Premier and Minister for the Arts
The Honourable Anna Bligh

Monday, August 10, 2009

NEW QUEENSLAND FILMMAKERS SHINE IN AWARDS NIGHT

 

The Premier and Arts Minister Anna Bligh has congratulated the Queensland Academy of Creative Industries (QACI) for taking out the top award in the secondary school category in the 23^rd Warner Roadshow Queensland New Filmmakers Awards (QNFA).

Ms Bligh said the QACI short film, Carpe Diem, about a young girl’s internal struggle to talk to the object of her affections, was named the best overall secondary production in a competitive field.

“With this win QACI is well on its way to developing award-winning creative leaders of tomorrow,” Ms Bligh said.

“These awards, coordinated and presented by Pacific Film and Television Commission, are the biggest industry sponsored new filmmaker competition in the country, recognising and encouraging the achievements of emerging Queensland filmmakers.

“Previous QNFA winners have gone on to great success at national and international film festivals, including the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.

“Ivan Sen, director of Beneath Clouds, which won Best Director at the Berlin Film Festival and at the AFI and IF Awards, was a QNFA winner, as were Michael and Peter Spierig, who have enjoyed international success with their first feature film Undead and are currently working on their second feature film Daybreakers.”

Bond University’s Broken Road, about a family camping expedition that prompts a father to reflect on his life, took out Best Overall Production.

Griffith Film School topped tertiary honours, taking out 10 awards, including the coveted best director and producer awards.

Ms Bligh said 28 awards were presented, covering all areas of filmmaking from direction and writing to acting and sound.

More than 160 nominations were received for this year’s awards, with winners selected by a panel of industry judges based on criteria including originality, creativity and technical skill.

Over the last 22 years, judges have viewed over 2000 films and presented over 300 awards of excellence, with a prize pool totalling almost $400 000.

A full list of QNFA winners follows. The QNFA are part of the St. George Bank Brisbane International Film Festival which finishes on 9 August.

Media contact: 07 32244500

QNFA Award Winners 2009

Award	Winning Film	School/Institution
Best Secondary Drama	Carpe Diem	Queensland Academy for Creative Industries
Best Secondary Documentary	Sounds of the Street	Anglican Church Grammar School
Best Secondary Other	By My Side	Queensland Academy for Creative Industries
Best Overall Secondary Production	Carpe Diem	Queensland Academy for Creative Industries
Schools which exhibits Creativity, Initiative & Effort	n/a	St. Joseph’s College
Best Tertiary Drama up to 10 mins	Strike	Griffith Film School
Best Tertiary Drama 10-30 mins	Broken Road	Bond University
Best Tertiary Documentary	Vernon	Griffith Film School
Best Tertiary Other	Maguki Haduki	Griffith Film School
Best Independent Drama up to 10 mins	The Pessimist	n/a
Best Independent Other	“Inside Moves” by Smart Artists	n/a
Award for Best Actor (Male)	Isn’t It Lovely	Griffith Film School
Award for Best Actor (Female)	Let Go	Bond University
David Copping Memorial Production Design Award	Last Breath	QUT
Encouragement Award for Cinematography	Strawberry Swing	St. Joseph’s College
Most Outstanding Cinematography	Beyond Blood	Bond University
Excellence in Editing	Strike	Griffith Film School
Original Screen Music Award	Broken Road	Bond University
Best Sound	The Pessimist	n/a
Best Animation	Seawoks	Griffith Film School
Best Music Video	Wasps	Griffith Film School
Most Promising New Filmmaker	Turn Me On	Anglican Church Grammar School
Most Original Script	A Few Words With Loneliness	n/a
Innovation of Form	Maguki Haduki	Griffith Film School
Best Director	Yellow	Griffith Film School
Best Producer	Yellow	Griffith Film School
Most Popular Film	BiPolar	QUT
Best Overall Film	Broken Road	Bond University

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