GUMBOOT captures the imagination of Kiwi short filmmakers!

18 December 2012

GUMBOOT captures the imagination of Kiwi short filmmakers!

Tropfest New Zealand today announced the sixteen finalists of their inaugural short film competition. On Sunday 27th January 2013, the finalists’ films will premiere to a live audience at the TSB Bowl of Brooklands in New Plymouth.

A judging panel of key film industry executives and celebrities will view the finalists’ films along with several thousand people who are expected to picnic under the stars for this auspicious occasion. After their deliberation the panel will announce the winning film and award prizes to Best Director, Best Maori Director, Best Actor and Best Actress, at a ceremony following the screenings.

Each of the films entered had to be no more than seven minutes long and had to include the Tropfest Signature Item (TSI) which for 2013 is GUMBOOT.

“Coming into the first year of anything you're never really sure of what to expect. I can honestly say that any expectations we had for Tropfest New Zealand have already been greatly exceeded,” says Tropfest founder and director, John Polson.

“The quality of films submitted this year was outstanding and it was a definite challenge to narrow down the field. I think the crowd at Tropfest New Zealand will be really pleased and excited by the films we've selected.”

The sixteen films and directors are:

A Kiwi Legend, Tess Novak
Booger, Tui Ruwhiu
Cappuccino Tango, Dave Smith
Hey Alba, Dawn Tuffery
Midnight at the Pier, Ingrid Saker
Paper Nation: For the Record, Kalind Hutchinson
Peers, Michael McAdam
Round Up, Gareth Van Niekerk
Sounds Perfect, Allan George
Sprung, Grant Lahood
Stop, Nicholas Garrett
The Forgotten Astronaut, Bruce Gatwood-Cook
The Waiting, Shay Logan
Tunnel, Joel Garman
Vivid, Eli Mead
Watch Your Mouth, Cristobal Araus Lobos

The New Plymouth District Council wholeheartedly supports the filmmaking community and welcomes visitors from across New Zealand to attend the event.

“Tropfest New Zealand is another fine example of New Plymouth District showcasing talent and creativity from here and around the country,” says Mayor Harry Duynhoven.

The TSB Bowl of Brooklands’ grassy open air amphitheatre is the ideal setting for the public to pack a picnic, kick off their shoes and settle in to watch some of our future Peter Jacksons and leave you wondering how you would use a gumboot!

About Tropfest New Zealand

Tropfest NZ will be open to the public and free to attend, this event has been designed to encourage Kiwi filmmakers from the grassroots level up.

Tropfest NZ ambassadors include actors Sam Neill, Martin Henderson and Robyn Malcolm, Taika Waititi, director/producer/actor Katie Wolfe, director/screenwriter Vincent Ward and industry veteran John Barnett.

A filmmaker’s prize package is offered. The winner will receive return economy tickets to Los Angeles, 5 days accommodation and $500 cash courtesy of the Motion Picture Association (MPA) and The New Zealand Federation Against Copyright Theft (NZFACT).

About Tropfest

Tropfest began twenty years ago when Director John Polson showed a six-minute film he made for under $100 at his local café (‘The Tropicana’) in Sydney for 200 friends and family. Since then Tropfest has become recognised as one of the world's most exciting launch-pads for emerging filmmakers.

Tropfest is known for securing the support of some of the biggest names in the international film community including Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, Geoffrey Rush and Liev Schreiber.

Tropfest recently launched in Arabia and in the USA with Tropfest Las Vegas and Tropfest New York. More territories will be announced in 2013.

For more information visit www.tropfest.com and Tropfest’s YouTube Channel www.youtube.com/tropfest

ENDS

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