International Director to Select NZ’s Best Shorts

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday 16 May

International Director to Select NZ’s Best Shorts

International filmmaker Alison Maclean has been confirmed as selector for the New Zealand International Film Festival’s New Zealand’s Best Shorts competition for 2013.

After studying at Elam Art school in Auckland Alison first worked as production assistant on Vincent Ward’s Virgil (1984). Her international directing career includes feature-length work Crush (1992) and Jesus’ Son (1999), and high profile US television work over the last decade, including Gossip Girl, The Tudors, and Sex and the City. Her short film Kitchen Sink debuted at Cannes in 1989 and went on to win eight international awards.

“Alison directed Kitchen Sink, a classic New Zealand short and one of the most frequently screened. Her features and TV work have never lost that same edge. We couldn’t be more pleased that this year’s shorts are being honoured with her attention.” says NZIFF Director Bill Gosden.

Alison is now based in New York and will be viewing a shortlist of 12 films for consideration for NZIFF’s NZ’s Best Short film competition. Her selection of five or six films will be announced on 30 May.

In 2012 the New Zealand’s Best Shorts competition was launched. Since the world premiere screenings at NZIFF all of the short films have gone on to screen internationally. Recent awards news includes Ellen Is Leaving (director Michelle Savill) winning Best Short at SXSW and Best Narrative Short at San Francisco International Film Festival; Home (director Thomas Gleeson) won a Special Jury award for Best Documentary Short at the San Francisco International Film Festival.

The New Zealand’s Best Shorts annual competition has three prizes to be won: the Madman Entertainment Jury Prize of $5,000 cash, the Friends of the Civic prize of $3,000 cash, and the Audience Award which is 25% of the net box office takings from the screenings in the four main centres. In 2012 the Audience Award was worth over $5,000.

NZIFF dates for 2013 are confirmed for the following regions:
Auckland 18 July – 4 August
Wellington 26 July – 11 August
Christchurch 1 – 18 August
Dunedin 8 – 25 August
Gore 14 – 25 August
Palmerston North 15 August – 1 September
Hamilton 22 August – 15 September
Nelson 28 August – 15 September
Tauranga 12 – 29 September
Masterton 16 – 30 October
Hawke’s Bay 16 October – 3 November
New Plymouth 24 October – 6 November

The programme for NZIFF Auckland will be announced on Monday 24 June and Wellington on Thursday 27 June. Tickets will be on sale in Auckland from Friday 28 June, and in Wellington from Tuesday 2 July from Ticketek. For Festival updates visit www.nziff.co.nz and register to receive e-newsletters.

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