Justin Kurzel’s Nitram has added another award to its festival run, crowned the winner of the $100,000 CinefestOZ film prize on Saturday evening.
The story about the lead-up to one of the darkest events in Australian history beat out Leah Purcell’s The Drover’s Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson, anthology feature drama Here Out West, and Jennifer Peedom’s River for the honour, which was announced at the Closing Night Gala at Orana Cinema in Busselton.
It comes after star Caleb Landry Jones won best performance by an actor at the Cannes Film Festival in July, where Nitram became the first Australian film to premiere in competition in a decade.
Scripted by Kurzel’s frequent collaborator Shaun Grant, the film also features Judy Davis, Essie Davis, and Anthony Lapaglia.
CinefestOZ jury chair Nadia Tass, who has supported the festival virtually from Melbourne, said the compelling thriller was found to...
The story about the lead-up to one of the darkest events in Australian history beat out Leah Purcell’s The Drover’s Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson, anthology feature drama Here Out West, and Jennifer Peedom’s River for the honour, which was announced at the Closing Night Gala at Orana Cinema in Busselton.
It comes after star Caleb Landry Jones won best performance by an actor at the Cannes Film Festival in July, where Nitram became the first Australian film to premiere in competition in a decade.
Scripted by Kurzel’s frequent collaborator Shaun Grant, the film also features Judy Davis, Essie Davis, and Anthony Lapaglia.
CinefestOZ jury chair Nadia Tass, who has supported the festival virtually from Melbourne, said the compelling thriller was found to...
- 8/30/2021
- by Sean Slatter
- IF.com.au
Actress Isla Fisher, director Zak Hilditch, producer Judi Levine, and producer Julia Redwood will make up the jury for next week’s CinefestOZ Film Festival.
They are set to join jury chair Nadia Tass to decide which of the four in-competition films will take home the $100,000 Film Prize at the Closing Gala Night August 28 at Orana Cinemas Busselton.
This year’s finalists include Leah Purcell’s The Drover’s Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson, Justin Kurzel’s Nitram, anthology feature drama Here Out West, and Jennifer Peedom’s River.
Fisher has more than 35 years of film and TV experience, having begun appearing in commercials from the age of nine before playing Shannon Reed in Home & Away. She has since gone on to appear in a raft of international productions, including The Wedding Crashers, Rango, The Great Gatsby, Nocturnal Animals, Definitely, Maybe, Now You See Me, Hot Rod, The Brothers Grimsby,...
They are set to join jury chair Nadia Tass to decide which of the four in-competition films will take home the $100,000 Film Prize at the Closing Gala Night August 28 at Orana Cinemas Busselton.
This year’s finalists include Leah Purcell’s The Drover’s Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson, Justin Kurzel’s Nitram, anthology feature drama Here Out West, and Jennifer Peedom’s River.
Fisher has more than 35 years of film and TV experience, having begun appearing in commercials from the age of nine before playing Shannon Reed in Home & Away. She has since gone on to appear in a raft of international productions, including The Wedding Crashers, Rango, The Great Gatsby, Nocturnal Animals, Definitely, Maybe, Now You See Me, Hot Rod, The Brothers Grimsby,...
- 8/18/2021
- by Sean Slatter
- IF.com.au
Leah Purcell’s The Drover’s Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson, Justin Kurzel’s Nitram, anthology feature drama Here Out West, and Jennifer Peedom’s River will each compete for CinefestOZ’s $100,000 Film Prize.
A jury of industry guests will award the honour at the festival, due to run August 25-29 in Western Australia’s South West hubs of Busselton, Augusta-Margaret River and Bunbury.
CinefestOZ chair Helen Shervington said this year’s finalists reflected the diversity and complexity of storytelling set for this year’s festival.
“I continue to be impressed by the calibre and originality of film submissions to the festival each year, and I’m proud to say the 2021 Film Prize finalists are fantastic,” she said.
“We can’t wait for our audiences to be back at the cinema watching these films – all of which will have their Wa premieres at CinefestOZ.
“The range and creativity shown across...
