screen Awards 2009….

‘My Little Musical’ Ruth, a bored cashier escapes her mundane reality by daydreaming. Despondent shoppers break into sensational singing and dancing routines before Ruth suddenly registers reality -Winner: WOW Best Student Short Film Award

Followed by screening & Meet the Filmmakers: Michelle Blanchard, Venetia Taylor & Sandy Widyanata

THURSDAY 11TH MARCH / TAP GALLERY, 278 PALMER ST, DARLINGHURST (UPSTAIRS)
6.00PM DOOR SALES – GET YOUR SEAT $10 / $8 (Doors will open from 5.30pm)
6.30PM INTRODUCTIONS / 6.45PM PROGRAMME PART ONE
7.45PM MEET THE FILMMAKERS – DRINKS AVAILABLE / 8.30pm PROGRAMME PART TWO

6.45pm PROGRAMME PART ONE
BE MY BROTHER
Drama7 ̋
Producer/Eleanor Winkler
Director, Editor/Genevieve Clay*
A young man’s charm and charisma challenges the prejudices of a stranger at a bus
stop while impacting on her world he also changes the heart of someone close by.

NEXT OF KIN
Drama 9 ̋
Producer/Beverly Jefferson
Director, Writer, Editor/ Rose Schramm
Angela uses a crisis as an opportunity to recreate the love
she has been craving when family member Laurie
appears in her life after an attempted suicide.

STAIN
Animation 4 ̋
Producer, Director, Writer, Editor /Emma Lagrutta
DOP/Cara Lipson Dvorjak
The story of a coffee stains journey for happiness.

BED
Experimental 3 ̋50 ̋
Producer, Director, Editor, DOP/ Lyn Hope
An experimental piece, Bed is an exploration into a night of sleep. Have you ever
shared a bed with your dog?

WARNING IT MAY CONTAIN SUBTITLES
Drama 10mins
Producer, Editor/ Dinka Bonelle Dzubur
Director, Writer, Editor/ Jasna Krsmanovic
Ana is a beautiful, ambitious and intelligent artist who speaks no English. A
newcomer to Sydney, she agrees to meet a blind date. Their meeting is an awkward
encounter but her fortune is retrieved when she meets a man who instantly grabs
her attention.

TWO DUCKS
Drama 10 ̋41 ̋
Producer/Dominic Allen
Director, Writer/Shelly Lauman*
Nell is walking home from work when she sees her boyfriend with another woman.
Nell has a choice between revenge and forgiveness, how will she react in the face of
betrayal?

BALLAD OF BETTY AND JO
Comedy 12 ̋
Producers/Martha Ansara, Charlie Carman, Rivka Hartman*, Adam Rigby
Director, Writer/Martha Ansara. Editor/ Vanessa Milton.
Every morning Betty joins buskers to earn a keep. New security guard Joe wants to
confiscate her fiddle. Betty dreams of the big time, Joe dreams of silence, someone
has to give…

8.30pm PROGRAMME PART TWO

SLEEPING IN CIRCLES
Animation 4 ̋26 ̋
Producer, Director, Writer, DOP/ Cassandra Gaunson
A typical day transforms into an abstract tale where two characters
experience of the same journey in the same space reflects Freud’s
‘Theory of the Uncanny.’

SHRAPNEL
Drama 11 ̋
Producer/Jesse Martin
Producer, Director, Writer/ Mika Tran
Dawn, a young bully, finds herself trapped in an art room with her would
be victim.

THE DRESSMAKERS DAUGHTER
Animation 6 ̋35 ̋
Producer/Tom Booth
Director, Writer/Huni Melissa Bolliger
A mother’s hurtful comments to her daughter flow into the girl’s doll.
When the doll comes to life the girl finds herself in a magical land where
a new journey begins.

MY NAN: THE NEXT CATE BLANCHETT
Comedy 5 ̋45 ̋
Producer, Director, Writer, Editor/Tresa Ponnor
Charlie’s Nan loves Cate Blanchett but her Nan’s obsession could cost
her the one thing she loves more than Cate.

FERESHTEH
Drama 22 ̋25 ̋
Producer/ Jennifer Bell
Director, Writer, Executive Producer/Ayesha Arif Khan
An exploration of the practice of ‘Sigheh’ from the Shiite sect of Islam
and draws parallels with the one-night stands of the Western World. A
chance reunion forces an Iranian documentary maker to question her
identity.

