Press release from the Sydney Film Festival
The Official Competition line-up for the 2011 Sydney Film Prize, offering Australia’s richest cash award for film of AUD $60,000 was announced today, alongside the unveiling of new Official Competition Sponsor, iShares.
Four films will compete in SFF’s Official Competition direct from screenings at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival which opens today. They are: Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life starring Brad Pitt and Sean Penn; Australian writer Julia Leigh’s directorial debut Sleeping Beauty; Jeff Nichol’s Take Shelter featuring Academy Award® nominee Michael Shannon and Toomelah, the latest feature from Ivan Sen who worked with non-professional actors in the NSW indigenous community of the same name.
Two award-winners from Berlin Film Festival will also compete: Asghar Farhadi’s A Separation which won Best Film and both Best Acting awards for its ensemble cast and Joshua Marston’s The Forgiveness of Blood which won Best Screenplay.
Bold and inventive films from: Spain – Fernando León de Aranoa’s Amador; Russia – Alexander Zeldovich’s Target; and Egypt – Mohamed Diab’s Cairo 678, are also having their Australian Premieres in the Official Competition selection.
Completing the line-up are the three previously announced films – Attenberg by Athina Rachel Tsangari; The Future by Miranda July and Norwegian Wood by Tran Anh Hung.
The films screening in competition are selected on the basis that they demonstrate ‘emotional power and resonance; are audacious, cutting-edge, courageous; and go beyond the usual treatment of the subject matter’.
“Now entering its fourth year, the Official Competition has rapidly become our flagship program, highlighting filmmakers whose unfettered vision and creative enquiry will shape the future of cinema.” – said Festival Director Clare Stewart.
The jury, consisting of international and Australian filmmakers and industry professionals, will award a $60,000 prize, sponsored by iShares, for ‘new directions in film’.
“BlackRock’s exchange traded fund business, iShares, is delighted to be the Official Partner of the 2011 Sydney Film Festival Official Competition that recognises leading filmmakers from all over the world. Just as great films can take you anywhere, iShares can do the same with our exchange traded fund (ETF) products. iShares ETF allows investors to explore new and more innovative ways to manage their portfolios by giving them greater transparency, access and control,” Damien Frawley, CEO of BlackRock Australia said.
The 2011 SFF Jury President, Chen Kaige, is one of China's most prominent and influential film directors. Amongst Chen Kaige’s numerous career achievements is the much-loved dramatic feature Farewell My Concubine which became the first Chinese film to win the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for two Academy Awards ®. The Australian Premiere of Chen Kaige’s latest film Sacrifice will be in the 2011 Festival’s Love Me pathway. The full jury membership will be announced in the lead-up to the festival.
The competition features red-carpet gala screenings and culminates in the Sydney Film Prize luncheon hosted at the Wharf Restaurant, Walsh Bay, and the winning film will be presented with the Dinosaur Design’s trophy for the Sydney Film Prize on Closing Night, Sunday 19 June, 2011, 7.45pm at the State Theatre.
The Official Competition was established in 2008 and is endorsed by Fédération Internationale des Associations de Producteurs de Films (the regulating organisation for international film festivals).
Past winners of the Sydney Film Prize are: Hunger, directed by Steve McQueen (2008); Bronson, directed by Nicolas Winding Refn (2009); and Heartbeats, directed by Xavier Dolan (2010).
Jury President alumni are Gillian Armstrong (2008), Rolf de Heer (2009) and Jan Chapman (2010).
Confirmed guests for the international competition as at 11 May 2011 are:
• Attenberg – Athina Rachel Tsangari (Director)
• The Forgiveness of Blood – Joshua Marston (Director)
• The Future – Miranda July (Director)
• Sleeping Beauty – Julia Leigh (Director), Jessica Brentnall (Producer) and cast
• Target – Alexander Zeldovich (Director)
• Toomelah – Ivan Sen (Director), David Jowsey (Producer) and cast
More guests will be announced in the lead-up to the festival.