The St Kilda Film Festival 2009

The St Kilda short film festival is now touring around Australia. I was lucky enough to be invited to one of their stops.

This year the tour kicked off with a haunting story entitled Cicada. Thrusting his melancholy and worn face into the camera, the narrator tells the story of how as a child he witnessed a horrific murder in a pub where his mother worked. It’s evident the story shaped his life from there and the impact of this short telling was palpable. No one dared even shuffle in their seats as the credits ran.

Some highlights for me included Tin Can Heart, a ridiculously beautiful animation in a similar style to Wall.E, The Ground Beneath, a story of a young boy’s struggle to take control of his own life, and One Shoe Short, set in a small indigenous community about two boys who light heartedly stumble around their day, you guessed it, one shoe short.

The St Kilda Film Festival never disappoints and the tour films this year were stellar. However, I couldn’t ignore the fact that in the films chosen to tour there were a lot of big names including Miranda Otto …and bigger budgets. Though there were a couple of quite obvious amateur jobs, I was disappointed that the festival seems to have developed into a showcase for already known talents rather than a platform for emerging names.

Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Many years ago I readily denounced small films at the flick of my hand but now I realize they are seeds that help the industry grow.

Get along and see this tour if you can, check the website for more details. www.stkildafilmfestival.com.au/. The St Kilda Film Fest is touring Australia until September 20.

REVIEW: The St. Kilda Film Fest

"Twenty-four years ago the St Kilda Film Festival created history as the first in Australia to be organised by a local government. It continues to make history today and a win at the St Kilda Film Festival can now be the first step towards the red carpet at Hollywood’s Academy Awards".

"The St Kilda Film Festival provides a unique platform for Australian short
filmmakers working in a large talent pool. Thanks to the adoption of digital formats, short film culture is much more diverse in form and content and there is a dramatic increase in the amount of work being produced"

Tonight I attended the opening night of the St. Kilda Film Festival in my town. There were free drinks and pizza so right away I was impressed. Hey, it was gourmet pizza, ok?! The crappy part was that I went alone. Yes I was Nigel-no-friends. I wasn't in the mood to chit-chat with anyone especially after this horrible woman sitting next to me went on a 15 minute rant about how she hates radio and why it's unnecessary. (I work in radio so needless to say, I wasn't impressed) The 'woman' then made fun of everyone in the room. Lady, from me to you, get a life.

Ok so on to the films. I've never been a fan of shorts because I like a developed story. A short is one act and usually you're left with a desperate want for more, or a desperate need for the last 10 minutes of your life back. Both of those conflicting feelings stirred within me tonight. However, one short stood above the rest as a mini piece of brilliance.

What They Don’t Know

Producer: Carlin Smith
Director: Samuel Bennetts
A deranged man breaks into an apartment block with a personal vendetta against seemingly everyone. A voice reveals tales of his earlier life bringing to light that all is not as it seems.

This film had me holding back tears. I have never in my life seen a short film that has affected me like that. It was so incredibly moving and the actors were amazing. Usually they are film students or someone's family used as extras, but this was well cast...quality. The way it developed was really interesting, with use of tricky lighting, camera work and make-up supporting the story. The ending just blew me away. Whoever these film-makers are, I implore them to start making features STAT because Australia needs movies like this in its arsenal.

Well, I haven't sworn off short film festivals yet and my faith in them was certainly restored by this tour of professionally presented and well made shorts. I had interviewed the director of the fest,Paul Harris, and his enthusiasm was contagious. Thankfully it convinced me to attend. I felt a bit out of place among all the cinema snobs but it was well worth the snivelly stares. If it comes to your town, check it out!

NEWS: Bites

I've been net-trotting (kind of like globe-trotting but heaps sadder) and have made it my duty to pass on the knowledge I have gained.

1. I love Ricky Gervais, but somehow him starring in a buddy cop movie with Chris Rock really doesn't appeal to me. Your thoughts, opinions? Frankly I'd rather see Hugh Grant in Lord of the Rings.

2. WARNING, GRATUITOUS SELF PROMOTION: This Thursday I'll be interviewing the director of the St.Kilda Film Festival and young Harry Potter fans for their verdict on the new film. Tune in to your local Aussie radio and you might just hear what I have to say!

Do you think anyone will notice if I just pee right here?

3. Speaking of Harry Potter, the new film is getting the "enough already" thumbs sideways after the latest offering from the JK Rowling golden pot. I'll make my own mind up tomorrow night when I see the film, but knowing me I won't care and will love it anyway! (I'm great at ingoring faults). It's both wrong and scary that I now have the hots for Daniel Radcliffe.

If I sit here and grin long enough,maybe Travolta will leave me alone!

4. I finally saw a trailer for Hairspray and it doesn't look too bad. It looks like a mix between Grease and Dirty Dancing. It's based on a famous musical too (which was based on the 1988 John Waters film of the same name), which doesn't often bode well for the film, but Dreamgirls worked so maybe this will. Despite John Travolta looking ridiculous in drag AND a fat suit, the adorable newcomer Nikki Blonsky (what a name) looks set to overcome the stain that is Travolta. Expect it to hit Aussie cinema early September.

5. America is finally getting Sunshine. This came out in Australia months ago. I'm at a loss. It was very 2001 and a little bit Event Horizon. I liked it, even though the pace was at times a little annoying and the last half an hour was a totally different movie.

Sally was so glad the diet had ended.

6. Finally, another of my favourite subjects...the DEAD. George A. Romero, who started it all (the Zed word that is), is very excited about his latest offering, Diary of the Dead. Who isn't??? I've always been up for a good zombie-fest and Romero does it best. One of my favourite all time movies is Dawn of the Dead (1978). The release date is touted as this year but i'm not so sure we'll be seeing it til '08. Anyway keep your rotten flesh peeled for more news!

PS That nutty JJ Abrams indeed!

Click Here for the teaser to his untitled project.