NZ Short Wins Top Prize At Berlin Intl Film Fest

Press Release
For Immediate Release –
Monday 16th February 2009

New Zealand Short Film Wins Top Prize At 59th Berlin International Film Festival

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New Zealand short film Aphrodite’s Farm has been awarded the Crystal Bear for best short film in the Generation 14 plus section of the 59th Berlin International Film Festival at an awards ceremony in the Babylon theatre held on Friday evening.

NZFC funded Aphrodite’s Farm is co-written by Adam Strange and Pete Force, directed by Adam Strange and produced by Anzak Tindall. The film premiered internationally in the Generation 14 plus youth section along with thirty other short films.

“It is such an honour to be awarded the Crystal Bear at the Berlinale, we are absolutely thrilled,” says New Zealand Film Commission Short Film Manager Juliette Veber. “Competition was really tough; we were up against some brilliant short films so this is an unbelievable outcome.”

Aphrodite’s Farm is a 15 minute fairytale set in Taranaki, New Zealand. The story centres around the family who produce the magical milk on Aphrodite’s Farm. When the family patriarch dies, the future of the farm is thrown into jeopardy. The arrival of young farm hand Friday creates even more chaos before finally bringing the family’s destiny full circle.

The six member Youth Jury made the following comments when awarding the top prize to Aphrodite’s Farm: “A phenomenal anecdote about holding tight and letting go, embedded in a fairytale and told with consequent humour – all this inspired our gut-reaction to the film. The story is accessible but full of surprises and makes it clear the need to let go in order to proceed. These things happen – and they are unstoppable!”

“It’s such high praise to be awarded the Crystal Bear, but the real prize for us was sitting in the dark, watching our film with people from the other side of the world; listening to them laughing and reacting so warmly! All along, we hoped we were making a Kiwi fairytale that had universal themes, and appeal that went beyond borders or languages. To have it affirmed this positively really is the ultimate accolade - the perfect fairytale ending,” says director Adam Strange.

Producer Anzak Tindall added, “Not in our wildest dreams could we have hoped for such a tremendous result. This was one hell of a first encounter with this dynamic festival. It was enough to be selected for the Berlinale but to be awarded the Crystal Bear for best short film at this magnificent event is a truly wonderful and unforgettable surprise.”

Aphrodite’s Farm was funded by the Short Film Fund of the New Zealand Film Commission. International sales for Aphrodite’s Farm are handled by NZ Film, which is the sales arm of the NZFC.

Adam Strange and Anzak Tindall travelled to Berlin to attend the festival with support from the New Zealand Film Commission.

The 59th Berlin International Film Festival 5th – 15th February 2009, for more information see http://berlinale.de

ENDS