A jury of industry guests will award the honour at the festival, due to run August 25-29 in Western Australia’s South West hubs of Busselton, Augusta-Margaret River and Bunbury.
CinefestOZ chair Helen Shervington said this year’s finalists reflected the diversity and complexity of storytelling set for this year’s festival.
“I continue to be impressed by the calibre and originality of film submissions to the festival each year, and I’m proud to say the 2021 Film Prize finalists are fantastic,” she said.
“We can’t wait for our audiences to be back at the cinema watching these films – all of which will have their Wa premieres at CinefestOZ.
“The range and creativity shown across...
- 7/6/2021
- by Sean Slatter
- IF.com.au
Experienced board advisor and corporate lawyer Emma Scotney has been announced as the newest board member of CinefestOz.
Based north of Perth near Dandaragan, Scotney will work closely with chief executive Malinda Nixon, chair Helen Shervington, and deputy chair Margaret Buswell to bring the August event to life.
She joins co-founder David Barton, Jennifer Burrows, Jub Clerc, Gary Evershed, Warren Griffiths, Pauline Vukelic, and Diane Wearing Smith on the board, which consists entirely of community volunteers.
Scotney said she hoped to learn more about the Australian film industry through her role.
“I am looking forward to making a meaningful contribution to the huge effort and commitment it takes to bring such a rich festival like CinefestOZ together,” she said.
“I have witnessed first-hand the dedication throughout the CinefestOZ team – from the leadership provided by the board and its CEO right through to the many community volunteers.”
Scotney brings more than...
Based north of Perth near Dandaragan, Scotney will work closely with chief executive Malinda Nixon, chair Helen Shervington, and deputy chair Margaret Buswell to bring the August event to life.
She joins co-founder David Barton, Jennifer Burrows, Jub Clerc, Gary Evershed, Warren Griffiths, Pauline Vukelic, and Diane Wearing Smith on the board, which consists entirely of community volunteers.
Scotney said she hoped to learn more about the Australian film industry through her role.
“I am looking forward to making a meaningful contribution to the huge effort and commitment it takes to bring such a rich festival like CinefestOZ together,” she said.
“I have witnessed first-hand the dedication throughout the CinefestOZ team – from the leadership provided by the board and its CEO right through to the many community volunteers.”
Scotney brings more than...
- 6/15/2021
- by Sean Slatter
- IF.com.au
Emma Booth.
Emma Booth has been named an official patron of CinefestOZ, joining other patrons David Wenham, Kelton Pell, Myles Pollard and Barry House.
The Wa-born actress has been attending the festival since 2012, and is among the stars of H is for Happiness, the winner of last year’s $100,000 CinefestOZ Film Prize.
“Over the years, the team behind CinefestOZ has become like a family to me and I am in awe of the effort they put into the festival,” said Booth.
“It’s truly a magical experience for everyone who attends. Busselton is my home when I’m in Australia and CinefestOZ has always been one of the highlights of the year.”
CinefestOZ chair Helen Shervington credited Booth as having played an integral part in the growth and success of the festival over the years.
“Emma understands and embodies all that the festival is about and her talent, drive and...
Emma Booth has been named an official patron of CinefestOZ, joining other patrons David Wenham, Kelton Pell, Myles Pollard and Barry House.
The Wa-born actress has been attending the festival since 2012, and is among the stars of H is for Happiness, the winner of last year’s $100,000 CinefestOZ Film Prize.
“Over the years, the team behind CinefestOZ has become like a family to me and I am in awe of the effort they put into the festival,” said Booth.
“It’s truly a magical experience for everyone who attends. Busselton is my home when I’m in Australia and CinefestOZ has always been one of the highlights of the year.”
CinefestOZ chair Helen Shervington credited Booth as having played an integral part in the growth and success of the festival over the years.
“Emma understands and embodies all that the festival is about and her talent, drive and...
- 7/9/2020
- by jkeast
- IF.com.au
CinefestOZ will be the first Australian film festival to host screenings for live cinema audiences after the easing of restrictions following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Running from August 25-30, this year’s edition will feature at least 40 live events and screenings as well as a selection of online screenings.
