Here are some highlights from our trip to Sundance thanks to the Bondi Short Film Festival:

Tonight is our last night in Sundance....which is incredibly sad. We got to see the world premiere of Black Snake Moan - the film in which Samual L Jackson actually sings the blues & Justin Timberlake acts. They were all at the premiere along with Christina Ricci (my hero!) & stayed afterwards  for a Q & A with the audience.

Other celebrity sightings include:

Getting my photo taken with party girl Tara Reid - who was in a surprisingly great movie called "If I'd known I was a Genuis" which also starred Whoopi Goldberg.

An inspiring chat & autograph from another of my favourite actors Brenda Blethwyn -who stars in new Australian film Clubland. Clubland got the highest distribution deal ever for an Australian feature from Sundance - so congratulations to all of them & their beautiful film.

Standing next to Winona Ryder at the Sundance House music night, whilst we both watched the gorgeous M Ward play.

Eating at Robert Redford's restaurant Zoom whilst John Cusack was at the bar. Various street sitings including Halle Berry & jewish musician Mattis Yahu.

The Stella Atois team (of Frank Polley & Neil Gannon) gave us VIP tickets to the hottest nightclub in Park City - where we danced the night away with some of the most beautiful people in the world.

Skiing with a hoard of Hollywood producers on the slopes of Deer Valley.

My star spotting list could go on. Sundance is in many ways Hollywood on ice.

However what I have learnt over the past 7 days will be what I will remember most. This opportunity has been priceless for me as a young director at the beginnings of my career. It has allowed me to see how the movie industry works first hand. How at after parties & restuarants the million doller deals get made & even though Sundance is an independent film festival it showcases the ideas that will shape Hollywood tomorrow.

I have witnessed artists working with corporations & "celebrities" to get their films made whilst never compromising their independent visions.  I have attended film workshops around new film, digital & postproduction equipment - workshops led by the world leaders of these technologies & artforms.

I have been to forums on "How to Make Movies Matter" with the teams from "An Inconveniant Truth" and "Fast Food Nation" and discovered how gaming & the internet is changing the film world as told by those leading the way at YouTube & My Space.

Thank you very much for this opportunity. It has been both life changing & inspiring for my future filmmaking ambitions & dreams.

Bronwyn Purvis

Click here to see more photos.



The winners of the 6th Annual Bondi Short Film Festival have been announced, with two short films sharing the title of ‘Best Film’. Six other awards were also announced including the inaugural MySpace People’s Choice Award, as voted by the public.  More than 600 people attended the sell-out event, which was screened for the first time over two nights at the Bondi Pavilion; Friday 24 and Saturday 25 November 2006.

The four member judging panel included Alice Bell, writer of ‘Suburban Mayhem’ , Philippa Bateman, producer of ‘Jindabyne’, Garry Maddox, Sydney Morning Herald  Film Reviewer and Richard Brennan who has previously worked on classic films such as ‘Cosi’ and ‘Adventures with Barry McKenzie’.

BEST FILM – 2 WINNERS – ‘At Play’ and ‘Pop’s Dream’
‘At Play’ - Written and Directed by Zak Hilditch, Produced by Nathan Keene and Anya Watroba
‘Pop’s Dream’ – Written by Vanessa Bates, Produced by Christopher Saunders, Directed by Bronwyn Purvis

BEST MUSIC – ‘The Haircut’ – Music composed by Sebastian Carlos Ranguis

BEST DESIGN – ‘Tommy the Kid’ – Designed by Wendy L’orguilloux, Elista Whelan and Anthony Beach

BEST SCRIPT – ‘Touched’ – Written by Stephanie Kleinhenz (WASA)

BEST ACTOR – ‘Pop’s Dream’ - Abbey Ward (9 years old)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY – ‘At Play’ – Cinematographer Alex McPhee

MYSPACE PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD - ‘First Thing I Remember’ - Produced by Matt Cater and Directed by Tamara Meem from the Australian Film Television and Radio School.   (They receive a $50,000 online marketing campaign with MySpace.)

“It’s great to see new talent on and off screen and the excitement it generates.  It’s what film making at its best is all about,” said Philippa Bateman, Executive Producer of Jindabyne and CEO of April Films, and also one of the four judges for the Bondi Short Film Festival.

More than 250 short films were submitted for this year’s competition with the top 14 films shown at the Festival. The winners of ‘Best Film’ receive two VIP tickets to the Sundance Film Festival including tickets, airfares and accommodation.

Jason Kidd, Brand Manager for Stella Artois praised the organisers of the Bondi Short Film Festival in their selection of short films.

“Stella Artois Screen has an ongoing commitment in Australia to supporting intelligent, world-class film and to promoting film making excellence. The Bondi Short Film Festival is a perfect example of the film making talent we have right here in Australia – both behind the scenes and in front of the camera, and I am pleased that Stella Artois can help support this talent.”

 

