Top Talent In NZ's Biggest Short Film Festival

6 March 2006

Top Kiwi Film Talent to Feature in NZ’s
Biggest Audience Short Film Festival

Oscar nominated short film director Taika Waititi, actor Danielle Cormack and Cliff Curtis are among the New Zealand film talent to feature in this year’s Richmond Road Short Film Festival in Auckland on Saturday, March 25th.

This popular short film festival will once again take place in the grounds of historic Richmond Road School in Ponsonby and will showcase 12 films competing for awards in five categories.

Films will be screened under the stars in the grounds of Richmond Road School on a giant 40ft x 20ft inflatable screen. The 12 finalist films to be shown on the night have been selected from more than 45 entries, and once again represent the elite of short film making in New Zealand.

Among the 12 finalists to be screened on March 25 will be Taika Waititi’s film Tama Tu, a story of six Maori Battalian soldiers waiting in a ruined Italian villa for night to fall and trying to forget the reminders of war all around them. Tama Tu has already received an Honorable Mention at the Sundance Film Festival, while Waititi’s celebrated short film Two Cars, One Night was an Oscar nominee in 2005. Actor Cliff Curtis is co-producer with Ainsley Gardner of Tama Tu.

Actor Danielle Cormack stars in the short film Together directed by Felicity Morgan-Rhind, the story of a daughter who returns home for Christmas and confronts her father’s dementia.

The Richmond Road Short Film Festival started in 2001 as an innovative way to raise funds for Richmond Road School, and this year two films by school parents are included among the 12 finalists.

Films screened on the night will compete for awards in the following categories:
- Best Screenplay
- Best Direction
- Best Performance – Best Actor and Best Actress
- Best Short Film Overall

On the night the audience will also decide a People’s Choice Award by text voting. Winners receive a ‘Richie’, Richmond Road’s answer to an Oscar.
Films must run for no more than 20 minutes duration to qualify and must involve one key creative (writer, director or producer) who is a New Zealand citizen or permanent New Zealand resident.

An audience of around 1,500 people is expected to gather under the stars to view this year’s films. Robbie Magasiva and Te Radar will MC the evening, with live music, gourmet food stalls and a licensed bar rounding off a fun night’s entertainment.

Tickets are $20 and available from Ticketek and the Richmond Road School office, with limited gate sales on the night. Some seating is provided although the audience is welcome to bring seats, cushions and rugs. (The rain date is Sunday March 26.)

Richmond Road Short Film Festival, Saturday March 25 from 6pm,
in the grounds of historic Richmond Road School, Ponsonby

Finalist Films:
Eating Sausage
Writer/director: Zia Mandviwalla

Truant
Writer: Heather Menzies; Director: Michael Duignan

No Ordinary Sun
Writer/director: Jonathan Brough

Nothing Special
Writer: Helena Brooks and Jaquie Brown; Director: Helena Brooks

The Man Who Couldn’t Dance
Writer/director: Barry Prescott

Forbidden Fruit
Writer: Katie Leach and Mark Torley; Director: Adam Simpson

Bad Dates
Writer/director: Grant Lahood

Together
Writer/director: Felicity Morgan-Rhind

The Little Things
Writer/director: Reina Webster

Kerosene Creek
Writer/director: Michael Bennett

In Your Absence
Writer/director: Angela Gribben

Tama Tu
Writer/director: Taika Waititi

ENDS

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