Short film finalists unveiled for NZ International Film Festival

Short film finalists unveiled for NZ International Film Festival

FINALISTS FOR NEW ZEALAND’S BEST ANNOUNCED FOR 2013 FILM FESTIVAL

Six short films have been selected as finalists for the New Zealand International Film Festival’s New Zealand’s Best Short Film Competition.

The films will compete for three cash prizes, with winners to be announced at the closing night of the Auckland leg of NZIFF. The six finalists are Tom’s Dairy (dir: Oscar Kightley), Blind Mice (dir: Walter Lawry), I’m Going to Mum’s (dir: Lauren Jackson), Interim (dir: Dan Kircher), Friday Tigers (dir: Aidee Walker) and Here Now (dir: Chelsie Preston-Crayford).

The New Zealand’s Best programme will screen as part of the 2013 NZIFF and audiences will be asked to choose a winner. A jury of three will select the winners of the $5000 Madman Entertainment Jury Prize and the $3000 Friends of the Civic Award. The winner of the Audience vote in Auckland and Wellington takes away 25% of the box office from the Festival screenings in the four main centres.

Winners for the Madman Entertainment Jury Award and the Friends of the Civic Jury Award will be chosen by three judges: Metro Magazine editor Simon Wilson, Michael Eldred for Madman Entertainment and veteran film producer Bridget Ikin (An Angel at My Table, My Year Without Sex, The Rocket, William Yang: My Generation).

Guest selector and international filmmaker Alison Maclean selected the six finalists from a shortlist of 12. Festival programmers Bill Gosden and Michael McDonnell viewed 91 entries to prepare the shortlist.

 “These films found ways to open up unfamiliar worlds and make the familiar more potent. From my now slightly outsider perspective, it was thrilling to watch these shorts - so much talent and skill in every department and, in separate, unique ways, a real authorial voice coming through... I can't wait to see what these filmmakers do next,” says Alison Maclean.

The finalists are:

Tom’s Dairy (13min)

World Premiere

New Zealand 2013

Director: Oscar Kightley

A poignant and humorous short film about a young boy growing up in West Auckland in 1981.

Blind Mice (15min)

World Premiere

New Zealand 2013

Director: Walter Lawry

In the small Auckland drug scene, a young woman, Jules, finds her life complicated by an unwanted pregnancy.

I’m Going to Mum’s (13min)

New Zealand 2013

Director: Lauren Jackson

Jacob is eight years old and his parents dress him funny. Stuck in the middle of a fresh divorce he takes drastic fashion action to make himself heard.

Interim

Interim (15min)

World Premiere

New Zealand 2013

Director: Dan Kircher

A young and green police officer is implicated in the assault of an arrestee.

Friday Tigers (Nga Taika o Te Ramere) (16min)

World Premiere

New Zealand 2013

Director: Aidee Walker

When an unexpected friendship threatens Ana’s secret world, can she find the courage to deal with her past for the sake of her future?

 

Here Now

Here Now (14min)

World Premiere

New Zealand 2013

Director: Chelsie Preston-Crayford

Inspired by Lena Dunham's Girls, Here Now explores the dilemma of the modern day twenty-something. Tess and her friends have no problems, but are they really living?