HURIYYA & HER SISTERS
Animation 12 ̋
Director/ Paula Abood
Huriyya and her sisters are from Sydney’s Western suburbs. Four Muslim
girls’ journeys and the choices they make to wear or not wear their
headscarves, one with a mass of tangled red hair that curls into Arabic
script.

EVENT ORGANISERS
Tracey Savage & Ester Harding
SUPPORTERS
CHANDON Australia
Almond Bar Darlinghurst
Filmmakers in attendance*

Monday 8th March, WIFT INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM SHOWCASE

at AFTRS Theatre, 130 Bent St, Entertainment Qtr, Moore Park, 6pm for 6.30 pm screening , Tickets[: $10 & $8 conc/ $5 WIFT. Drinks & canapés included. Information & bookings: ph 0402 246 601, email wowfilmfestival@wiftnsw.org.au, www.nsw.wift.org/wow

What better way to celebrate International Women’s Day than by celebrating the accomplishments of women in the film industry? Join with women filmmakers worldwide to celebrate International Women’s Day at the WIFT 5th Anniversary International Short Film Showcase. Best of International short films by women & AFTRS films, Plastic & Look Sharp. Opening address by acclaimed screen producer, Sandra Levy, CEO of the Australian Film, Television & Radio School.

Tuesday 9th March, AUSTRALIAN SHORT FILM SHOWCASE
at NSW Parliament House Theatrette, Parliament House, Macquarie St,

12 noon for 12.30 pm screening. Tickets: $10 / $7 conc / $5 WIFT. Morning Tea included. . Information & bookings: ph 0402 246 601, email wowfilmfestival@wiftnsw.org.au, www.nsw.wift.org/wow

Best Australian short films, comedy, drama, documentary and animation, made by Australian women filmmakers. Hon. Jodi McKay MP, NSW Minister for Women will be giving an opening address. Tania Chambers, CEO Screen Australia will introduce. Enjoy morning tea and Meet the Filmmakers; Michelle Blanchard, director/writer of The Party Shoes, Venetia Taylor, director/writer of Terror on the Northside and Sandy Widyanata director/writer of Plastic.

Thursday 11th March. AUSTRALIAN SHORT FILM SHOWCASE
at the TAP Gallery, 278 Palmer St, Darlinghurst.

6pm for 6.30 & 8.30pm Tickets $10 / $8 conc. Glass of bubbly & canapés included. Information & full program details www.tapgallery.org.au/events.html Door sales on the night will start from 5.30pm, just $10 & $8 conc. For further information email wowontap@gmail.com

Best Australian short films, comedy, drama and animation. Enjoy a glass of bubbles and mezze kindly donated by Moët Hennessy Australia & New Zealand, and the Almond Bar in Darlinghurst. Then settle in for this high quality film event in the comfortable upstairs setting at the Tap Gallery. Filmmakers Shelley Lauman & Genevieve Clay will be there in support of their films and to have a chat.

BEST AUSTRALIAN FICTION [ DRAMA ] WINNER: JACOB

Producer: Rhea Stephenson Director: Dena Curtis $5,000 post production in Avid editing suite from Spectrum Films $1,500 Tresscox Lawyers – legal services for a film sponsored by Tresscox Lawyers 1 session of use of cinema 1 at AFTRS sponsored by AFTRS A subscription to Inside Film sponsored by Inside Film BEST

AUSTRALIAN FICTION [ COMEDY ] WINNER: TERROR ON THE NORTHSIDE

Producer: Venetia Taylor & Daniel Prypchan Director: Venetia Taylor $5,000 worth of hire of film equipment from Panavision sponsored by Panavision $1,500 Tresscox Lawyers – legal services for a film sponsored by Tresscox Lawyers 1 session of use of a meeting room at AFTRS sponsored by AFTRS A subscription to Inside Film sponsored by Inside Film

BEST AUSTRALIAN DOCUMENTARY WINNER: PALESTINE, BEER AND OKFOBERFEST: UNDER OCCUPATION

Producer: Lara Van Raay Director: Lara Van Raay $1,500 Tresscox Lawyers – legal services for a film sponsored by Tresscox Lawyers $1,000 negative processing and telecine services from Deluxe Australia and Efilm sponsored by Deluxe Australia & Efilm 1 session of use of a meeting room at AFTRS sponsored by AFTRS Australian Directors’ Guild Membership for 1 year

