FLICKERFEST SET TO LIGHT UP THE PAVILION WITH A STELLA RANGE OF SHORTS

By Dan Hutton on January 4, 2017 in

Short films are a very particular art form. They belong to a medium that does not receive very much funding or attention, but when done well, they are able to move an audience to tears or send them into fits of uproarious laughter within the space of a few minutes. That is no mean feat.

As such, and despite existing in a time when public arts support continues to get cut, the ongoing strength of Flickerfest is a cause for jubilant celebration.

Now entering its 26th year, Flickerfest remains Australia’s only Academy-accredited and BAFTA recognised short film festival – and, luckily for readers of The Beast, it retains its traditional home at the iconic Bondi Pavilion.

This year, Flickerfest kicks off on January 6 and runs until January 15, with festival ambassador (and this month
’s cover model) Miranda Tapsell at the helm. Miranda, who you might recognise from her fabulous work on Love Child, her many captivating performances at the Belvoir, or from films such as The Sapphires, is currently a tour de force in the Australian entertainment scene, and this year she stars as Dorothy in Flickerfest’s annual trailer.

Every year Flickerfest organisers choose a theme for the festival, then they get together a bunch of Australia’s best and brightest talent to produce a short film introducing the festival’s line-up to the world. This year they’ve outdone themselves.

“Every year the Flickerfest trailer does some sort of homage to a certain iconic film,” Ms. Tapsell.
“Last year, they had my friend Abby Earl play Marilyn Monroe. Before that, there’s been a 007-theme, and Blues Brothers.”

This year’s trailer splices together the classic fairytale narrative of The Wizard of Oz with a quest to get to the Flickerfest film screenings in Bondi, and boasts an entirely Indigenous cast.

Starring Tapsell as Dorothy, Christine Anu as the Good Witch, Jeremy Ambrum as the Cowardly Lion, Bjorn Stewart as Tin Man, Meyne Wyatt as the Scarecrow and Alexis Lane as the Wicked Witch, the trailer is a cheeky, aesthetically gorgeous delight directed by award-winning Indigenous director Dena Curtis.

The 2017 Flickerfest program is chock-a-block with Aussie talent – think Alyssa McClelland, Cameron Knight, Damian Walshe-Howling and the aforementioned Abby Earl and Miranda Tapsell, to name just a few.

Among the awesome shorts on show, we are particularly excited about new Australian film The Eleven O’Clock, with an all-star cast including Josh Lawson, Damon Herriman and McClelland, the film tells the story of a delusional patient of a psychiatrist who believes he is actually the psychiatrist.

Festival director, Bronwyn Kidd, could not hide her pride in the festival, which embarks on a road trip to over 50 Australian venues after the completion of the Bondi event.

“After 26 years I’m proud that Flickerfest continues to be a platform for the best of Australia’s and the world’s most talented filmmakers and I’m very much looking forward to showcasing these brilliant short films to eager audiences not just in Sydney but at over 50 venues in all states of Australia on our national tour,” Ms. Kidd said.

For tickets and more information about Flickerfest, head to www.flickerfest.com.au.