MEDIA RELEASE Wednesday 30 April 2014

2014 ST KILDA FILM FESTIVAL’S FULL PROGRAM REVEALED Thursday 22 – Saturday 31 May 2014

Proudly presented by the City of Port Phillip, the St Kilda Film Festival, Australia’s premier short film festival, has unveiled a jam-packed 2014 program. The ten-day event will feature Australia’s Top 100 short films, music videos, archival screenings, youth programs, filmmaker development forums as well as an international showcase presented by Palm Springs International ShortFest. Held at St Kilda’s Palais and Astor Theatre from Thursday 22 to Saturday 31 May 2014, the St Kilda Film Festival is now an ACADEMY AWARDS® qualifying event with award-winning films eligible for consideration in the OSCARS® Short Film Awards. Festival Director Paul Harris invites audiences to enjoy the work of emerging artists and accomplished industry professionals at the esteemed event. “We are delighted to announce the 2014 St Kilda Film Festival ten-day program, showcasing exceptional short films and Australian talent with something for everyone to enjoy with friends and family,” said Mr Harris. The Opening Night will see the Palais Theatre welcome industry stars as they walk down the red carpet to launch the 31st St Kilda Film Festival on Thursday 22 May, where more than 3000 guests will sample a selection of shorts from the 2014 program. Throughout the week, Australia’s Top 100 will screen the best short film entries received this year, all vying for more than $40,000 in cash and in-kind prizes. The legendary Astor Theatre will host 14 dynamic Top 100 sessions, showcasing a range of filmmakers and genres including comedies, documentaries, animations and dramas. Highlights from the Top 100 include:

• Two Player Game – Director Joseph Gordon-Levitt Animated by Australian Steve Baker and featuring the voice of Scarlett Johansson, this comedy explores the mind games being played in a relationship

• A Writer and 3 Script Editors Walk into a Bar – Director Matthew Saville A world premiere, this will be Matthew’s second short film to play on Opening Night, starring Dave Lawson (Bonny Doon)

• Godel, Incomplete – Director Martha Goddard Elizabeth Debecki (The Great Gatsby) stars in a time-travel love story between one of the great minds of the 20th century and a lonely particle physicist

• I Want You – Director Viva Bianca Viva Bianca’s directorial debut, this is the Australian premiere of a relationship that unfolds on a computer screen

On Thursday 29 May, SoundKILDA will screen and award the best music videos of local and international musicians by some of country’s most talented filmmakers. Known as Australia’s only dedicated music video competition, collaborations include Director Natasha Pincus with The Paper Kites, Director Emma Freeman with CocoRosie, Director Summer DeRoche with City Calm Down and Directors Charlie Ford and Josh McKie with Vance Joy. As part of the Festival, audiences will travel back in time with three special event archival programs:

• Zombiethon – Saturday 24 May For one ghoulish night, audiences will be treated to dozens of movie trailers, music videos and shorts in a marathon for zombie enthusiasts

• Ernest Singer Presents: A Tribute to the Home Movie Pioneer – Sunday 25 May Home movie enthusiast Ernest Singer (father of renowned bio-ethicist Peter Singer) created a selection of short fictional narratives, produced from 1953 to 1958, which were entrusted to the National Film and Sound

Archive of Australia. They will screen publicly for the first time at St Kilda Film Festival, with live musical accompaniment.

• Back to the Sixties –Monday 26 May The 1968 feature documentary Snap and Crackle of Pop investigates what went on behind the scenes in the Australian pop scene, with a musical line-up including Doug Parkinson, John Burgess and John Farnham.

Throughout the Festival, emerging artists have the opportunity to gain practical skills and advice from industry experts with the free Filmmaker Development Series, presenting a diverse range of forums covering everything filmmakers need to know. On Saturday 24 May, a full day of back-to-back forums comes to The Astor Theatre under the moniker The Big Picture, featuring a live broadcast of Triple R’s Film Buffs Forecast and a panel with the makers of the new Australian feature film, Healing. On Wednesday 28 May, the Under the Radar Competition will showcase the extraordinary work being produced by young filmmakers under 21 years of age. To conclude its 31st year, the Festival will host the Closing Night Awards at the St Kilda Town Hall on Saturday 31 May where the best of this year’s filmmakers will be awarded over $40,000 in cash and in-kind prizes. The full program is available to view now at www.stkildafilmfestival.com.au As Australia’s oldest and largest short film festival, the St Kilda Film Festival showcases exceptional films by emerging artists, providing the most comprehensive overview of the country’s short film industry.

-ENDS-

To keep up to date on the St Kilda Film Festival, please visit www.stkildafilmfestival.com.au / @stkildafilmfest and join the conversation #SKFF

For all media enquiries please contact Judy Chung at Wrights for the St Kilda Film Festival on 03 9690 9911 / 0432 502 070 / jchung@wrights.com.au