Opera House To Hosts Finalists at World’s Most Prestigious Smartphone Film Festival
Image: SmartFone Flick Fest
The finalists of the SmartFone Flick Fest’s (SF3) annual Gala have been announced, with many local filmmakers taking the grand stage. The hit film fest is taking place this year at Sydney Opera House on November 1st, celebrating its 12th year running.
Born in Sydney, the SF3 has grown into the biggest celebration of smartphone filmmaking in the world, evolving into an international sensation.
People all over the globe have been drawn to the smartphone-shot film festival for its affordability and accessibility, putting filmmaking in the hands of everyone and every age.
This year, the festival received a record 400 entries, comprising 19 feature films and 16 AI films, from over 70 countries, including Sudan, Georgia, Malaysia, Thailand, Czechia, Peru, Australia, the UK, South Africa, Pakistan, Romania and China.
SmartFone Flick Fest Finalists Announced
The accessibility of SF3 has resulted in a stunning celebration of diversity across the films showcased at the Gala Finals.
You Will Not Be Left Behind was written, produced and acted by Yuin filmmaker Brandon Fairley, who lives with an intellectual disability, exhibiting a deeply personal exploration of grief and independence following a family confrontation.
In What Life Can Be, Dane Noonan delivers a heartfelt short documentary exploring his lived experiences to challenge assumptions about disability and celebrate the resilience, connection and fresh possibilities that have eventuated from the unpredictability of life.
Sydney father and daughter duo Jimmy and Stevie Gannon bring No Bears Allowed, which was entirely directed and written by 7-year-old Stevie. Stevie has SF3 in her legacy: starring as an SF3 finalist film as a newborn 7 years ago, she is back to the Fest as the youngest ever Gala director.
Made especially for SF3, The Hole was created by Sean Luther Hall and Josh Stewart, a team of National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) graduates. The cast boasts Albert Mwangi seen in ABC’s Playschool, Bump and Primitive War, and Jack Ellis from Mr InBetween, Home & Away and A Place To Call Home.
Audiences In For “A Real Treat” with Local Stories
SF3 Festival Director and co-founder Angela Blake says that she has been privileged to experience the richness and diversity in stories from across the world. However, local filmmakers have significantly contributed to this year’s line-up.
“This year we have especially been treated to an incredible array of stories from local Australian filmmakers.”
“Aussies are amazing story-tellers and it is so exciting to see so many – especially kids – picking up their phones and tablets and sharing their world and their creativity with us.”
“Audiences are in for a real treat.”
These examples are not just seen in the list of Gala finalists but also the SF3 Kids shortlist. Hospital drama satire Code Blue is brought by the youngest kids at Centre Stage Academy in Blacktown. Aston Di Donato, a teenager from Port Kembla, brings a deep mastery of special effects in Hero-Man. Students from Scarborough Public School in the Illawarra creatively produced and directed a mini documentary about their 27-year old school song, honouring its generational history.
What to Expect
The SmartFone Flick Fest will kick off in White Bay Power Station in Rozelle on Saturday 31 October with the ‘Mini’ and Feature Film screening, presented with Eventspec.
The next morning, on Sunday 1 November, the Fest will move to Bennelong Point at the Sydney Opera House Playhouse for the SF3 Kids Finals and Awards Ceremony.
In the evening, the annual SF3 Gala Finals will bring a gripping finale to the Sydney Opera House. A prize pool of worth over $50,000 will be awarded by a panel of industry A-listers, including Phillip Noyce, Louis Nowra, Serhat Caradee, Ros Gentle, Joe Ochman, Yolandi Franken and Megan Rikos.
About the SmartFone Flick Fest
SmartFone Flick Fest is one of the world’s most prestigious smartphone film festivals.
SF3 emerged to democratise filmmaking and increase its accessibility to people of all ages and abilities.
Participants can be absolute beginners and Oscar winners alike, as SF3’s model removes the barriers of cost, equipment and geography. It provides a pathway for budding filmmakers to bring their ideas to life and present their work at grand venues like the Sydney Opera House.
Across its 12 years of operation, SF3 has added a Feature Film category, an AI category and a huge youth showcase, highlighting the global demand for a platform like it.
“I love the idea that all you need is a smartphone and your creativity. There is a great deal of freedom there, especially for young and emerging filmmakers to create now instead of having to wait until film school or wait until they can save enough money to buy a bigger camera,” SF3 Ambassador, Australian international actor Kerry Armstrong says.
“There’s no barrier to making a film and the world is a much better place for it.”
The full program, detailed award categories, and tickets for each session are available at the SmartFone Flick Fest website.
You May Also Like
Leave a Reply