Big screen comes alive at Port Shorts
Shire festival
The heavens cleared in time for a beautiful evening of high-class films at the Port Shorts festival in Rex Smeal Park, Port Douglas, on Saturday.
Close to 1000 people laid back on rugs and relaxed in chairs as the improved screen and sound system projected out across the gorgeous sunset over the water.
With bats regularly circling overhead, host Stephen Curry held court as a huge range of professionally produced short films screened - from documentaries about homeless people doing it tough all the way through to international gangsters plying their trade - with plenty of stop-offs in the middle.
Two of the crowd favourites threatened to steal the show - Super, about two older ladies who would do almost anything to stay out of aged care, and Stranded, about a couple who were struggling to get along even though they were the only people on a desert island.
Stranded won Best Queensland Film and the Audience Choice Award, with the makers suitably proud of their achievements.
“A win for the people,” said Andre Arthur, one of the people behind the film.
“Goals ticked, dreams manifested.”
The major prize winner (Open Film Award) on the night was The Mediator about Melbourne gangland figure Mick Gatto.
Winner of the Reel Futures category for his film Enemies of Progress, Mossman Year-12 student Pablo Wild, was excited to have his film screened in front of such a big audience.
“It’s really cool, I get to see it on the big screen amongst all the other production films,” Pablo said.
“I want to get into a university of film, that’s my plan for the future.
“There’s nothing else that I’d really like to do.”
He is in pre-production for his next film, but is juggling that with Year-12 exams.
Other winners on the night included Super (Jury Award), Unfollow (Best Local Film) and Dancing2 (Best Music Video).
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