BEST AUSTRALIAN STUDENT FILM WINNER: MY LITTLE MUSICAL

Producer: Amelie Sandstrom Director: Amelie Sandstrom $600 value authoring of a DVD & 50 copies of the film sponsored by Art Resistance Production 6 month support with Amičko Films – an Independent Film Marketing business sponsored by Amičko Films $400 voucher toward short course from Metro Screen sponsored by Metro Screen $500 of equipment hire sponsored by Videocraft A subscription to Inside Film sponsored by Inside Film

BEST AUSTRALIAN ANIMATION WINNER: INK

Producer: Selin Yaman Director: Justine Wallace Intuos 4 graphics tablet sponsored by Wacom Accepted by Selin Yaman

BEST AUSTRALIAN MUSIC VIDEO WINNER: HEAD TO TOES

Producer: Michelle Ford Director: Jennifer Treur One Zx1 HD camera (Pink) sponsored by Kodak

BEST AUSTRALIAN DIGI-MEDIA VODULE WINNER: MOMENT OF LIFE

Producer: Asmaa Farzam Director: Asmaa Farzam One Zx1 HD camera (Pink) sponsored by Kodak

BEST AUSTRALIAN WOMAN CINEMATOGRAPHER WINNER: NICOLA DALEY for work on THE PARTY SHOES

 Miller equipment package sponsored by Miller Camera Support Tiffen lens package sponsored by Tiffen Australian Cinematographer Society associate membership sponsored by ACS 1 annual subscription to Australian Cinematographer Magazine

BEST AUSTRALIAN SCREENWRITER WINNER: Venetia Taylor Writer of TERROR ON THE NORTHSIDE

Weekend writer’s retreat in the Blue Mountains sponsored by Film Mosaics

SBS AW ARD WINNER: WARPAINT

Producer: Sarah Taghaode Director: Heather Phillips Opportunity for SBS screening on Shorts on Screen

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM WINNER: OPEN YOUR EYES

Producer: Alisa Wiegers, Amy Sommer, David Newsom Director: Susan Cohen 6 month support with Amičko Films – an Independent Film Marketing business sponsored by Amičko Films

WINNER OF INDIE-FEST @ WORLD OF WOMEN FILM FESTIVAL ON-LINE FILM COMPETITION sponsored by IndieFlix Inc

WINNER: PALESTINE, BEER AND OKTOBERFEST: UNDER OCCUPATION

Producer: Lara Van Raay Director: Lara Van Raay 90/10 Distribution opportunity with IndieFlix Inc

AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD WINNERS 1 year membership of WIFT NSW

Wednesday 14th October: Session 1 WINNER: JACOB Producer: Rhea Stephenson Director: Dena Curtis

Wednesday 14th October: Session 2 WINNER: MISCONNECT Producer: Aloura Charles & Darryl Thoms Director: Aloura Charles Thursday

15th October: Session 1 WINNER: TWO DUCKS Producer: Dominic Allen Director: Shelley Lauman

Friday 16th October: Session 1 WINNER: MAVERICK MOTHER Producer: Janet Merewether Director: Janet Merewether

Friday 16th October: Session 2 WINNER: PALESTINE, BEER AND OKTOBERFEST: UNDER OCCUPATION Producer: Lara Van Raay Director: Lara Van Raay

Saturday 17th October Session 1 WINNER: HURIYYA AND HER SISTERS Producer: Barry Gamba, Bankstown Area Multicultural Network Director: Paula Abood

DIGI-MEDIA VODULE COMPETITION WINNER: WINNER: STAIN Producer: Emma Lagrutta Director: Emma Lagrutta

WOW FILM FESTIVAL TOUR 2009 UPDATE The WOW Film Festival Tour was hosted by Dance North in Townsville and screened on Friday 6th and Saturday 7th November. We’re really thrilled that audiences in Far North Queensland have the opportunity to see the diverse film programs which WOW offers. We thank Joanne Fisher and her team at Dance North for bringing WOW to Townsville. The Brisbane Powerhouse Arts Centre hosted the WOW Film Festival Tour in Brisbane at the chic Visy Theatre. Brisbane Powerhouse presents contemporary Arts programs and the WOW Tour is a great fit for this venue, a renovated Powerhouse by the banks of the Brisbane River. Patrons can catch a jetcat to Powerhouse which is set in a spacious park at New Farm. The audience while modest in number were enthusiastic about the programs. “The Prams” a funny satire on some modern childless career women’s attitude towards motherhood referencing Alfred Hitcock’s “The Birds” is a film produced and filmed in Brisbane. We thank the Powerhouse Arts team, particularly Tanya-Hiroko Martin, theatre programmer and Derek Griffin our projectionist for the evenings. Brisbane is the final WOW Tour destination for 2009 and we look forward to working with our WOW Tour partners to bring our new WOW 2009 Film Festival program to major cities and regional centres around Australia in the 2010 WOW Tour.

