From Thursday, March 5, until Sunday, March 8, Camelot Outdoor Cinema plays host to the 20th Flickerfest National Tour, showcasing the best Australian and international short films on offer.
Recognised as an Oscar-qualifying festival by the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences in 2003, Flickerfest is one of the leading short film festivals in Australia. The Perth season comprises four programs over four nights, culled from the main Flickerfest program: Best Of Australian Shorts 1, Best Of Australian Shorts 2, Best Of International 2 and Short Laughs – Comedy. Plus, every night will open with a Western Australian-made short film.
As you might expect, Australia’s film community is well represented in the festival, with one of the highlights being Grey Bull. Written and directed by Eddy Bell, it tells the story of Martin (Mayik Deng), a South Sudanese refugee living in Australia who encounters a bull he believes embodies his totem animal. The film examines how deeply rooted cultural beliefs can often conflict with broader contemporary Australian mores and won the Virgin Australia Award For Best Australian Short Film.
Other Antipodean offerings include Florence Has Left The Building, which stars Oscar-nominated national acting treasure, Jacki Weaver; the claymation comedy Bush Mechanics; Dominic Allen’s surreal White Elephants; the crime thriller Blood Pulls A Gun; and Western Australian offerings One Fine Day, directed by Kelli Cross, and High Tide, by Kimberley West.
International fare on offer includes the likes of Japan’s Oh Lucy, the animated Russian short We Can’t Live Without Cosmos, the Irish film Boogaloo And Graham and Me And My Moulton, an animated Canadian-Norwegian co-production.
For more program information flickerfest.com.au. Tickets are available via lunapalace.com.au.
TRAVIS JOHNSON
