The 2012 Other Film Festival
We are pleased to announce the winning films from OFF2012:
First prize: Ingelore ($5000)
Best Collaboration: Aphasia ($1000)
Best Short Film (under 15 mins): Sunny Boy ($1000)
The Film That Left Me Wanting More: Aphasia ($1000)
Congratulations to the teams involved in creating these films! The calibre of all the films at OFF2012 was incredibly high, and all films screened deserve recognition. It is a testament to the strength of the Deaf Program, that in only it’s second year, a film about the experience of being Deaf has won best film at the festival.
The dust has just started to settle after a transformational and vibrant Festival.
Arts House (with ramp attached) proved to be just the right place to hold this biennial celebration of cinema and the lived experience of disability. We had been waiting for many years to have The Other Club on site and what a powerful hub of ideas, loud talk and hugging it turned out to be. It revealed a truth about what everyone wants at a festival: to be included and to be heard.
To quote just one visitor: “This is what every bar should be like!”. And why not, indeed?
The festival, thanks to Arts Access Victoria, the Associate Directors and the whole production team and volunteers, delivered guests, forums, films, workshops and an emotional Opening Night to an audience hungry for art, experience and some demonstrated social justice in action.
If nothing else, you should now regard The Other Film Festival as a challenge to all festivals and events across Australia; if you aren’t including everyone, you just aren’t doing it right!
A huge thank you to our Auslan and BSL interpreters, lighting designer Bronwyn Pringle (who was responsible for the beautiful orange hue throughout the venue), Twilight Cinema, The Good Brew Co and Zappa.
You haven’t seen the last of us just yet, there will be regional screenings and OFF curated events held later in the year and we have a big 2013 planned - stay tuned!
So now its over to you; tell us what you loved, tell us what you didn’t and, most importantly, tell us how to do it better. Please take the time to complete this quick SURVEY
Ps: Photos to come soon, if you have any you wish to share, please email them to us or post them to Facebook!
Missing OFF2012? Have you seen the one about the Deaf Mugger ? Directed by Festival guest William Mager
Patron reviews:
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be publishing reviews from patrons who attended OFF2012. If you would like yours to be included, please email off@artsaccess.com.au
Our first patron review comes from Annaleigh Pappas, one of the winners of the Facebook poster competition:
“Standing out front of the town hall on opening night was an amazing uplifting experience. People of all abilities and nationalities were milling around outside because they wanted to be seen, to be proud and to enjoy the beautiful night that it was already shaping up to be.
The festival, at least from my perspective was about celebrating difference whatever that might be. More often actor’s disability took a backseat to others issues/themes, including sexuality, discrimination and courage.
I loved Aphasia. I can’t recall another film drawing the tension so tightly whilst making me need to laugh simultaneously. It was amazing to meet Carl after in the bar: how often do you get to meet a fabulous actor who is also genuinely lovely?
Austin Unbound also left a mark: the story of a man’s journey from woman to man, and the impact on his family and friends was so honestly and beautifully done. Real life on film.”
Want to hear more about OFF2012?
Check out some fantastic reviews and interviews with our Festival Guests:
• The Age interview with Rick Guidotti and Carly Findlay
• The Age interview with William Mager
• Radio National interview Christine Bruno and Rick Guidotti
• The Conversation Hour Christine Bruno, Jill Singer and Dr Patrick Greene
• ABC Morning News Christine Bruno
