Press release from TM Publicity
Dozens of young Australians from across the country have participated in the inaugural The Oasis Homeless Short Film Competition with Cate Blanchett, Patron of the competition, announcing the winners at Sydney Theatre.
The Oasis Homeless Short Film Competition is a national competition for secondary school students and part of an on-going philanthropic initiative to raise awareness about homelessness in our community. Ms Blanchett has been a long-term supporter of this cause.
Ms Blanchett, Co Artistic Director of Sydney Theatre Company, who was a member of the judging panel, announced that Queensland secondary student, Warrick Beanland, from Harristown State High School student, has won first prize for his film Homeless.
Shark Island Productions provided a total prize of $25,000 for the competition with $7000 awarded to Harristown State High.
“Homeless is a highly original and beautifully made film which displays compassion and insight into issues surrounding youth homeless. My congratulations to Warrick and all the finalists for their outstanding efforts,” Ms Blanchett said.
Ms Blanchett also announced two second prize winners: the film Somebody’s Child, made by students from Sydney’s International Grammar School (Jesse Perez, Jeremy Booth, Sam Nachtergale, Connor Watson, Daniel Black, Tom Sontag, Josh Fisher-Simpson and Cooper Mortlock); and Reach Out, made by Ryan White and Rangi Mcleod from Nhulunbuy High School in the Northern Territory. Both schools will receive $2000 each.
The other 13 finalists in the competition represent schools from around the country. Each of these schools receives $1000 in prize money:
Ballarat Christian College, Ballarat, Victoria
Mudgee High School, Mudgee, NSW
Magdalene Catholic High School, Narellan, NSW
The Scots College, Bellevue Hill, NSW
Toormina High School, Toormina, NSW
Leumeah High School, NSW
Launceston Church Grammar School, Launceston, Tasmania
Brisbane Girls Grammar School, Spring Hill, Queensland
Our Lady of Sion College, Box Hill, Victoria
Loreto College, Marryatville, SA
Canberra Grammar School, Red Hill, ACT
Trinity College, East Perth, WA
There are 2 additional awards for best non-secondary and best soundtrack both which have gone to alternative education programs.
The judging panel for the film competition was Co Artistic Director of Sydney Theatre Company, Cate Blanchett, Chair of The Caledonia Foundation and AFI-Award winning documentary filmmaker with Shark Island Productions Ian Darling, Oasis Schools Liaison Officer and former Oasis client Bee Orsini, and Major Robbin Moulds, AM, Director of The Oasis Youth Support Network.
The incidence of youth homelessness has doubled in Australia over the last 20 years with 32,000 young people under 25 defined as homeless (including children under 12, this number increases to around 44,500 Source: ABS Census 2006).
The OASIS initiative was launched in 2008 with the premiere of the AFI award-winning documentary THE OASIS on ABC1 and the release of a major report into youth homelessness in Australia, The National Youth Commission Report on Youth Homelessness, commissioned by The Caledonia Foundation.
An audience of more than 1.1 million watched the broadcast of THE OASIS documentary on ABC Television, with another 800,000 staying tuned in for the following forum on youth homelessness with Tony Jones. More than 2000 people participated in the accompanying on-line forum and a DVD of the film including Study Guide was donated to every secondary school in Australia. An extensive web resource was also created and is available at: www.theoasismovie.com.au.
“More than two years after the initial broadcast, we continue to measure the enduring impact of THE OASIS documentary. Supported by a comprehensive education and outreach campaign and with on-going community screenings, the film has helped ensure that youth homelessness remains on the national agenda,” said Ian Darling.
“The Oasis Homeless Short Film Competition is a vital part of our strategy to engage young Australians in this important social justice issue, along with the THE OASIS Schools Curriculum Resource, which has been made available to every secondary school around Australia.”
Ian said: “Since The OASIS initiative was launched, Shark Island Productions in collaboration with The Caledonia Foundation has been focussed on continuing to raise awareness of homelessness through school curriculum programs to support teachers and involve young people in preventing and solving youth homelessness. And, increasingly more students are inspired to raise funds, volunteer and engage their local community in the effort to address youth homelessness.”
Oasis Schools Liaison Officer, Bee Orsini, who experienced homelessness as a young girl, has travelled extensively around Australia this year meeting with schools students.
“It’s been an inspiring experience to meet with young Australians who clearly want to know more about how and why youth homelessness happens and what they can do to help,” Bee said.
To view all the finalist films, go to http://www.youtube.com/user/SharkIslandDoco
For further details about THE OASIS: Homeless Short Film Competition and THE OASIS Schools Curriculum Resource – Youth Homelessness Matters, go to: www.theoasismovie.com.au