Announcing the winners for Uni Shorts 2012
Australasia's first international tertiary student film festival, Uni Shorts, was held over the weekend at Unitec in
Auckland, New Zealand. There were many highlights over the weekend - the lively and informative panel sessions with high
profile film industry guests, the screenings of the selected short films from around the world, the screening of a
special package and discussion about funding by representatives from the NZ Film Commission, and the Awards night. It
was a wonderful first effort and it will become an annual event. A Call for Entries for Uni Shorts 2013 will go out in
May with new categories
Wie Ein Fremder (Stranger at Home) an entry from the Hamburg Media School in Germany won the Best International Film, Best Performance Award, and joint
People's Choice Award along with Estonian film, Dust Off. If we are to be eaten by Wolves by Unitec grads, writer Sophie Fletcher, director Ian Hedley-Wakefield, won the Best New Zealand Film. Prizes were
$1,000 for each of the four Awards.
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE:
Special Mentions:
Adrian Lamana - the character of "David" in Sin Palabros; Director: Bel Armenteros; ECAM Madrid (Spain)
Hila Vidor - the character of "The Woman" in First Aid; Director: Yurden Karmin; Institution: Sam Spiegel Film & TV School (Israel)
WINNER: Arash Marandi - the character of "Azad" in Wie Ein Fremder; Director: Lena Liberta; Institution: Hamburg Media
School (Germany)
Prize: NZ$1000
BEST FILM (NEW ZEALAND):
Special Mention:
Cocked Up; Director: Oliver Hilbert; Institution: Media Design School
WINNER: If We Are To Be Eaten By Wolves; Director: Ian Hedley-Wakefield; Institution: Unitec
Prize: $NZ1000
BEST FILM (INTERNATIONAL):
Special Mentions:
Sin Palabros; Director: Bel Armenteros; Institution: ECAM Madrid (Spain)
Raju; Director: Max Zahle; Institution: Hamburg Media School (Germany)
WINNER: Wie Ein Fremder; Director: Lena Liberta; Institution: Hamburg Media School (Germany)
Prize: NZ$1000
BEST FILM (PEOPLE'S CHOICE):
Day 1
Special Mention:
Kamambo (Butterfly); Director: Victoria Goodyear; Institution: Victorian College of the Arts (Australia)
DAY 1 WINNER: Dust Off; Director: Ivan Pavljutskov; Institution: Baltic Film & Media School (Estonia)
Prize: NZ$500
Day 2
Special Mention:
Sin Palabros; Director: Bel Armenteros; Institution: ECAM Madrid (Spain)
DAY 2 WINNER: Wie Ein Fremder; Director: Lena Liberta; Institution: Hamburg Media School (Germany)
Prize: NZ$500
Judges Comments:
Wie Ein Fremder (Stranger at Home)
"A very impressive piece - energetic and distinctive in terms of story choices and the director's approach to character
and the world of the film - finely nuanced and beautifully told overall. It brought together all the key elements of a
moving and thought-provoking cinematic experience and it was very exciting to see this strong and distinctive vision in
a student work. Clearly performance was central to its impact as this film also took out the Most Outstanding
Performance award."
If We Are To Be Eaten By Wolves
"A gentle, reflective, character-driven drama that captured in a simple yet moving way, an aspect of the New Zealand
experience during World War II."
ENDS