Melbourne International Film Festival returns for its 70th–anniversary edition, offering up a milestone celebration overflowing with premiere showcases, buzzworthy international features and special anniversary events in the festival’s first in-cinema Melbourne schedule since 2019.
On show in this year’s program, running from 4-21 August—and from 11-28 August online—are a whopping 43 titles featuring the work of AFTRS students and alumni. Among them are four AFTRS Master of Arts Screen student films, three of which will have their world premieres: A House, written and directed by Matthew D. Taylor, Mud Crab, written and directed by David Robinson-Smith, and Lucky Peach, written and directed by Grace Tan. Sushi Noh continues its festival journey at MIFF, with director Jayden Rathsam Hüa selected for the MIFF Accelerator Lab, alongside Matthew D. Taylor (A House).
Here’s the full list of AFTRS student and alumni films headed to Melbourne for the 2022 edition –
HEADLINERS
Three Thousand Years of Longing
(dir. George Miller)
Editor: Margaret Sixel
Supervising art director: Sophie Nash (Master of Arts (Film and Television) Design, 2002)
Assistant director: Michael Knott (Graduate Diploma in Producing, 2014)
ADR supervisor/Dialogue editor: Yulia Akerholt (Bachelor of Arts (Film & Television) Sound, 1995)
Internship (Credited): Troy Murphie (Advanced Diploma in Production Sound, 2018)
Assistant editor: Annie Zhang (Diploma in Editing Fundamentals, 2016; Diploma in Camera Fundamentals, 2016)
Set decoration buyer/dresser: Karla Urizar (Master of Arts (Film & Television) Design, 2000)
FEATURE FILMS
Audrey Napanangka
Director: Penelope McDonald (Bachelor of Arts (Film & Television) in Directing and Production, 1989)
Producer: Rachel Clements (Master of Arts (Film & Television) Producing, 2000)
Cinematographer: Justine Kerrigan (Bachelor of Arts (Film &Television) Cinematography, 1996)
Editor: Jane St Vincent Welch (Certificate Editing, 1998)
Blaze
(dir. Del Kathryn Barton)
co/writer: Huna Amweero (Graduate Diploma in Screenwriting, 2012)
Production designer: Alex Holmes (Master of Arts (Film and Television) Production Design, 2003)
Sound designer/maybe composer/music: Sam Petty (Specialist Extension Certificate Sound, 1991; Specialist Extension Certificate Editing, 1990)
Art director: Mandi Bialek-Wester (Master of Arts (Film & Television) Design, 1998)
Property master: Diva Abrahamian (Graduate Diploma in Production Design, 2014)
Boom operator: Sue Kerr (Certificate, Film & Television Sound, 1982)
Second assistant camera: Orla Hughes (Diploma in Camera, 2017)
First assistant editor: Rishi Shukla (Master of Arts: Film, Television and Digital Media Editing, 2005)
Script supervisor: Mikaeli Stanton (Bachelor of Arts (Screen), 2017)
Body Melt
(Dir. Philip Brophy)
Cinematographer: Ray Argall (Diploma in Editing, 1979)
The Club
(Dir. Bruce Beresford)
Second assistant director: Christopher Williams (Certificate in Directing, 1984)
Clapper loader: Paul Nichola (Diploma in Cinematography, 1980)
Death in Brunswick
(Dir. John Ruane)
Production assistant: Miriam Stein (Specialist Extension Certificate Producing, 1997)
Dogs in Space
(Dir. Richard Lowenstein)
First assistant director: Ross Hamilton (Certificate in Directing, 1973)
Sound mixer: Bruce Emery (Diploma in Sound, 1980)
