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Published Articles & Reviews by Wendy Dent
Tropfest 2005 review by Wendy Dent for Filmfestivals.com
Stars & Streakers Steal the Stage at Sydney’s Tropfest
As festival judge Geoffrey Rush announced the winners in front of a 130,000 strong national audience, bursting at the seams to fit into Sydney’s Domain for Sydney’s 2005 Tropfest international short film festival, he proudly declared; “When I look out here at the enormous crowd, and at all the talent up on stage, I see the Australian film industry is not in the doldrums!” It was a night full of surprises; Firstly, because it didn’t rain. (Gloomy weather had threatened to rain on Sydney’s red carpet parade, but just as every film featured an umbrella as the signature item, audiences came umbrella laden too).
And thirdly celebrities and film directors weren’t the only people competing for the microphone; As the launch began, an amorous and intoxicated audience member jumped the stage to steal the mike from John Polson and steal an opportunity with 130,000 people watching to proclaim his love and propose marriage to his girlfriend. He declared his love to her, and she declared to him “I’ve had a few vinos”. But the answer was yes, to the great relief of thousands of Australians, and a fair few security guards. It was a moment made in movie-making heaven. But the impromptu action for the night wasn’t over yet. At the end of the screening as the night was wrapping, amid the celebrity studded award ceremony, another imposter found a burning desire to have his 15 minutes of fame. His eyes wild and his voice wilder, he burst onto stage, threatening to again steal the mike from John Polson, to proclaim a forceful statement about “our prime minister...” Security didn’t let him finish his sentence. Films weren’t the only voices being censored tonight. At first the audience and John Polson were baffled. The finalist film A Family Legacy by writer/director Rory Williamson, son of David Williamson, that had won our hearts and was still fresh in our minds, was a comedy about a cricket streaker finding an apt moment to make his mark, albeit in the nude. Now we watched, and many laughed, as a veritable streaker with clothes was briskly led away. The security guards and police didn’t seem to appreciate the irony, and John Polson seemed very relieved. It was on with the show and on with the prizes for the winning finalists; If there’s one film genre that Sydney’s short film-makers have become well practiced in over the years, its comedy, thanks to the legendary Tropfest. And true to tradition, this year’s Tropfest and its jury favoured comedies over drama. When you watch the films with over 100,000 other people, you soon realise why- films with a larger than life plot and larger than life humour translated far better to a rather distracted audience, enjoying supper picnics with a short and often alcohol induced attention span. Add to that a comparatively small screen when seen from the back of a stadium sized park (somewhat reminiscent of watching a cinema epic on the back of an airline seat), simultaneously telecast to outdoor events in several major Australian cities, - and dramas or any films with detail were struggling to compete.
Bomb opened Tropfest with a bang, showing the plight of a man mistaken for a terrorist (again enough to spark political debate, a good laugh and a unsavoury sense that something is wrong with the world). The South Park styled This Film is Yet To Be Classified made pointed remarks with its animated attitude, deliciously satirizing film-making as a whole, and Sydney’s film criticism personalities and film censorship institutions in particular. Poking fun where its needed went a long way with an obviously indie film-maker friendly crowd. Winning for Best Cinematography and the Young Talent Awards was the ‘Waterworld’-like The Razor’s Edge; listed in the program as “a lumberyard action flick about a vagrant and a baby trying for some quality time despite the interference of a large number of really unhelpful dudes”. The film may be deserving of the jury’s recognition of Marc Windon’s action cinematography and the potential of its 21 year old director Gabriel Dowrick (who gave an Oscar like acceptance speech). But it left other viewers underwhelmed and unsure what all the fuss and fighting was about. Good cinematography can only go so far without a good story to drive it. The judges no doubt viewed the film from the best reserved seating. But sadly for a short film of epic proportions the narrative and cinematic subtleties were lost on the somewhat smaller screen when viewed behind 100,000 other people.
Stunt man and accomplished director Nash Edgerton proved yet again he’s far from a one hit wonder, with a 2nd time Tropfest win. Fresh from the Sundance screening of his short film Fuel he showed where-ever there’s a car involved and a director needed, he’s the man to put behind the wheel! This year it was his short comedy Lucky winning 2nd Prize that cranked his career up another gear. True to tradition, the Tropfest first prize winner was of course also a comedy. This years ‘big gong’ –boasting a super prize pack of undreamed of riches for Aussie indie film-makers – together with Nicole Kidman’s $3000 award for Best Actor went deservedly to director/producer Luke Eve and jointly to actors Bruce Spence and Arky Michael for Australian Summer. A clever script with crafty portrayals, this was pure cinema of the characters’ own visualisation. The actors superbly portrayed two ‘derros’ (Aussie slang for derelicts) stuck to their couch, imagining a surfie holiday they will surely never have. It was a fitting ending to the program, giving recognition at last to strong character based comedy. So... another Tropfest over; another 130,000 people returned home a little more drunk, happy and definitley more cultured, and as part of their prize the Tropfest 2005 winner Luke Eve of Australian Summer will head soon to LA to pitch for ‘bigger and brighter things’. Then talk will soon turn to next year’s Tropfest. What will be the signature item, to include in entries for next year’s Tropfest? Oh... and will Nicole Kidman will be coming!? Wendy Dent,
The Motorcycle Diaries (Viva Magazine REVIEW) Sydney International Film Festival 2005 REVIEW Florence Festival Dei Popoli REVIEW A Converation with Danish film-maker Jorgen Leth International Audiovisual Festival of Azerbaijan ; an indie film-maker's odyssey DaKINO (Bucharest International Film Festival) 2005 REVIEW A Converation with River to River Florence Indian Film Festival festival director Selvaggia Velo
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AWARD WINNING DocumentaryKISSED BY A CROCODILE;Press Release festival news |
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