Indonesian hit filmmakers Mira Lesmana and Riri Riza (Ada Apa dengan Cinta?) and esteemed Australian producer Andrew Mason (Matrix, The Water Diviner) lead the judges’ list for a ground-breaking new film competition.
The ReelOzInd! Australia Indonesia Short Film Competition aims to give aspiring filmmakers the opportunity to share their stories away from the stereotypes, headlines and political drama!
We seek to raise awareness and improve understanding between the peoples of both countries and to offer a platform for Australians and Indonesians to tell stories by way of this most compelling and creative medium – short film.
We aim to engage people from a wide range of backgrounds – from students to more established filmmakers – in a competition that showcases their talents before audiences in Australia and Indonesia and also to a worldwide online audience. We are looking for films that will entertain, surprise and emotionally engage audiences.
The theme for the inaugural ReelOzInd! is ‘Tetangga’/ ‘Neighbour’. Organiser Jemma Purdey says, “Though we are close neighbours, Australians and Indonesians know little about each other. But we also know that Australians and Indonesians want to get to know each other better and that we share a great sense of humour and passion for creativity.”
Coordinated by the Australia Indonesia Centre, ReelOzInd! taps into a web of networks in Indonesia and Australia in education, film, government and business to reach a wide audience in both countries and beyond.
Judges include some of Australia and Indonesia’s finest film industry minds: hit director/producer team Mira Lesmana and Riri Riza, veteran producer Andrew Mason, film and television comedy mastermind Tom Gleisner, internationally-recognised media studies scholar Professor Krishna Sen, and IF!fest founder and renowned culture academic Novi Kurnia.
Submitting films for competition will be free, with winners across a variety of categories (including a youth category), sharing in $15,000 worth of cash and prizes. Submissions open on Monday April 18 through the forthcoming ReelOzInd! website and finalists will be screened at ReelOzInd! festival events in Australia and Indonesia.
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