Assistant sound editor: Virginia Murray (Certificate – the register doesn’t say anything, 1991)
Ghosts… of the Civil Dead
(Dir. John Hillcoat)
Sound recordist: Bronwyn Murphy (Diploma in Sound, 1982)
Rehearsal director: Ian Watson (Graduate Certificate Screen: Creative Producing, 2018)
Head On
(Dir. Ana Kokkinos)
Dolby consultant: Bruce Emery (Diploma in Sound, 1980)
Second assistant editor: Rowena Crowe (Master of Arts: Film, Television and Digital Media in Documentary, 2005)
First assistant editor/post-production coordinator (Graduate Certificate: Screenwriting, 2010)
The Home Song Stories
Dir. Tony Ayres (Certificate in Scriptwriting, 1989)
Music: Antony Partos (Bachelor of Arts (Film & Television) Sound, 1990)
Cinematography: Nigel Bluck (Specialist Extension Course Certificate Cinematography, 1995)
Production design: Melinda Doring (Master of Arts (Film & Television) Design, 1997)
Dolby consultant: Bruce Emery (Diploma in Sound, 1980)
Foley recordist/sound editor: Phil Jeffers (Master of Arts (Film and Television) Sound, 2002)
Music mix: Geri Green (Master of Arts: Film, Television and Digital Media Screen Composition, 2007)
Orchestrator: Jessica Wells (Master of Arts: Film, Television and Digital Media Screen Composition, 2004)
Assistant to director: Heng Tang (Graduate Diploma (Film & Television) Directing, 2000)
Homosexuality: A Film for Discussion
Cinematographers: Alison Tilson (Specialist Extension Certificate Scriptwriting 1983)
Lonesome
Director: Craig Boreham (Graduate Diploma: Directing (Fiction & Non Fiction), 2008)
Producer/cinematographer: Dean Francis (Master of Arts: Film, Television and Digital Media Directing, 2005)
Editor: Danielle Boesenberg (Graduate Diploma: Editing, 2010)
Love and Other Catastrophies
(Dir. Emma-Kate Croghan)
Additional sound recordist: Leonie Dickinson (Bachelor of Arts (Film & Television) Sound, 1991)
Assistant editor: Milena Romanin (Specialist Extension Course Certificate Editing, 1996;
Graduate Diploma: Producing, 2010)
Malcolm
(Dir. Nadia Tass)
Sound mixer: Bruce Emery (Diploma in Sound, 1980)
Assistant film editor: Simon James (Specialist Extension Certificate Editing, 1988)
Script consultant: Robert Marchand (Bachelor of Arts (Film & Television) Directing, 1984)
Noise
(Dir. Matthew Saville)
Dolby film and sound consultant: Bruce Emery (Diploma in Sound, 1980)
Petrol
(Dir. Alena Lodkina)
Executive producer: Robert Connolly (Bachelor of Arts Producing, 1994)
Additional sound recordist: Eren Sener (Graduate Diploma: Film and Television – Location Sound Recording, 2008)
Foley artist: John Simpson (Master of Screen Arts and Business, 2015)
Seriously Red
(Dir. Gracie otto)
Onset VFX Supervisor: Bryn Morrow (Graduate Certificate in Cinematography Fundamentals, 2012)
Script editor: Lynne Vincent McCarthy (Master of Arts (Film & Television) Scriptwriting, 1999)
Unit assistant: Rohan Smith (Bachelor of Arts (Film & Television) Cinematography, 1991)
Sweet As
(Dir. Jub Clerc)
Editor: Katie Flaxman (Master of Arts: Film, Television and Digital Media Editing, 2005)
When Pomegranates Howl
Director/screenwriter/producer: Granaz Moussavi (Graduate Diploma Film and Television in Editing, 2005)
Associate producer: Claire Fletcher (Graduate Diploma Film and Television in Editing, 2005)
DOCUMENTARIES
The Endangered Generation?