The full program will be announced on July 31. Festival chair Helen Shervington said the lifting of restrictions in Western Australia meant what was initially planned as an online festival could now allow for physical attendance within health guidelines.
“West Australians have been told to ‘wander out yonder’ and where better to visit than our beautiful South West,” Shervington said. “If you’re looking for film, food and fun, CinefestOZ is the place to be.
“However, we recognise these are challenging times for us all, particularly our interstate friends and industry family who may be bound by the state border closure, so we...
Running from August 25-30, this year’s edition will feature at least 40 live events and screenings as well as a selection of online screenings.
The full program will be announced on July 31. Festival chair Helen Shervington said the lifting of restrictions in Western Australia meant what was initially planned as an online festival could now allow for physical attendance within health guidelines.
“West Australians have been told to ‘wander out yonder’ and where better to visit than our beautiful South West,” Shervington said. “If you’re looking for film, food and fun, CinefestOZ is the place to be.
“However, we recognise these are challenging times for us all, particularly our interstate friends and industry family who may be bound by the state border closure, so we...
- 7/3/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
CinefestOZ, West Australia’s prestigious mini-festival, has confirmed that it will go ahead with live audiences at the end of August. It will be the first in the country to do so since the easing of restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The festival will run August 25-30 with at least 40 live events and screenings, in the Margaret River area, along with a selection of online screenings. A full program will be unveiled on July 31.
For the first time in the festival’s 13-year history, CinefestOZ will also include a short film competition. Available prizes include best short film, best indigenous short film, best West Australian short film, best West Australian female short filmmakers, best lead actor, best director and audience choice. The festival’s feature film prize is one of the richest, worth $69,000. Last year’s winner was John Sheedy’s locally-made “H Is For Happiness.”
The lifting...
The festival will run August 25-30 with at least 40 live events and screenings, in the Margaret River area, along with a selection of online screenings. A full program will be unveiled on July 31.
For the first time in the festival’s 13-year history, CinefestOZ will also include a short film competition. Available prizes include best short film, best indigenous short film, best West Australian short film, best West Australian female short filmmakers, best lead actor, best director and audience choice. The festival’s feature film prize is one of the richest, worth $69,000. Last year’s winner was John Sheedy’s locally-made “H Is For Happiness.”
The lifting...
- 7/2/2020
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
The team behind ‘H is for Happiness’, which won the CinefestOz Film Prize in 2019.
August’s CinefestOz is set to be virtual, though organisers are leaving the door open for physical attendance within health guidelines.
For the first time in its 13-year history, CinefestOZ will also include a Short Film Competition with four cash prizes up for grabs, with the support of Screenwest.
Prizes will be awarded at a special presentation evening, to be held August 29 in the South West of Wa and live streamed throughout Australia.
The prizes being presented as part of the Short Film Competition include:
· CinefestOZ Short Film Prize – $5,000
· CinefestOZ Indigenous Best Short Film – $2,500
· CineWest Best Wa Short Film – $2,500
Wift Wa will also present a $1,000 cash prize for the Best Wa Female Short Filmmakers. There will also be awards for the audience choice, best director and best lead actor.
All short films entered into the festival...
August’s CinefestOz is set to be virtual, though organisers are leaving the door open for physical attendance within health guidelines.
For the first time in its 13-year history, CinefestOZ will also include a Short Film Competition with four cash prizes up for grabs, with the support of Screenwest.
Prizes will be awarded at a special presentation evening, to be held August 29 in the South West of Wa and live streamed throughout Australia.
The prizes being presented as part of the Short Film Competition include:
· CinefestOZ Short Film Prize – $5,000
· CinefestOZ Indigenous Best Short Film – $2,500
· CineWest Best Wa Short Film – $2,500
Wift Wa will also present a $1,000 cash prize for the Best Wa Female Short Filmmakers. There will also be awards for the audience choice, best director and best lead actor.
All short films entered into the festival...
