Australasian Short Film Awards

Media Release Dated: 5 November, 2007

Australasian Short Film Awards

The Show Me Shorts Film Festival has announced the finalists in their four award categories this year.

The seven finalist short films will play on the opening/awards night at 6pm, Wednesday the 7th of November, at Auckland’s Academy Cinemas.

The finalists for Best Film are ‘Embers’ by Chris Payne (NZ) and ‘A Very Nice Honeymoon’ by Jeff & Phill Simmonds (NZ).

In the Best Student Film category, the top films were so close that there are three finalists, ‘Paper City Architects’ by Daniel Agdag (Oz), ‘The Shomer’ by Anton Blajer (Oz) and ‘Embers’ by Chris Payne (NZ).

The Atlab Best Technical Contribution finalists are Cinematographer David Paul for ‘Shadow Over the Sun’ by Rachel Douglas (NZ) and ‘Embers’ again (NZ), this time for Cinematography by Richard Harling.

The Panavision Special Jury Prize finalists are both for Art Direction. They are Grant Major for ‘Dead Letters’ by Paolo Rotondo (NZ) and John Harding for ‘The King Boys’ by Christopher Clark (NZ).

‘Embers’ was Chris Payne’s thesis film in Creative Producing in the University of Auckland's Master of Creative and Performing Arts program in Film and Television Production. He has production experience on over 40 short films, features, music videos and commercials. The film was written and directed by Marc Laureano, who also holds a Master of Creative and Performing Arts from Auckland University. Laureano says, “The idea for ‘Embers’ came into being when I noticed subtle episodes of racial prejudice against Japanese by some New Zealanders. Research revealed that those New Zealanders who held such opinions would often trace the origins of their prejudice to the experience of returning service men in the Second World War. This was the starting point for my story.”

Jeff & Phill Simmonds who wrote, directed and produced ‘A Very Nice Honeymoon’ have just completed another animated short film called ‘Noise Control’, which is currently being considered by Sundance. ‘A Very Nice Honeymoon’ is an animated documentary about the true story of their grandparents Mariano and Elizabeth Vella, who were on the steamer SS Wairarapa when it was wrecked on the coast of Great Barrier Island in NZ in 1893.

Last year the winner of the Best Film award was Australian filmmaker Jannine Barnes for her heartwarming short film ‘Ray’. Festival Director Gina Dellabarca says, “I am quietly happy the top prize will stay on our side of the Tasman this year, but it’s been a closely fought race and there are some brilliant short films that narrowly missed out on being nominated.”

Tickets for the Opening/Awards night of Show Me Shorts are just $20 and include complimentary bubbles, plus the chance to see the seven top films all in one hit. Purchase these from Auckland’s Academy Cinema, or book on 09 373 2761.

The Show Me Shorts Film Festival is New Zealand’s national short film festival. The event takes place from 8-14 November at Academy Cinemas in Auckland, 16-18 November at Metro Cinema Dunedin, 23-25 November at the Regent on Worcester in Christchurch and 30 November to 1 December at the Paramount Theatre in Wellington.

For the full line up of films and other details check out: www.showmeshorts.co.nz.

ENDS

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