Young Film Maker 2001 Finalists Selected

10 October 2001 Media release: for immediate release

Young Film Maker 2001 Finalists Selected

Finalists for the prestigious SPADA Young Film Maker of the Year Award 2001 were announced today. The Award is the primary recognition in New Zealand for emerging film makers who have displayed special talent and creativity in their film making to date.

Two finalists were selected by three industry judges from a wide range of entries. The winner will walk away with over $20,000 worth of prizes and will be announced at the opening night of Small Country, Big Picture, the New Zealand film and television industry conference taking place in Wellington from 9 November.

The finalists are:

Karl Zohrab: A Wellington producer whose short film A New Way Home featured in official selection at the Melbourne, Edinburgh and New Zealand Film Festivals. Karl and director Michael Duignan form Eleven Films; and

Campbell Walker: A Wellington director whose first feature Uncomfortable, Comfortable premiered at the 1999 New Zealand Film Festival. Campbell has received considerable attention for his digital video features and short films in the last two years.

The Award judges believe that this year¹s finalists reflect the diversity of talent and story telling that the award was designed to support. "It’s fantastic for the screen industry to have a prize with such a wide brief" said last year’s winner and 2001 judge Hamish Rothwell. “We were fascinated that we received such a range of entries by film makers from right across the spectrum” he said.

Screen Producers & Directors Association chief executive Jane Wrightson said that SPADA is constantly impressed by the level of craft skills achieved by emerging film makers. “Along with the Award’s sponsors, The Film Unit, Kodak, Panavision, FACB and Stage & Screen Travel, we are honoured to support the efforts of New Zealand’s younger film makers” she said.

The judges were producers Lisa Chatfield and Ruth Kaupua and director Hamish Rothwell. Previous winners include Hamish Rothwell (Stickmen), Vanessa Alexander (Magik & Rose, Being Eve) and Jason Stutter (the upcoming Tongan Ninja)

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For more information, contact Jane Wrightson, SPADA (04) 939 6934

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