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How short film speaks to our ReelOzInd! 2022 jurors

The ReelOzInd! 2022 Short Film Competition and Festival is underway, and to assist filmmakers in their submissions, we thought we’d ask this year’s jury about what they appreciate and look for in the medium.

“Whether it’s a voyage into the unknown or detail on the mundane everyday, I like to make room for new and different ways to understand, to take pause and the position of not knowing,” said first-time juror Ade Suharto, an Australian-born dance artist of Indonesian heritage.

“What one doesn’t see in a film and what might seem to be missing can be utterly compelling in diffusing expectations for thinking audiences,” she continued.

“I like to see a voice of an artist coming through,” added writer and director Alex von Hofmann, another new jury member.

“I like to see creativity, a concept that will grab my attention and is well executed. A story that moves me in some way, whether that be something that’s scary or a bit of comedy, or if it’s a romance… I just want to see that voice coming through the storytelling and pulling me into that world.

“I want to be spellbound by [a filmmaker’s] style of storytelling,” von Hofmann continued. “I want to be moved by the stories they are telling and I want to see fresh, unique takes.”

“Based on my experience of being a juror for ReelOzInd! film festival continuously from 2016 to 2020, what I like to see in a great short film is an out-of-the-box storytelling method, exploring the nuance of everyday life,” said Novi Kurnia, a lecturer and researcher Universitas Gadjah Mada’s Faculty of Social and Political Sciences.

“Ideally it would also be to evoke deep emotions and leave an impression within the limited time constrain,” she continued. “Sincerity, relatability and humour go a long way, not to mention powerful cinematography that is not only strong in aesthetic but also functions in supporting the film’s narrative.”

Filmmakers can now submit films of up to ten minutes in length to ReelOzInd! 2022, abiding by this year’s theme of ‘voice/suara’. Submissions will be accepted until 1 August and include categories such as fiction, documentary and animation.

ReelOzInd! 2022 will kick off in October as a hybrid event spanning both Indonesia and Australia; screenings will be held both online and in-person.