Tropfest Junior showcases the future!
February 19th 2008 06:11
SONY Tropfest the world’s largest short film festival continues to reach new heights with the strongest compilation of short films in its sixteen year history. The crowds began arriving more than 8 hours before the scheduled starting time to take advantage of the best positions in the main arena armed with picnic blankets, hampers, umbrellas and a wide array of sporting equipment to fill in those long hours before the real fun was to begin.
By 2pm a crowd of around 500 had gathered just over the hill for the inaugural Trop Junior short film festival. The only prerequisites for kids wishing to enter were that they had to be 15 and under at the time of filming and like all TROPFEST events had to include the TSI (Tropfest Signature Item). Hosted by Yumi Stynes from FOXTELS ‘Max’, the screenings eventually got under way at 2.30pm after the usual welcome address and introductions were finished.
Eight short films chosen from the 70 entries received played to an audience enthusiatically cheering at the completion of each film. Entrants from Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales showed the major potential our junior filmmakers possess and it wont be long before many of them are standing on the main stage at TROPFEST vying for the senior awards.
Main Prize went to Guy Verge Wallis for his claymation short about a young boy grieving the loss of his father before a final understanding and introverted young boy learns to love his life and the family he had become detached from. The runner up in contrast was an amusing documentary about a little boy and his love of the family chooks. The director chose her brother to be the main subject of the film because of his incessant chatterings about his chooks, a subject that if broached he would be happy to talk about for hours on end.
For the other filmmakers who didn’t take home an award, they should still be very proud of their achievements. To have made it into the inaugural TROP JUNIOR is a feat in itself and hopefully the experience has intensified their desire to continue to make great films.
Just like TROPFEST itself, TROPJR is probably one of the best opportunties for a young up and comer to show their talents screening their films at one of the most unique environments in the world.
SJC 18-02-08
Complete list of finalist films in running order
REMOTE (Queensland) - A young boy finds a remote control in the drains at his school and realises he can control the actions of the evil headmaster.
IMAGINATURE (Victoria) An amusing use of peices of nature to animate a nonsensical story. Fun!
THE DUCKS OF GENERAL GREEN (Tasmania) - The beauty of being young is that you can let your imagination go in any direction you like. Something we lose as we get older. This is a weird and wonderful story about the General and his ducks.
POOR JOSHUA VERDE (New South Wales) - A tale of loss and redemption.
FREE, FREE AT LAST - A young girl is sent to her room to contemplate her actions.
BESTIES (New South Wales) - The life and times of chooks!
ODE TO THE COLLECTOR (Victoria) - short clay animation about Rupert who colllects for the sake fo collecting. A homage to collectors all around
THE LIFE OF PERFARTO ( New South Wales) An ensemble peice by Main Arm Public School tells the tale of a girl who becomes famous for her flatulance. Perfect for TROPJR
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SimonC
