Press release from Cav Con
Last Friday 8 January 2010, Jameson Irish Whiskey’s successful standing in film was further extended with its (partner) sponsorship of the 2010 ‘Flickerfest’ program and competition which will run at the iconic Bondi Pavilion, with sessions each day and evening through to Sunday 17 January 2010 when the winning short films will be announced.
Flickerfest is the name given to this popular short film festival which lays claim as Australia’s first beachside cinema. Now in its 19th year, Flickerfest showcases the best short films from Australia and the world, with the program touring over 20 other venues around the country following its annual Bondi Beach season.
“Jameson Irish Whiskey has been a long standing supporter of the film industry and has been a key sponsor of over 20 major international film festivals, including local initiatives such as Flickerfest, ‘TropFest’ and ‘Adelaide Shorts’ to name just a few”, said Michael Lloyd, Marketing Manager, Jameson Irish Whiskey.
Jameson’s presence as a partner sponsor of Flickerfest follows the brand’s recent staging of its own short film event known as John Jameson Productions (JJP). This ‘open brief’ initiative calls for aspiring screen writers to submit a synopsis for a short film which incorporates an unexpected ending.
Following the review of over 800 entries in mid 2009, Jameson ultimately funded each of the three chosen finalists’ scripts with a $20K supporting budget to have their short film produced by a professional film production unit. Each pitch synopsis was first developed at a special workshop in Sydney where the finalists met Producer/Director teams with whom they would work.
The JJP judging panel included Jan Sardi, Scriptwriter (Mao’s Dancer, The Notebook; Roy Billing, Actor (Underbelly, The Dish); Darren Ashton, Director (Thunderstruck, Razzle Dazzle); and Anna-Marie Monticelli, Writer/Producer (La Spagnola, Disgrace).
The JJP finalists in 2009 included Raen Fraser, with her quirky take on reincarnation, the central character of the film’s namesake, ‘Cockroach’ being rendered in stunning 3D by leading visual FX house, Postmodern; Andy Muir, with his twisted tale of a suburban ‘pest’ in the form of Elvis, in ‘Viva Las Possum’; and Hugh Jellie’s ‘Providence Park’ starring Cricket the dog, who, when thrown a stick, mysteriously returns with what is always needed most.
Both Viva Las Possum and Providence Park will be screened at an upstairs bar throughout Flickerfest (along with the three finalists from 2008), and can now also be viewed on-line via the dedicated JJP website, www.johnjamesonproductions.com.au
As part of Jameson’s sponsorship of Flickerfest 2010, the brand will also be serving new summer inspired takes on this classic ‘tipple’ – such as Jameson dry and lime – at the bar.