“Women Filmmakers of Western Sydney” forum was held on Saturday morning at the Chauvel cinema after the screening of the Australian & International Shorts program.   This program featured several animations.  The topic was broadened on the day to include a discussion of animation.  Speakers were Huni Bolliger, writer/director of the animation “ The Dressmaker’s Daughter” who came from Melbourne to attend WOW, Cassandra Gaunson, director of “Sleeping in Circles” an animation produced in Sydney, Paula Abood, director of the animation “Huriyya & Her Sisters” and Asmah Gebara co-writer of “Huriyya & Her Sisters” who are filmmakers from Western Sydney.  Deborah Szapiro, creative producer with an extensive experience in animation & documentary and director of the Sydney International Animation Festival was the moderator and led the very interesting discussion. The discussion ranged from the making of the animation films, the technical aspects of animation and the purpose and themes of the short films, the influence of community and collaboration through to the influence of place in the sensibilities of the filmmakers. 

WOW/MMW DIGIMEDIA FORUM held on Saturday 17th October, 2.30pm at Metro Screen
WOW film Festival Kodak Digi Vodules Comp – A Few words from Leisle Grant

Well what a fantastic time we had creating the FIRST EVER “WOW film Festival Kodak Digi Vodules Comp”. This was my first foray into the wonderful world of creating a film festival segment and I have to say it ROCKED! So many great films and such diverse content, this competition had everything you could wish for: passion; laughter; joy; sadness, struggle and the enduring human spirit. I am so glad I got to bring these stories to the wider public and just in case you somehow missed out, here is the link so you can see it for yourselves.

WOW film Festival Kodak Digi Vodules Comp 09 Finalists
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=466DB84A5B64860B

The Big winners on the night were: Azmaa Farzam for her Vodule “Moment of Life”, taking out the top spot and Emma Lagrutta for “Stain” taking home the people’s choice award for 09. Congratulations both!

I would just like to say a quick THANK YOU to all our entrants as it was so tough to get down to the finalists we chose because the calibre overall was so good. So, over the coming months I am going to create two new play lists one for the “best of the rest” and the other for some FANTASTIC “TV show teasers”. This way, even though the WOW film Festival Kodak Digi Vodules Comp 09 is over for thisr year you can still subscribe to our YouTube site and get the latest from our talented digi creatives.  Ohh and while you are at our Tube site check out our Stats and Data it’s very cool to see who is watching our content and from where.

Another terrific Digital part of the Festival was the Forum “Future Screen Making a Mobile Digital World” the speakers were: David Cranswick – Director, Dlux Media Arts; Tiphereth Gloria – Social Media Strategist, Amnesia Razor Fish; and David Opitz – Projects and Production Manager, Metro Screen. I got so much out of this session – the advent of social media marketing has changed the way we communicate and market our digital content, and Tip had some great suggestions on how we can use social media to promote our content and on where we can put it to make the most of digital communities. David C had some fantastic ideas for mobile and GPS interactive media and David O made some terrific points on content creation and getting funding for your next digital project. But just in case you missed this session don’t feel blue – my creative team of Digi professionals have been slaving away producing a few short Vodules to pop up on our Tube site and the MMW forum, giving you access to the most creative minds in the biz to view at your leisure.

So look out for this stuff and more over the next few months, but till I chat again I will leave you with some words from the fabulous Tip, “There are no failures in Social Media only a failure to participate”.

So get out there and join the living.

WOW FILMMAKERS FORUM held on Sunday 18th October: “Director’s Vision Through The Cinematographer’s Lens”

The WOW filmmakers forum, “Director’s Vision Through The Cinematographer’s Lens”, presented by WIFT NSW and ACS and the ADG at AFTRS on Sunday 18th October, concluded the Festival for 2009.  It explored the issue of what makes a great working relationship between a film’s director and the cinematographer? How does this creative partnership work?