(Dir. Celeste Geer)
Cinematographer: Aaron Smith (Master of Arts: Film and Television Cinematography, 2008)
Composer: Thomas E Rouch (Graduate Certificate: Screen Music, 2009)
Editor: Bernadette Murray (Graduate Diploma in Editing, 2012)
Fire Front
(Dir. Eddie Martin)
Producers: Katia Nizic (Graduate Diploma in Producing, 2012)
Senses of Cinema
(Dir. John Hughes, Tom Zubrycki)
Cinematographer: Simon Smith (Diploma in Cinematography, 1979)
Volcano Man
(Dir. James Crawley)
Composer: Adam Moses (Graduate Diploma in Screen Music, 2012)
We Were Once Kids
(Dir. Eddie Martin)
Cinematographer: Hugh Miller (Master of Arts (Film & Television) Cinematography, 2002)
Composer: Michael Yezerski (Graduate Certificate in Screen Composition Sound, 2000)
MUSIC ON FILM
6 Festivals
Producer: Shannon Wilson-McClinton (Graduate Diploma in Screen Business, 2010; Graduate Certificate in Screen Business, 2009)
Screenwriter: Lou Sanz (Master of Arts (Film and Television) Scriptwriting, 2002)
Cinematographer: Hugh Miller (Master of Arts (Film & Television) Cinematography, 2002)
NIGHT SHIFT
Sissy
Producer: Lisa Shaunessy (Graduate Diploma in Screen Business, 2011)
Cinematographer: Steve Arnold (Diploma Cinematography, 1978)
Production designer: Michael Price (Graduate Diploma in Production Design, 2012)
Storyboard artists: Blake Fraser (Graduate Diploma in Directing (Fiction & Non-Fiction), 2011)
You Won’t Be Alone
(dir. Goran Stolevski)
Production designer: Bethany Ryan (Graduate Diploma in Production Design, 2012)
Sound editor: Lachlan Harris (Graduate Diploma in Sound, 2012)
ASIA PACIFIC/INTERNATIONAL/MIFF SCHOOLS
We Are Still Here
Directors: Beck Cole (Master of Arts (Film & Television) Documentary, 2001), Dena Curtis(Graduate Diploma (Film & Television) Television Editing, 2002) (with directors Danielle MacLean, Tracey Rigney, Miki Magasiva, Tim Worrall, Chantelle Burgoyne, Renae Maihi)
Writer: Dena Curtis
DOP: Eric Murray Lui (Master of Arts (Film & Television) Cinematography, 1999; TV Training Certificate, 1994)
Editor: Roland Gallois (AFTRS’ Head of Editing; Bachelor of Arts Editing, 1994)
Production designer: Natalie Beak (AFTRS Lecturer – Production Design; Master of Arts: Film, Television and Digital Media Production Design, 2006)
Art director: River Heart (AFTRS Student Engagement Manager)
Costume designer: Karla Urizar (Master of Arts (Film & Television) Design, 2000)
MIFF SHORTS
A House
Director: Matthew D. Taylor (MAS Directing, 2021)
Writer: Matthew D. Taylor (MAS Directing, 2021)
Producer: Katherine Shearer
Cinematographer: Joanna Cameron (MAS Cinematography, 2021)
Production designer: Emily Jansz (MAS Production Design, 2020)
Editor: James A. Thomas (MAS Editing, 2019)
Sound design: Jonathan Mendolicchio (MAS Sound, 2021)
Lucky Peach (world premiere)
Director: Grace Tan (MAS Directing, 2021; GC Directing, 2016)
Writer: Grace Tan (MAS Directing, 2021; GC Directing, 2016)
Producer: Sophia O’Rourke
Cinematographer: Joanna Cameron (MAS Cinematography, 2021)
Production designer: Rosalie Waugh (MAS Production Design, 2021)
Editor: James A. Thomas (MAS Editing, 2019)
Original music: Sam Weiss (MAS Music, 2021)
Sound design: Jonathan Mendolicchio (MAS Sound, 2021)
Mud Crab (world premiere)
Director: David Robinson-Smith (MAS Directing, 2021)
Writer: David Robinson-Smith (MAS Directing, 2021)
Producer: Adam Daniel (MAS Screenwriting, 2020), Adam Finney (MAS Documentary, 2020)
Cinematographer: Jaclyn Paterson (Diploma in Grading, 2017)
Production designer: Sharna Graham, Calum Wilson Austin (MAS Production Design, 2020)
Editor: James Taylor (MAS Editing, 2020)
Original music: James Mountain (MAS Music, 2020)
Sound design: Nathan Turnbull (MAS Sound, 2020)
