- Newtown Flicks Short Film Festival
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Newtown Flicks Short Film Festival is held annually in and around the Sydney suburb of Newtown, Australia. Established as a non-profit organization in 2006, Newtown Flicks became a national film festival in 2009.
The festival was the brainchild of Martin Kelly, Bill Jordan and Spiros Hristias who discovered a mutual love of film while operating equipment in the bio box of New Theatre, a live performance venue in Newtown. Over coffees in local cafes they developed the festival’s name and logo, its aims (to support emerging filmmakers and showcase their works) and awards categories. After setting up the enterprise with their own money, they looked for outside sponsorship. The major sponsor since 2006 has been JVC Professional, donors of filmmaking equipment. The JVC encouragement award is presented to a filmmaker showing potential not yet fully realised. Cash prizes are offered in the other categories together with bags for audio-visual accessories made by Crumpler and statuettes made by a local arts collective. The 2009 festival was supported by a City of Sydney cultural grant.
There are no entry requirements except a maximum length of 20 minutes. The aim is to screen all films submitted over the three-day festival. Apart from the Directors' Choice and Most Popular categories, entries are judged by a panel of film professionals. Past judges have included director Bruce Beresford, critic Garry Maddox, writer Phillip Gwynne, stuntman Grant Page and actors Mark Lee and Genevieve Lemon. Design of the statuettes and posters changes with each festival.
Contents
2006 Festival
Held at the New Theatre between 15–17 April
Winners
Award Winning Title PICK OF THE FLICKS # 1 Tackle PICK OF THE FLICKS # 2 The Chess Set DIRECTORS CHOICE # 1 Birthday Present DIRECTORS CHOICE # 2 Europe 2007 Festival
Held at the Newtown Theatre between 30 March - 1 May
Winners
Award Title Director BEST STUDENT FILM Still Life Tahnee McGuire BEST INDEPENDENT Transient Craig Boreham BEST TREEHOUSE Wally Tonnette Stanford DIRECTORS CHOICE The Death of an Official Natalie Lopes & Marlene Palmeiro JVC AWARD Not Sitting Still Sarah Antill 2008 Festival
Held at the Pact Theatre between 20 May – 1 June
Winners
Award Title Director BEST STUDENT FILM Modern Primitives Kate Witchard BEST INDEPENDENT Playground Eve Spence BEST TREEHOUSE Floating Chih-Kuang Tu DIRECTORS CHOICE The Cypriot Vincent Taylor JVC AWARD One Shoe Billy Aiden Koegh 2009 Festival
In May 2009 Newtown Flicks Short Film Festival returned to the New Theatre, where the judging panel was led by twice Academy award nominated director Bruce Beresford.
Winners
Award Title Director BEST STUDENT FILM Reach Luke Randall BEST INDEPENDENT Fade Vincent Taylor DIRECTORS CHOICE Burden Ben Field and Liam Doyle JVC AWARD Mercury Vapour Zoe Barnes Notable Participants
In addition to showcasing the future of the Australian film industry, the following industry personalities have been involved with Newtown Flicks :
• Bruce Beresford - director (Driving Miss Daisy, Puberty Blues, Double Jeopardy, Mao's Last Dancer).
• Mark Lee - actor (Gallipoli, Sahara).
• Grant Page - stuntman (Mad Max, The Pact).
• Genevieve Lemon - actor/singer (The Piano, Holy Smoke , Billy Elliot).
External references
Note: this includes events held in the Sydney CBD and its fringe areas, not the Greater Sydney metropolitan areaSummer December: Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race • Carols in the Domain • Sydney New Year's Eve
January: Australia Day • Flickerfest • Sydney Festival • Jazz in the Domain • Opera in The Domain
February: Tropfest • Trop JrAutumn March: Mardi Gras Film Festival • Sydney Mardi Gras • Chinese New Year Festival • Greek Festival of Sydney • ARTEXPRESS
April: ANZAC Day Parade • The Sydney Comedy Festival • Surry Hills Festival • Hoopla Festival
May: Sydney Writers' Festival • Vivid SydneyWinter All: Biennale of Sydney (every even numbered year)
June: Newtown Flicks Short Film Festival • Sydney Film Festival • Sydney Eisteddfod • Darling Harbour Jazz and Blues Festival
July: Good Food & Wine Show • The Rocks Aroma Festival • Sydney International Boat Show
August: City to SurfSpring September: Ignite Film Festival • Sydney Underground Film Festival • Sydney Fringe Festival • Festival of the Winds
October: Sydney International Food Festival • World's Funniest Island • Darling Harbour Fiesta • Australian International Motor Show
November: Bondi Short Film Festival • Popcorn Taxi • Balmain Art & Craft Show • Sculpture by the SeaSee also: Landmarks in the Sydney City Centre · Theatres in the Sydney City CentreCategories:- Film festivals in Australia
- Short film festivals
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