Port Shorts to present quality line-up
Port Shorts Festival
A total 18 films will form the playlist for next month’s Port Shorts Film Festival with 12 finalists in the Open Film category, four in the Local Film section and two music videos in the running for gongs.
A lone animated entry from Japanese film maker Kazuyuki Ishihara joins a line-up of films from Australian directors, including Perth-based Indigenous filmmaker Tace Stevens with the film Anangu Way, and Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, creator Damian McLindon, and Melbourne marine biologist turned filmmaker Jack Breedon in the Open Film category.
Ryan Sauer and Rhianna Malezer will get the expected big turn out at Rex Smeal Park for the big night on Saturday, October 18, up and grooving with their music video entries Dancing2 and TIME, while the ever-popular local film category is set to shine a spotlight on the talent in Far North Queensland.
Entries for the title of top local film come from The Clones, returning to the festival after entertaining in 2022 with Benny and The Clones Go Camping and The Clones Visit The Dark Priest Tropical, and popular Port Douglas character Darroch “Syd” McMonnies with his spoof advert for a wood splitter.
Scott Anderssen has created a film about a tourist stumbling across an interesting Thai Cafe in Kuranda and Liz Christensen, Garth Edwards, Dane Hallam present their film, Unfollow to round out the Local Film category.
Open Category finalists are in the running for a share in more than $10,000 in cash and prizes and are eligible for consideration and discounted entry to the AACTA Best Short Film Award category in what is a recently announced partnership with the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards.
AACTA Awards and Industry Development Manager Ivan Vukusic was a judge at the 2024 awards and has given support for the 2025 event.
“There is nothing quite like the Port Shorts Film Festival,’’ he said.
“Run with a lot of heart and passion by an incredibly dedicated team, it is the most picturesque festival in Australian and most probably the world, with a beautiful community vibe.’’
Port Shorts host, Ambassador and judge, legendary actor Stephen Curry, said Port Shorts had been “filling my creative cup for the past 10 years’’.
“The quality of the films and the beauty of Rex Smeal Park under the stars with the palm trees, the Coral Sea and the Daintree Rainforest as the backdrop is pretty hard to beat,’’ he said.
Support public interest journalism
Help us to continue covering local stories that matter. Please consider supporting below.