Sushi Noh
Director: Jayden Rathsam Hüa (MAS Producing, 2020)
Writer: Jayden Rathsam Hüa (MAS Producing, 2020)
Producer: Jayden Rathsam Hüa (MAS Producing, 2020) Philippa Silva
Cinematographer: Sam Steinle (MAS Cinematography, 2020)
Production designer: Calum Wilson Austin (MAS Production Design, 2020)
Editor: Gus O’Brien Cavanough (BA Screen: Production, 2019)
Original music: Scott Majidi (MAS Music, 2020)
Sound design: Sean Doyle (MAS Sound, 2020), Sam Grimshaw (MAS Sound, 2020)
The Dreamlife of Georgie Stone
(dir. Maya Newell)
Producer: Lisa Sherrard (Diploma in Production Accounting, 2017)
Cinematographer: Vincent Lamberti (Graduate Diploma in Cinematography, 2012)
Re-recording mixer/sound designer: Lachlan Harris (Graduate Diploma in Sound, 2012)
Endangered
(Dir. Tracey Rigney)
Executive producer: Erica Glynn (Master of Arts (Film & Television) Directing, 1998)
Series producer: Charlotte Seymour (Master of Arts (Film & Television) Producing, 1997)
Cinematography: John Brawley (Master of Arts Film & Television, 2007)
Mate
Director/writer: George-Alex Nagle (Master of Screen Arts, 2014; Graduate Diploma in Directing, 2013)
Producer: Nick Bolton (MSA and Business 2014)
Executive producer: Jess Milne (Master of Screen Arts & Business, 2014)
Editor: Kelly Cameron (Master of Screen Arts, 2017; Graduate Diploma in Editing, 2012)
Composer: Jai Pyne (Graduate Certificate in Screen Music, 2012)
Sound recordist: Martin Demian (Graduate Diploma in Sound, 2012)
Second Unit DOP: Samuel Phibbs (Graduate Diploma in Cinematography, 2014)
Second AC: Danielle Payne (Diploma in Camera Fundamentals, 2016; Foundation Diploma, 2013)
Myth
Dir. Alies Sluiter (Master of Arts (Film & Television) Digital Media, 2005)
Screenwriter: Alies Sluiter (Master of Arts (Film & Television) Digital Media, 2005)
Composer: Alies Sluiter (Master of Arts (Film & Television) Digital Media, 2005)
Cinematographer: Tania Lambert (Master of Arts: Film and Television Cinematography, 2008)
Editor: Tania Nehme (Certificate, 1990) (note: doesn’t specify certificate)
An Ordinary Woman
(Dir. Sue Brooks)
Writer: Alison Tilson (Specialist Extension Certificate Scriptwriting 1983)
Producer: Alison Tilson (Specialist Extension Certificate Scriptwriting 1983)
Pink Reef
Dir. Chloe de Brito (Foundation Diploma 2013)
Producer: Chloe de Brito (Foundation Diploma 2013)
Screenwriter: Chloe de Brito (Foundation Diploma 2013)
Editor: Chloe de Brito (Foundation Diploma 2013)
Production Designer: Chloe de Brito (Foundation Diploma 2013)
Cinematographer: Calum Riddell (Master of Arts Screen, 2019)
Composer: Benjamin Carey (Graduate Certificate: Film & Television, 2008)
Strange Country
Star: Hunter Page-Lochard
EPISODIC
It’s Fine, I’m Fine (Australian premiere)
Director: Stef Smith
Writer: Michael Gupta
Executive producers: Annette Davey, Oliver Lawrance
Cinematographer: Josh Flavell
Editor: Lily Davis
Camera attachment: Ian Tyley
Second assistant camera: Emily Williams
SPECIAL EVENTS
Bluey: In Cinema with Joe Brumm
Composer: Joff Bush
Closing Night Gala: Clean (Australian premiere)
(Dir. Lachlan McLeod)
Additional cinematography: Sherwin Akbarzadeh
MIFF Ambassador Special Screening: The Sound of One Hand Clapping
(Dir. Richard Flanagan)
Producer: Rolf de Heer (Diploma Directing, 1979)
Film editing: Tania Nehme (Certificate, 1990) (note: doesn’t specify certificate)
Of An Age
(Dir. Goran Stoleveski)
Production Design: Bethany Ryan (Graduate Diploma in Production Design, 2012)
Production secretary: Celyren Phipps (Diploma in Production Management, 2017)
Sound effects editor: Cameron Grant (Master of Arts: Film, Television and Digital Media Sound Design, 2007)