MEDIA RELEASE
From the New Zealand Film Commission Thursday, 14 March 2013

Ellen is Leaving wins at SXSW

Short film Ellen is Leaving has won the Narrative Shorts section at the South By Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas.

The win makes the film eligible for Academy Award® consideration and is yet another great achievement by the team led by Director Michelle Savill, Producer Desray Armstrong, Writer Martha Hardy-Ward and Executive Producer Gaylene Preston.

Michelle (pictured), a Wellington based filmmaker, was in Austin, Texas last night to collect her award at arguably the world’s hippest film festival.

"This is a fantastic achievement for Michelle, Desray, and everyone who worked on this great short," says NZFC Chief Executive Graeme Mason. "It's great to see this team bringing home the trophies and proving they are names to watch in the future."

Ellen is Leaving is about a young woman leaving her boyfriend to begin her OE.

It was launched at the New Zealand International Film Festival after Roger Donaldson selected it for the New Zealand’s Best Short Film Programme. Since then it has been selected for prestigious international festivals including Clermont-Ferrand, Chicago International, Aspen Shortsfest and San Francisco International Film Festival.

At Clermont-Ferrand, the world’s biggest short film market, sales agents were fighting to acquire the film. Michelle and Desray are now in discussions with a distributor.

Fellow NZFC supported short film Night Shift is also eligible for the Academy Awards® 2014.

ENDS