	Tommy the Kid Written, Directed and Produced by Stuart Clegg Tom is a lonely is a lonely kid living in a rural town. When his bike is stolen by a second hand goods dealer he feels powerless to do anything about it… but an encounter with the dealer’s dog gives tom an idea. Will hiding the pooch help Tom reclaim his bike?
	The Whiskey Bar Written and Directed by Michael Hoath, Produced by Tenille Kennedy After a bungled suicide attempt a man wanders the streets, eventually finding a deserted bar. Through the actions of an enigmatic stranger the man begins to see his life in a different light.
	Walking Off Written and Produced by Peter Blackburn, Directed by Dan Stevenson A farmer sits against a tree with a rifle across his lap as he reflects on his past and contemplates his future. He and his wife pack up their belongings and leave their drought-stricken farm
	The Haircut Written, Directed and Produced by Carlo Ledesma A barber welcomes a most unusual customer. “The haircut” is about the thin line between vanity and delusion, and how the customer is always right.
	Pop's Dream Written by Vanessa Bates, Produced by Christopher Saunders, Directed by Bronwyn Purvis Rosie, aged 6, observes the world with wonder and delight. Her beloved grandfather, Pop, lives alone in a dilapidated caravan. When Rosie accompanies her sullen teenage sister, Loretta, and boyfriend, Stuart, to deliver dinner to her Pop, She is appalled a the contempt and loss of dignity Pop has to endure.
	Mummy Leaving Written, Directed and Produced by Dave Carter A quirky animation about a dysfunctional family
	At Play Produced by Anya Watroba, Nathan Keene, Written and Directed by Zak Hilditch A young boy playing in the woods discovers a dead body by the edge of the river – leading to devastating consequences.
	Final Call Written and Directed by Gary Ech, Produced by Philip Wade Jim Watson is stuck in the airport bathroom with no toilet paper, the flight is closing and they are calling his name over the PA. Jim must catch the flight to Hong Kong or he will lose his job.
	Family Written by Andrew Lewis, Directed by Damian Foley, Produced by Nigel Devenport (WASA) Hayden and Vivien have all the trapping of success, except the thing they want most, a child. John and Sarah offer to help, after all, they are family, But will their chance to complete their lives cost them everything?
	First Thing I Remember Directed by Tamie Meem, Produced by Matt Carter What is your first memory? In this experimental documentary, 12 people share their answers to this question. Shown as animated characters inhabiting the super-8 coloured world of their childhood memories, their stories are funny, moving and full of wonderment.
	Humidity Rising Produced by Shane Dempsey, Kane Sarota, Written by David Fellow, Directed by Louise Alston On an isolated North-Queensland cane farm an unwelcome and dangerous stranger seduces Helen, a widowed mother. In a cocktail of heat, humidity and pent up desires, Helen’s places herself in a vulnerable position and leaves her daughter, Chrissy, unprotected and fighting fro her life.
	Brown Trash Written, Directed and Produced by Tresa Ponnor, Executive Produced by David Opitz Dealing with issues of ethnicity and family, Brown Trash follows the hectic preparations of Asha for her highschool formal as she attempts to suppress her Indian heritage.
	Insecurities Written and Directed by Beth Taylor, Produced by Susan Cornish A snapshot of Sydney in 2004, focusing on the psychological impact of the threat of terrorism on Sydney-siders and Sydney's public spaces. The film explores fear, safety, racism and patriotism through the eyes of its subjects, asking important questions along the way: "What effect does fear, on a large scale, have on people? Do we make judgements in a state of fear that we might otherwise not make?"
	Touched Written by Stephanie Kleinhenz, Produced by John Petricevic, Directed by Lucile Weigel (WASA) Accidents happen. Desire springs eternal. An unlikely and poignant romance.

Philippa Bateman:
Philippa Bateman is CEO and one of the founders of independent production company April Films. April started life with a first look deal with Universal Studios and later United Artists/MGM. Philippa was also the acquisitions consultant for United Artists for Australia 2002-2004. In 2004, with April partner Garry Charny, she set up the April Babcock & Brown Movie Venture with investment bank Babcock & Brown. The first feature film financed through the venture was April Films production Jindabyne, directed by Ray Lawrence (Lantana) and starring Laura Linney and Gabriel Byrne. Jindabyne was selected for Directors' Fortnight at Cannes 2006 and has recently released in Australia to critical and commercial acclaim. Philippa is Head of Creative and responsible for all acquisitions. She recently acquired Geraldine Brooks' "March" which went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Literature in 2006.

Alice Bell:
Alice Bell started out as a production girl making music videos and television commercials. Her first screenplay, Suburban Mayhem, produced by Leah Churchill-Brown and Jan Chapman and directed by Paul Goldman, was completed on her birthday in March 2006. Suburban Mayhem was invited to screen in the Un Certain Regard category at Cannes this year. It has subsequently screened, by invitation, at the Toronto FF, the Chicago FF and was the official Closing Night film at the Melbourne International FF. Suburban Mayhem has just been nominated for 6 IF Awards and 12 AFI awards - Alice is nominated for Best Original Screenplay in both awards and most recently won the AWGIE for Best Original Screenplay. Suburban Mayhem was released nationally in October 2006 and has been sold into most major international territories for release next year. Currently Alice is developing a project with Amanda Higgs (Secret Life of Us) and another feature film, Skipping Girls, with Leah Churchill-Brown and Paul Goldman. Alice is also just about to co-direct a music video for Silverchair, due for worldwide release early next year.

Garry Maddox:
Garry Maddox is film writer for The Sydney Morning Herald. In the past, he has edited Encore magazine, written for theatre and television, worked for the Film Finance Corporation and written industry reports on such subjects as pay television and how film and television producers survive. He reviews a film under the Maddox at the Movies banner and writes the Box Office blog for the Herald's web site every week.

Richard Brennan:
Richard is an acclaimed producer with 40 years experience in the Australian film and TV industry. He began his career in 1964 at ABC TV and since then has worked on many well-known Australian films including Homesdale (producer), The Adventures of Barry McKenzie (production manager), The Love Letters from Teralba Road (producer), Newsfront (associate producer), which won eight AFI Awards including Best Film and Best Director for Phil Noyce, The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith (pre-production manager), Starstruck (co-producer), Stir (producer), Blood Oath (line producer), Spotswood (co-producer), Cosi (producer) and The Last of the Ryans (producer), which was a finalist in the AFI Awards for Best Mini-series. He most recently produced the Tropfest finalist short film All Shook Up. Richard was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1989 for services to the media, especially filmmaking.

 

 

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