Works by AFTRS alumni have been selected to screen across various program strands at this year’s Berlin International Film Festival, kicking off on the 20th of February. The work of 18 alumni will be on show at the festival across two features, two short films and two television series.
John Sheedy’s H is For Happiness – written/produced by alumna Lisa Hoppe and lensed by Bonnie Elliot ACS will have its international premiere opening for the Generation Kplus program, competing for the Crystal Bear prize. The film won Best Film at CinefestOZ and has just been released in Australian cinemas.
Short film, Elders produced by alumna Charlotte Semour is also screening as part of Generation Kplus in competition. This will be its European premiere following appearances at Melbourne and Sydney Film Festivals and imagineNATIVE in Toronto in 2019.
High Ground, a feature produced by Greer Simpkin and Paul Wiegard, shot by Andrew Commis and edited by Karryn De Cynque is set to have its world premiere in the Berlinale Special Screenings program. Girl and Body, a short film shot by Bonnie Elliot ACS will have its international premiere in the Berlinale Shorts program.
In Berlinale series, the first two episodes of the second season of Mystery Road and Stateless will be screening.
“We worked on a story with a crew and cast that supported us two hundred percent. Jobs like this don’t come up all that often where you’re allowed to work with your family. I hope people are proud of it as much as we are.”
- Wayne Blair, co-director of ‘Mystery Road’ Series two
Congratulations to all alumni that have work selected for the festival.
See the full program here.
FULL LIST OF ALUMNI FILMS AT THE BERLINALE
FEATURES
H IS FOR HAPPINESS
Writer/producer: Lisa Hoppe (Master of Screen Arts, 2012; Graduate Diploma in Producing and Screen Business, 2011)
Cinematographer: Bonnie Elliot ACS (Master of Arts: Film, Television and Digital Media Cinematography, 2006)
HIGH GROUND
Producer: Greer Simpkin (Graduate Certificate in Business Administration: Creative Industries, 2010)
Executive producer: Paul Wiegard (Master of Screen Arts & Business, 2015)
Cinematographer: Andrew Commis (Master of Arts: Film & Television Cinematography, 1998)
Editor: Karryn De Cinque (Master of Arts: Film & Television Editing, 1998)
TELEVISION SERIES
STATELESS
Director Emma Freedman, Jocelyn Moorehouse (Diploma Directing, 1983)
Writer: Belinda Chayko (Bachelor of Arts: Film & Television Scriptwriting, 1989)
Producer: Shelia Jayadev (Graduate Certificate Producing, 2011)
Executive producer: Tony Ayres (Certificate Scriptwriting, 1989)
Cinematographer: Bonnie Elliot ACS (Master of Arts: Film, Television and Digital Media Cinematography, 2006)
Production designer: Melinda Doring (Master of Arts: Film & Television Design, 1997)
MYSTERY ROAD
Director: Wayne Blair (Myer Indigenous Fellowship recipient, 2017), Warwick Thornton (Master of Screen Arts, 2013)
Producer: Greer Simpkin (Graduate Certificate in Business Administration: Creative Industries, 2010)
Executive producer: Ivan Sen (Bachelor of Arts: Film and TV Directing, 1997)
Writer: Steven McGregor, (Master of Arts: Film and TV Directing, 2001) and Tim Lee (Master of Arts: Film, TV and Digital Media Screenwriting, 2006).
SHORT FILMS
ELDERS
Executive producer: Charlotte Seymour (Master of Arts: Film & Television Producing, 1997)
GIRL AND BODY
Cinematographer: Bonnie Elliot ACS (Master of Arts: Film, Television and Digital Media Cinematography, 2006)