CinefestOZ
CinefestOZ is an annual film festival that takes place over five days in the South West region of Western Australia. IndigifestOZ is a section of the festival devoted to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander filmmakers. The CinefestOZ Film Prize of A$100,000 is the richest film prize in the country.
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Location | South West region, Western Australia |
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Founded | 2008 |
Website | cinefestoz |
History
The CinefestOZ film festival was founded in 2008 by David Barton and Helen Shervington, "as a cultural celebration of the French bicentenary of Antipodean exploration of the South West corner of Western Australia". The opening film at the inaugural festival was the highly-acclaimed Australian film Black Balloon.[1]
The festival has staged IndigifestOZ since 2015, which provides a showcase for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander filmmakers.[1]
Description
The events are staged in Busselton, the Margaret River wine region,[2] Bunbury,[3] Dunsborough,[4] and Augusta.[5] The festival showcases Australian and French films, and awards the CinefestOZ Film Prize of $100,000AUD, to feature films and documentaries first screened in Western Australia.[5] The CinefestOZ prize is the largest cash film prize in Australia, and one of the largest in the world.[4][6]
Recent activities
The 2021 festival was the 14th edition, taking place from 25 to 29 August 2021.[7] The feature documentary film Under the Volcano, produced by WA producer Cody Greenwood[3] and directed by Gracie Otto, had its Australian premiere at the festival,[8] while Akoni, a film about a Nigerian refugee struggling to integrate into Australian society by Australian filmmaker Genna Chanelle Hayes, had its world premiere.[9][10]
The Australian drama film Nitram, based on the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, won the 2021 Film Prize.[6][11]
References
- "Festival History". CinefestOZ Film Festival (in Bosnian). 25 October 2018. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
- "The Festival". CinefestOZ Film Festival. 25 October 2018. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
- "CinefestOZ 2021 kicks off to sold out crowds". CinefestOZ Film Festival. 27 August 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
- "Geographe French Australian Festivals Incorporated: CinefestOZ". Screen Australia. 23 April 2019. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
- Keating, Rebecca (26 August 2021). "Every reason you need to go to CinefestOZ Film Festival in magical Margaret River". Urban List. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
- "'Nitram' Claims First Prize At in-Person CinefestOZ Festival". Variety. 30 August 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
- "Program". CinefestOZ Film Festival. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
- "Under the Volcano". Rush. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
- "Genna Chanelle Hayes Film Akoni to Have World Premiere at CinefestOZ, Augusta". The Curb. 28 July 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
- Keast, Jackie (25 August 2021). "Genna Chanelle Hayes' 'Akoni' is an indie labour of love". IF Magazine. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
- O'Shea, Ben (28 August 2021). "Martin Bryant film Nitram wins $100,000 CinefestOZ prize as WA premiere screens in Busselton". PerthNow. Retrieved 2 September 2021.