Emerging Short-Film Makers Scoop Audience Awards in Winton

Winton, Brisbane and Sydney Short Film Makers scooped the audience awards under the stars of the outback at this year’s Qantas Short Film Competition on closing night of Winton’s 2015 Vision Splendid Outback Film Festival.

 

Brisbane based film maker and director, Neil McGregor’s film, “The Gap” was awarded the winning film with the audience voting in true outback style.  Audience members were asked to vote by throwing their paper planes which were made as part of the Qantas Paper Plane Competition.

 

“It was such a great way to generate greater audience participation” explained Festival Director, Mr Mark Melrose. “Earlier in the festival we held paper plane making workshops, the Qantas Paper Plane Competition followed by the screening of Australian film Paper Planes, so it was a natural progression to use our paper planes for voting in this year’s short film competition”.

 

In a touching moment on the night, competition winner, Neil McGregor announced, “I would like to donate the prize money to the town of Winton who have struggled with years of drought and hardship, and who most recently, lost the Waltzing Matilda Centre during a tragic fire”.

 

Local film maker, Jacinda Hona came a close second for her film “Anty Amy”.  Jacinda, a local Winton High School student will be making tracks to Sydney with her win, which included a course gift certificate from The Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS).

 

Third prize was awarded to a joint submission by film students, Wong KiBin, Kristen Gamble, Chanel Tang and Paige Farrow of Griffith Film School and the University of New South Wales for their documentary on the Waltzing Matilda Centre fire.  The students have vowed to return to Winton by using their prize of train travel on Queensland Rail’s “Spirit of the Outback”.

 

Fourth prize was awarded to Claude Gonalez from Sydney for his short film, “Twelve Steps”.

 

Festival Artistic Director and Film Curator, Dr Greg Dogopolov said “This year’s short-films were a broad exposure of films from independent film makers to university and high school students.  It really brought the Winton community together from being in front and behind the camera.  It was great to see their enjoyment of seeing their town and stories on the big screen.  We look forward to bringing more outback and Australian inspired content to next year’s short film competition”.

 

The Qantas Short Film Competition was staged as part of the 2015 Vision Splendid Outback Film Festival in Winton, Queensland.

 

INTERVEIWS

Mr Mark Melrose, Festival Director                                                                 M: 0461 158 697

Dr Greg Dolgopolov, Festival Artistic Diretor and Film Curator                   M: 0424 610 123

Cr Butch Lenton, Mayor, Winton Shire Council                                             M 0438 361 038

Ms Chanel Tang, UNSW Student and award recipient                                   M 0413 360 128