Forging bonds between Australia and Indonesia
The inaugural ReelOzInd! Australia Indonesia Short Film Competition and Festival will provide aspiring filmmakers a platform to raise awareness and improve understanding between the two countries.
The competition is being promoted by the Australia-Indonesia Centre. Event organiser, Monash University’s Dr Jemma Purdey, said the festival is a unique offering, combining the powerful storytelling medium of short film with the opportunity to showcase the talents of Australian and Indonesian filmmakers to audiences from both countries.
“There is no other festival that brings Australian and Indonesian filmmakers together to share their work and stories in the same forum,” Dr Purdey said.
“And today, when internet and mobile technology is so widely accessible for both the creation and viewing of stories, those stories can have an impact.”
Entrants, from students to more established filmmakers, are being asked to create a short film in either documentary, fiction or animation categories that reference the theme ‘neighbour’. Submissions close 18 July 2016 and winners will share in $15,000 worth of prizes.
Dr Purdey says they’re hoping that filmmakers will respond to the theme in creative ways.
“They might like to approach the theme from a local, individual, or community level, nationally, or globally. We are inviting filmmakers to respond to the theme as broadly or as narrowly as they like,” she said.
The judging panel will include prominent Australians and Indonesians from the arts, film, media and academia, including Australian film and television comedy mastermind Tom Gleisner (The Dish, The Castle), producer Andrew Mason (The Matrix trilogy, The Water Diviner) and Indonesian filmmaking duo Mira Lesmana and Riri Riza (Ada Apa dengan Cinta?).
The festival will announce a shortlist of films, which will be screened online before the winners are announced. Awards will be presented at events in Jakarta and at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image in Melbourne.
The Australia-Indonesia Centre, established by the Australian Government in late 2013, aims to build stronger relationships between Australia and Indonesia. The Centre, hosted by Monash University, is coordinating the Australia Indonesia Short Film Competition and Festival to give aspiring filmmakers the opportunity to share stories away from stereotypes, headlines and political drama.
For more information, go to www.reelozind.com