Show Me Shorts Film Festival

Forty films have been selected for this year’s Show Me Shorts Film Festival, the annual showcase of New Zealand and Australian short filmmaking talent.

The festival kicks off with an awards night on November 5 at Academy Cinemas in Auckland, where audiences will have the chance to see the winning films and celebrate with the filmmakers. 

The subject matter of the films is varied with a range of themes for the 2009 programme, from ‘Brothers in Arms’ to ‘Random Encounters’. 

Festival Director Gina Dellabarca says the themed sessions this year are less genre-based to allow viewers to enjoy a wide range of short films in each sitting. 

“The high calibre of film-making has been deeply impressive.  There is a bit of everything from rocking special effects to tender tearful moments”

Judges from the film industry will help decide winners for each category, with high production values and originality being strong deciding factors.  This year’s winner of the Kodak Best Film Award will receive, among other prizes, 5 x 400ft rolls of Kodak 16mm Color Negative Motion Picture Film, estimated at NZD$1500. 

The competition heats up this year with the introduction of several new award categories. There will now be awards for:  Kodak Best Film, Best Student Film, SDGNZ Best Director, NZ Writers Guild Best Screenplay, StarNow.com Best Actor, Atlab Best Cinematographer, SDGNZ Best Editor and Special Jury Prize.

This year organisers have added workshops in Auckland and Wellington, providing the opportunity for budding short filmmakers to learn from the pros.