It was a very stimulating discussion where samples of the work of the directors and cinematographers illustrated the diversity of approaches of the participants in their craft.  Karen Pearlman, president of the Australian Editors Guild and Head of Screen Studies at AFTRS was the moderator.  The speakers were Carolyn Constantine, Director Of Photography, Pieter De Vries ACS – Director of Photography, Husein Alicajic – Director
Aloura Charles -  Director, Darryl Thoms – Producer/Director.  The speakers explored the creative relationship between the director and the cinematographer giving personal insights into this complex dynamic.

Caroline Constantine’s reputation has been solidified with her notable work as DOP on a number of films by emerging Australian directors such as Cate Shortland, Pentuphouse (Kodak and Dendy Award winner) and Somersault (2nd Unit DOP and director), Husein, Beginnings (Dendy Award winner) and Carla Drago, Boomerang (Tropfest best cinematography).  She has equally made a mark on US projects such as the feature, Night Owls of Coventry by the Sundance Award winning director Laura Paglin. Carolyn also has numerous TV drama operating and DOP credits (Wildside, Young Lions, Headstart, All Saints and Headland) as well as commercials for companies such as VW ,Nike and Kellogs she continues to pursue her cinematography career both here and abroad.

Pieter De Vries ACS is one of Australia’s most well known cinematographers and has photographed many important and acclaimed television series over his career. He has received international recognition for his documentary and drama cinematography and received high praise and numerous awards. “RAT” and “Animalicious” are both co-productions with National Geographic and Beyond Productions. “RAT” earned him the Australian Cinematographer of the Year Award at the 1998 Australian Cinematographers Society Awards. His work on this film additionally received an Emmy nomination in 1999.  A recent credit as Director of Photography was for the international co-production,” Darwin’s Lost Paradise“, a two part series about the anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin’s book, “On the Origin of the Species”. Other credits include “Atlas – Australia Revealed”, part of Discovery Channel’s largest ever HD project. Other work includes, “Lonely Planet – Six Degrees” a series filmed in New York, Havana and Paris.  The Sony Corporation has engaged him in the demonstration phases of new High Definition camera technology. In 2001 he worked with Academy Award winning US director James Cameron (“Titanic”, “Terminator” 1 & 2, “The Abyss”) – topside DP of an large format Imax film, “Ghosts of the Abyss”, revisiting the wreck of the Titanic, using the Sony/Panavision High Definition 3D format.

Husein Alicajic has impressive directing credentials. Recently awarded Best in Show Gold at the 2008 Promax awards for his FOXTEL summer campaign and Best Unproduced Movie Trailer at the 2009 International Golden Trailer Awards in Los Angeles, Husein’s depth of knowledge, experience and natural talent allows him to apply his collaborative skills with confidence and ease.  Working with Director Alex Proyas he created a pre-trailer for the 20th Century Fox film I, Robot, and was Second Unit Director and additional Editor on the Fox 2000 film Aquamarine.  Husein also collaborated with acclaimed UK writer Jeff Noon on his IF award winning script Divine Shadows that is currently in pre-production with Producer Daria Jovicic (Girl with a Pearl Earring) and recently he became attached to direct the AMPAS Nicholl Fellowship winning feature screenplay The Secret Boy , collaborating again with producers Daria Jovicic and Peter Bogart (Con Air).

Aloura Charles a visiting USA director whose latest short, “Misconnect”  premiered at the 2009 WOW Film Festival and won an audience choice award.  She has an impressive list of short films and has completed two feature films.  “Paper Roses” was selected by 16 festivals and has won awards at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. “La Magique Noire” screened at five festivals, including Palm Springs and was followed by “Hold”, which was selected for the HBO Aspen Comedy Arts Festival
Aloura’s second feature film, “Reservations”, which took a Best Direction award at Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival was selected as Opening Night Film for The REEL Women’s International Film Festival and for the World Of Women Film Festival of Australia in 2008.
Darryl Thoms is a producer who also has substantial camera work experience.  He has worked extensively in film and documentary making in Australia and overseas, particularly in Asia.  He has collaborated with Aloura Charles in the production of the short, “Misconnect”.

The backgrounds of the speakers gives you an understanding of their breadth of experience.  The audience were privileged to engage in the discussion and to enjoy conversations with them during the delicious afternoon tea of petit fours.  Heidi Tobin, WIFT NSW Vice President organized this forum in association with the Australian Cinematographers Society.  We particularly thank AFTRS for providing sponsorship for the venue.