St Kilda Film Festival, Australia’s longest-running short film festival, has revealed the winners of Australia’s Top Short Film Competition for 2022.
Presented by City of Port Phillip, St Kilda Film Festival ran from 27 May – 5 June and couldn’t wait to get back into major venues, such as the famous Astor Theatre in St Kilda.
The Festival Award winners for 2022 were announced on the final day of the festival, Sunday 5 June, and include:
Baltasar, directed by Brietta Hague and produced by Estela Rasal and Gala Gracia, was awarded the prestigious Best Short Film and took home the cash prize of $10,000, courtesy of City of Port Phillip.
The film is a Spanish-Australian co-production about a Senegalese man’s diligent attempts to make ends meet in a new land. Director Brietta Hague took home Best Director and Best Achievement in Screenplay for Baltasar.
The Craft Award was awarded to Freedom Swimmer, directed by Olivia Martin-McGuire and produced by Brooke Silcox and Ron Dyens, receiving a $2,000 cash prize sponsored by VicScreen.
Best Documentary went to Inferno, directed and produced by Samuel Rodwell, taking home $1,000. Samuel Rodwell took home Best Achievement in Sound Post-Production for Inferno.
The Better Angels, directed by Michael Cusack and produced by Richard Chataway, was awarded Best Animation, winning a one-on-one masterclass with one of JMC’s industry specialist lecturers.
Best Achievement in Indigenous Filmmaking was awarded to Bunker: The Last Fleet, directed and produced by Rowan Pullen and Stephen Potter. The award was sponsored by Post Lab, with a $1,000 cash prize.
The St Kilda Film Festival’s industry professional judging panel consisted of Emma Bortignon, Johanna Kelly, and Pauline Clague.
Bortignon stated: ”It was an absolute pleasure to be a judge for the 2022 St Kilda Film Festival with fellow judges and legends Pauline Clauge and Joh Kelly,” said Bortignon.
“Listening, watching and experiencing the entries was thrilling, and we had loads of excellent discussions while drilling down to the winners,” she said.
“On behalf of the judges who viewed all the films for this year’s event, it’s my enormous pleasure to congratulate the nominees and winners of this year’s festival” said St Kilda Festival Director, Richard Sowada.
“We congratulate all the filmmakers across the entire festival and the hundreds who entered.”
“It takes a lot of heart and passion to put your ideas into the public arena, and we acknowledge the trust they put in us to look after their hard work,” said Sowada.
SKFF is Australia’s longest-running short film festival, recognising the genre of short film, including music videos, gaming and immersive forms, celebrating some of Australia’s best local short filmmakers and screen artists.
Now in its 39th year St Kilda Film Festival (SKFF) returned to the big screen across Friday 27 May – Sunday 5 June 2022. SKFF is supported by major government partners Screen Australia and VicScreen.
For more information and full list of 2022 nominees and award-winners, visit: www.stkildafilmfestival.com.au for details.
Image: Baltasar – courtesy of St Kilda Film Festival