- 6/1/2020
- by jkeast
- IF.com.au
“H is for Happiness” was a popular winner on the first Saturday of September at the CinefestOZ festival in Western Australia. Not only is the picture uplifting — a 12-year-old girl who is inspired by an unusual new boy at her school and challenges herself to mend her broken family – “Happiness” was made locally, just a few miles from where the prizes were handed out at the Orana Cinema in Bussleton.
There was always a good chance that a local film was always going to come out on top. Among the five films in competition others had West Australian connection or included festival returnees.
The West Australian focus is no accident, though it is not where the 12-year-old festival started.
In its early days, CinefestOZ had sought a niche as festival focusing on Australian and French films and cultural connections between the two countries. That was a calculated attempt to capitalize...
There was always a good chance that a local film was always going to come out on top. Among the five films in competition others had West Australian connection or included festival returnees.
The West Australian focus is no accident, though it is not where the 12-year-old festival started.
In its early days, CinefestOZ had sought a niche as festival focusing on Australian and French films and cultural connections between the two countries. That was a calculated attempt to capitalize...
- 9/11/2019
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Sophia Forrest, Alex Williams and Travis Jeffery
Sophia Forrest, Alex Williams and Travis Jeffery — all graduates of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts – will be the ambassadors for this year’s CinefestOZ Film Festival.
CinefestOZ Chair Helen Shervington said: “Sophia, Alex and Travis are all incredibly talented professionals and we are proud to once again be welcoming them to the South West for an immersive five-day film experience this year as CinefestOZ ambassadors.
“Having Wa-trained gems like Sophia, Alex and Travis at the forefront of CinefestOZ is a testament to the incredible growth and burgeoning talent within the Australian film industry.”
Sophia graduated from Waapa in 2016 and went on to tour internationally with the theatre productions Les Liaisons Dangereuses and Coriolanus.
Her film credits include Rachel Griffiths’ Ride Like a Girl, which will screen at the festival, Reaching the Distance and Aquaman.
Since graduating from Waapa in 2011, Williams...
Sophia Forrest, Alex Williams and Travis Jeffery — all graduates of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts – will be the ambassadors for this year’s CinefestOZ Film Festival.
CinefestOZ Chair Helen Shervington said: “Sophia, Alex and Travis are all incredibly talented professionals and we are proud to once again be welcoming them to the South West for an immersive five-day film experience this year as CinefestOZ ambassadors.
“Having Wa-trained gems like Sophia, Alex and Travis at the forefront of CinefestOZ is a testament to the incredible growth and burgeoning talent within the Australian film industry.”
Sophia graduated from Waapa in 2016 and went on to tour internationally with the theatre productions Les Liaisons Dangereuses and Coriolanus.
Her film credits include Rachel Griffiths’ Ride Like a Girl, which will screen at the festival, Reaching the Distance and Aquaman.
Since graduating from Waapa in 2011, Williams...
- 8/20/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Marta Dusseldorp, Glenn Gainor, Alex Dimitriades and Ben Young will join chair Rachel Ward on the jury which will determine the winner of this year’s $100,000 CinefestOz Film Prize.
Owen Trevor’s Go!, John Sheedy’s H is for Happiness, Ben Lawrence’s Hearts and Bones, Mirrah Foulkes’ Judy & Punch and Paul Ireland’s Measure for Measure will compete for Australia’s biggest film prize.
“The quality of this year’s Film Prize finalists is exceptionally high and we are delighted to have a jury of equal calibre to decide on the winner,” CinefestOZ chair Helen Shervington said.
Dimitriades made his acting debut in Michael Jenkins’ The Heartbreak Kid followed by Ana Kokkinos’ Head On. Other film performances include Three Blind Mice, Ghost Ship, Deuce Bigalow, Kings of Mykonos, Summer Coda, The Infinite Man and Ruben Guthrie.
His TV credits include The Slap, The Principal, Seven Types of Ambiguity, Wanted,...
Owen Trevor’s Go!, John Sheedy’s H is for Happiness, Ben Lawrence’s Hearts and Bones, Mirrah Foulkes’ Judy & Punch and Paul Ireland’s Measure for Measure will compete for Australia’s biggest film prize.
