Michael Spiccia's short film Yardbird has won the 2013 Flickerfest Award for Best Australian Short Film while Italian short Tiger Boy has been crowned Best International Short Film.
Yardbird follows a young girl who lives in a remote wrecking yard who takes on the local bullies when they travel out to torment her father. The 13-minute short had its world premiere at the 2012 Cannes International Film Festival (see Cannes interview below). It was produced by Jessica Mitchell and written by Julius Avery, who is currently set to direct his debut feature film, Son of a Gun, starring Ewan McGregor, in Western Australia.
Tiger Boy is set in a suburb of Rome where Matteo, a nine year-old boy, is abused by his school headmaster. Only through his relation to his hero, Italian wrestler The Tiger, can he find the courage to rise against his enemy.
Festival director Bronwyn Kidd said: "We are thrilled that the 2013 festival has been such a success with record crowds and great enthusiasm expressed for the programs screened. It's great to see short film so warmly embraced by audiences across our ten day event. I would like to congratulate all of the films selected for Flickerfest in competition this year and all of tonights award winners."
The 22nd annual Flickerfest International and Australian awards were announced at the Bondi Pavilion, Bondi Beach. The festival's national tour starts in Byron Bay and continues through 46 venues until May.
(A full list of 2013 Flickerfest winners can be found below the video.)
2013 Flickerfest Winners
AUSTRALIAN AWARD WINNERS
Flickerfest Award for Best Australian Short Film, (Academy® Accredited):
YARDBIRD
Director: Michael Spiccia
Writer: Julius Avery
Producer: Jessica Mitchell
Flickerfest Award for Best Australian Short Film, (Academy® Accredited) – Highly Commended:
A FIRST DATE
Director: Alex Weinress
Writer: Charlie Garber, Lucy Wirth
Producer: Catherine Weinress, Renae Begent
Canon Award for Best Direction in an Australian Short Film:
DUMPY GOES TO THE BIG SMOKE
Wri/Dir: Mirrah Foulkes
Producer: David Michod, Michael Cody
Miller Australia Award for Best Cinematography in an Australian Short Film:
SUSPENDED
Cinematography: Denson Baker ACS
Wri/Dir: Damian Walshe-Holwing
Avid Award for Best Editing in An Australian Short Film:
YARDBIRD
Editor: Jack Hutchings
Huzzah Sound Award for Best Sound in an Australian Short Film:
SUSPENDED
Sound Design: Andrew Plain
Wri/Dir: Damian Walshe-Holwing
SBS Television Award for a Film Chosen by SBS for Broadcast:
A FIRST DATE
Director: Alex Weinress
Producer: Catherine Weinress, Renae Begent
Writers: Charlie Garber, Lucy Wirth
FLICKERUP AWARDS
SAE Institute FlickerUp Award for Best Upper High School Production:
MY CITY WALKABOUT
Wri/Dir/Prod: Mateuse Pingol, Emmie Seaton
Yoram Gross FlickerUp Award for Best High School Animation:
POLAROID
Wri/Dir: Monica Ip
Prod: Melbourne Girls College, VIC
Flickerfest FlickerUp Award for Best Primary School Production:
FANTASEA
Wri/Dir: Year 5 & 6 students
Prod: Miranda Public School, NSW
Flickerfest FlickerUp Award for Best Primary School Animation:
GREEN TREE FROG
Wri/Dir: Year 5 & 6 students
Prod: Milner Primary School, NT
INTERNATIONAL AWARD WINNERS:
Renault Award for Best International Short Film (Academy® Accredited):
TIGER BOY (Italy)
Director/Producer: Gabriele Mainetti
WRI: Nicola Guaglianone
Yoram Gross Award for Best International Animation (Academy® Accredited):
EDMOND WAS A DONKEY (France/Canada)
Wri/Dir/Prod: Franck Dion
Flickerfest Highly Commended Animation:
LUMINARIS (Argentina)
WRI/DIR: Juan Pablo Zaramella
PROD: Sol Rulloni, Mario Rulloni
WRI: Gustavo Cornillón
SAE Institute Award for Best Use of Digital Technology in a Short Film:
THE CENTRIFUGE BRAIN PROJECT (Germany)
Wri/Dir/Prod: Till Nowak
Flickerfest Award for Best Short Documentary Film:
CROSSED OUT (Sweden)
Wri/Dir/Prod: Robert Duarte
Jungle Software Award for Highly Commended Documentary:
THE AMBASSADOR & ME (Switzerland)
Wri/Dir/Prod: Jan Czarlewski
Flickerfest GreenFlicks Award for Best Environmental Short Film:
THE MONO LAKE STORY (USA)
Wri/Dir/Prod: Ryan Christensen, Jonah Matthewson
GreenFlicks Honourable Mentions:
WILD THINGS (Australia):
Wri/Dir: Richard Mockler; Prod: Sami-Jo Adelman
10,000 TREES (USA):
Wri/Dir/Prod: Sarah Ginsburg, Sarah Berkovich