Press release from Heart of Gold Film Festival
The Heart of Gold International Film Festival will screen the Australian premiere of God of Love which has just won Best Short Action film at the 83rd Academy Awards.
New York based director Luke Matheny’s God of Love is a comedy about a lounge-singing darts champion who receives a package of love-inducing darts – was also winner of the Student Academy Award; received special jury recognition at Aspen ShortsFest; as well as taking home first prize and the King Award for Screenwriting at the NYU First Run Film Festival. This short film was Matheny’s thesis at NYU’s prestigious graduate film program.
God of Love took out this coveted award from a field of nominees in the Best Short Action Film category which included Na Wewe(You Too), a farcical story from Belgian about the absurdity of ethnic conflict, which is also screening at the Heart of Gold International film festival this year.
It doesn’t end there for this exceptionally strong lineup of films set to screen in Gympie this year. The Gruffalo which is part of the Heart of Gold family program, received an Oscar nomination for Best Short Film Animation. Based on a best selling children's book and featuring Helen Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltraine, John Hurt and Tom Wilkinson, The Gruffalo is all about a mouse that takes a stroll through the deep, dark wood.
“From a program of over 200 short films, 34 are world premieres and 85 will be Australian premieres at this year’s festival and it is very exciting that amongst these premieres, we have an Oscar winner! A great win for God of Love. A great win for Heart of Gold” said Festival Director Malcolm Blaylock on hearing the news from the Academy Awards.
With three Oscar nominated short films including one winner, the 2011 Heart of Gold International Film Festival once again proudly brings to Gympie an internationally acclaimed and multi award winning series of films.
Don’t miss your opportunity catch these three films, and more at the 5th Heart of Gold International Film Festival 17th – 20th March.
Screening:
God of Love: Shorts 19, Sunday 20th March 3.30pm
Na Wewe: Opening Night, Thursday 17th March 7.00pm & Shorts 8, Friday 18th March 4.30pm
The Gruffalo: Family Program, Saturday 19th March 9.30am & Sunday 20th March 9.30am