“The quality of this year’s Film Prize finalists is exceptionally high and we are delighted to have a jury of equal calibre to decide on the winner,” CinefestOZ chair Helen Shervington said.
Dimitriades made his acting debut in Michael Jenkins’ The Heartbreak Kid followed by Ana Kokkinos’ Head On. Other film performances include Three Blind Mice, Ghost Ship, Deuce Bigalow, Kings of Mykonos, Summer Coda, The Infinite Man and Ruben Guthrie.
His TV credits include The Slap, The Principal, Seven Types of Ambiguity, Wanted,...
- 8/7/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Owen Trevor’s Go!, John Sheedy’s H is for Happiness, Ben Lawrence’s Hearts and Bones, Mirrah Foulkes’ Judy & Punch and Paul Ireland’s Measure for Measure will compete for Australia’s biggest film prize.
Those are the finalists for the $100,000 prize at CinefestOZ, which will run from August 28 to September 1 in Bunbury, Busselton, Margaret River and surrounds.
CinefestOZ festival chair Helen Shervington said it had been another stellar year for the film prize entries and this year’s finalists are the cream of the crop.
The prize was established in 2014 to recognise excellence in Australian filmmaking and is awarded on the gala night by a five-member industry jury, this year chaired by director/writer Rachel Ward.
Scripted by Paper Planes‘ Steve Worland and produced by See Pictures’ Jamie Hilton and Sonia Borella, Go! stars William Lodder, Anastasia Bampos, Darius Amarfio-Jefferson, Dan Wyllie, Cooper Van Grootel, Damian De Montemas,...
Those are the finalists for the $100,000 prize at CinefestOZ, which will run from August 28 to September 1 in Bunbury, Busselton, Margaret River and surrounds.
CinefestOZ festival chair Helen Shervington said it had been another stellar year for the film prize entries and this year’s finalists are the cream of the crop.
The prize was established in 2014 to recognise excellence in Australian filmmaking and is awarded on the gala night by a five-member industry jury, this year chaired by director/writer Rachel Ward.
Scripted by Paper Planes‘ Steve Worland and produced by See Pictures’ Jamie Hilton and Sonia Borella, Go! stars William Lodder, Anastasia Bampos, Darius Amarfio-Jefferson, Dan Wyllie, Cooper Van Grootel, Damian De Montemas,...
- 7/4/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
‘The Naked Wanderer’
Alan Lindsay’s The Naked Wanderer, a romantic comedy starring Angus McLaren, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Megan Hajjar and John Cleese, will have its world premiere at CinefestOZ.
Scripted by Callan Durlik and backed by the Wa government’s Royalties for Regions program, the film shot on the state’s South West coast will premiere in Bunbury on August 30.
It’s the first film announced for the festival which will run from August 28 to September 1 in Bunbury, Busselton, Margaret River and surrounds.
McLaren plays Jake, who decides to walk 4,000 km up the coast of Western Australia, clad only in a loin cloth. His purpose ostensibly is to raise money for charity but his ulterior motive is to win back his former girlfriend Jasmine (Hajjar), who jilted him.
Durlik is his best mate Cameron King, whose uncle is UK-based media mogul Brian King (Cleese). Brian offers to sponsor the...
Alan Lindsay’s The Naked Wanderer, a romantic comedy starring Angus McLaren, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Megan Hajjar and John Cleese, will have its world premiere at CinefestOZ.
Scripted by Callan Durlik and backed by the Wa government’s Royalties for Regions program, the film shot on the state’s South West coast will premiere in Bunbury on August 30.
It’s the first film announced for the festival which will run from August 28 to September 1 in Bunbury, Busselton, Margaret River and surrounds.
McLaren plays Jake, who decides to walk 4,000 km up the coast of Western Australia, clad only in a loin cloth. His purpose ostensibly is to raise money for charity but his ulterior motive is to win back his former girlfriend Jasmine (Hajjar), who jilted him.
Durlik is his best mate Cameron King, whose uncle is UK-based media mogul Brian King (Cleese). Brian offers to sponsor the...
- 6/23/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
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