The spotlight shone on the Illawarra's growing screen sector tonight at the Creative Wollongong Short Film Competition and Festival screening and awards event held at UOW University Hall.
Presented by City of Wollongong in partnership with Screen Illawarra, the festival supports emerging and established filmmakers by providing opportunities to develop their skills, collaborate with industry professionals, and share their stories with wider audiences.
This year's competition attracted the highest number of entries to date, with 35 locally made films submitted across three categories: Open (ages 19+), 12–18 Years, and Commissioned Films.
Films had to be new, original, filmed in the local area and incorporate this year's signature, "birds", which was chosen to reflect the City of Wollongong's commitment to sustainability and climate resilience.
Sixteen standout finalists across all categories were screened at the festival, with award winners and runners-up announced in front of a capacity audience of over 900 attendees.
Lord Mayor of Wollongong Cr Tania Brown said that tonight's event highlighted the strength and potential of the region's screen industry.
"This competition is a beautiful example of what happens when creative talent meets professional opportunity.
These filmmakers are telling stories that resonate far beyond our region and are helping cement the Illawarra as a place where artistic innovation is not only encouraged, but is celebrated."
The competition was judged by an acclaimed panel of Australian screen industry representatives:
Vincent Sheehan – Producer (Fisk, Mullet, Jasper Jones)
Yael Stone – Actor (Orange Is the New Black)
Ian Collie – Producer (Colin from Accounts, The Twelve).
The youth category was judged by cinematographer and recent AFTRS graduate Skye Netting (Ace of Spades).
Competition winners shared in more than $5,000 in cash and prizes.
Image: Lynette Curran in Bin Day
Category – Commissioned Films
The commissioned category invited local creatives to pitch film concepts responding to this year's theme, birds. From almost 40 pitches, eight were selected, commissioned and paired with a professional production company to bring their vision to life.
Winner – Best Film: Bin Day
By Jane Fullerton-Smith and India Goss Maher with Moonlander Media
It's bin day and a beautiful morning for a heated neighbourly spat.
Second Place – Best Film: MiMic
By Glenn Hanns with Sketchbook TV
When a lyrebird's song carries echoes of his lost father, a young sound recordist is lured deep into the rainforest, chasing voices that blur the line between memory and madness.
Best Performance – Joint Winners
Amelia Conway (Faye)
Jennifer Gray (MiMic)
Image: Adriana Mazevski in The Things We Bury
Category – Open
Winner – Best Film: The Things We Bury By Nicole Stojanovska and Nuno Dias
A poignant Macedonian-Australian short film about resilience, heritage and the unspoken truths binding a granddaughter and her grandmother.
Second Place – Best Film: Bogan Bird
By Holly Trenaman & Tyrone McCrystal
Dusty is a noisy miner bird – one of Australia's least favourite birds – who acts like a local bogan. Dusty keeps pestering a Wollongong-resident: a guy who can no longer leave his house without being attacked. When the guy has a date 'round, things go horribly wrong.
Best Performance – Joint Winners
Adriana Mazevski (The Things we Bury)
Jack Tickner (River of Destiny)
Image: Sabina Bassi in The Day
Category – Ages 12 – 18 years
Winner – Best Film: The Day
by Five Islands Secondary College Supported by Wollongong Youth Services
A student schedules a day to be brave about who they really are even though it's scary.
Second Place – Best Film: Queer Bingo
Supported by Wollongong Youth Services
An inventive short doco that is powerful in its unique take, the interviewees share their lived experience with humour, authenticity and heart.
Best Performance – Joint Winners
Kayden Jackson (Lazlo)
Sabina Bassi (The Day)
Additional Prizes
- Emerging Actor Award: Ricky Gamble for Dark Sails on the Horizon
- Screen Illawarra annual memberships awarded toAristos Markou (The Black and Blue), Brian Yap (4 the Birds, Sound of Summer), David Willison and Joke Amosun (Processing) and Antra Johri and Alana Holley (Serendipity).
Creative Wollongong Short Film Competition and Festival was supported by The Guardians of the Grassy Woodlands project led by the Illawarra Ecosystems and Threatened Species Team, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Coequal, Bus Stop Films, ITeC Academy, TAFE NSW , TEN ALPHAS, Yours & Owls, Illawarra Film Society, Moonlander Films, Relativity Films, Sketchbook TV , Who & Why Media and Eye Candy Film Productions.
