FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – FRIDAY 6TH NOVEMBER

Not Short On Recognition - Show Me Shorts Film Festival Has Triumphant Opening

SHOW ME SHORTS Film Festival kicked off in Auckland last night with a very special opening and awards night. All 40 films in this year’s program were contending for the eight award categories, and winning films were showcased to the captivated audience.

Poppy was the big winner on the night, taking home three awards including SDGNZ Best Director, SDGNZ Best Editor and the Special Jury Prize. Other notable films up for awards include Kill the Alphabet, Coffee & Allah and Just Like The Others which all received two nominations and one win each.

Judging of this year’s festival was conducted by industry experts including Barbara Darragh (Wardrobe for Spartacus, Bridge To Terabithia, River Queen, The Frighteners), Pietra Brett-Kelly (director of The Art Star and the Sudanese Twins) and Athina Tsoulis (writer, producer and director of Jinx Sister).

The full list of 2009 winners and finalists are listed here:

KODAK BEST FILM – Jackie van Beek for ‘Just Like the Others’
Finalist – Paul Swadel for ‘Poppy’

BEST STUDENT FILM – Michael Humphrey for ‘The Big Happiness’
Finalist – Matteo Bruno for ‘Kill the Alphabet’

SDGNZ BEST DIRECTOR – James Cunningham for ‘Poppy’
Finalist – Jackie van Beek for ‘Just Like the Others’

NZ WRITER’S GUILD BEST SCREENPLAY – Waine C. Paris for ‘Kill the Alphabet’
Finalist – Imogen Thomas for ‘Mixed Bag’

PANAVISION BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER – Rewa Harre for ‘Coffee & Allah’
Finalist – Rob Marsh for ‘The Road out of Town’

STARNOW.COM BEST ACTOR – Arna-Maria Winchester from ‘Mixed Bag’
Finalist – Zahara Abbawaaaji from ‘Coffee & Allah’

SDGNZ BEST EDITOR – Paul Swadel and James Cunnigham for ‘Poppy’
Finalist – Paul Maxwell for ‘Aphrodite’s Farm’

SPECIAL JURY PRIZE – James Cunningham, Stephen Fleet and Sonya Hsu-Ya Chang for animation on ‘Poppy’
Finalist – Rachelle Bakarich for ‘Christmas Lights’ – Best Documentary

Festival Director Gina Dellabarca commented, “It was a delight to see the public along with family and friends out in support of the wonderful films and the talented winner’s of this year’s festival. I do not envy the judges who had a huge task when selecting the winners for 2009”.

Launched in 2006, SHOW ME SHORTS Film Festival screens every November in cinemas across New Zealand, showcasing the best new Kiwi and Australian short film-making talent. This year organisers have also added a workshop in the two largest cities, providing the opportunity for budding short filmmakers to learn from the pros.

The official website can be found at www.showmeshorts.co.nz.

The SHOW ME SHORTS Film Festival will screen at the following locations, before heading around the rest of New Zealand.

AUCKLAND 5 – 11TH November at Academy Cinema, Matakana Cinema
WELLINGTON 12 – 18th November at Paramount Cinema
CHRISTCHURCH 12 – 18th November at Rialto Cinema
DUNEDIN 12 – 18th November at Rialto Cinema

- ENDS