NZ Short Film invited to New York Film Festival

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Tuesday 28th September 2010

NZ Short Film invited to top New York Film Festival

Wellington short film Day Trip, by filmmakers Zoe McIntosh and Costa Botes, has been selected for the prestigious 48th New York Film Festival in September/October.  

The 17-day New York Film Festival highlights the best in world cinema for 2010, featuring top films from celebrated filmmakers including Jean Luc-Godard and Olivier Assayas, as well as fresh new filmmaking talent.

Day Trip was one of only eight short films to be selected for the festival.  The short film will screen before Meek’s Cutoff, the latest feature film directed by Kelly Reichardt (Old Joy, Wendy and Lucy).

Day Trip is an 11 minute short drama about a gang member who wakes up one morning and decides he needs a day off.  A short voyage between islands changes his outlook on life.

Written and produced by Costa Botes, the short is based on a true story told to him by an old friend, the late writer, Bill Payne (author of Staunch and Poor Behaviour). The film is directed by Zoe McIntosh and stars former Mongrel Mob chapter president, Tuhoe Isaac, who recently received Best Performance in a Short Film at the NZ Qantas Film and TV Awards 2010. 

Day Trip premiered in April at the 6th Tribeca Film Festival, also based in New York City. Tribeca was founded in 2001 by Robert De Niro following the attacks on the World Trade Centre, to spur the economic and cultural revitalisation of the lower Manhattan district.  The short was awarded a top international prize at the Guanajuato International Film Festival, Expresión En Corto Film Festival in Mexico and the film will screen at the Hawaii International Film Festival in October.

Day Trip was funded by the Screen Innovation Production Fund, a partnership between the NZ Film Commission and Creative New Zealand, with post production funding from the NZ Film Commission.  NZ Film represents the film for world sales. 

For more information on the 48th New York Film Festival visit their website: http://www.filmlinc.com/nyff/2010/

ends