Widescreen - Monday 11 August 08

MIFF 08 was sent off with a shriek and a scream with the closing night Spanish horror [Rec.]. Drinking and dancing at the afterparty at Billboard helped to calm frazzled nerves and when Monday dawned the festival was officially declared over!

Thank you to all of our great filmmakers and guests, sponsors, staff, volunteers and of course you our dedicated and passionate patrons. Without you all there would be no MIFF. Thanks for helping to make it another great festival!

MIFF Partners

MIFF gratefully acknowledges the incredible and generous support of our Government Partners, Major Partners, Corporate Partners, Cultural Partners, Industry Partners and Supporting Partners. MIFF could not operate without you.

Further information on MIFF's Partners.

Best MIFF Shorts Winners

The Best MIFF Shorts winners were announced last Friday night at the RMIT Capitol Theatre. Congratulations to all the winners...

City of Melbourne Grand Prix for Best Short Film ($7000)
DENNIS (DENMARK)Directed by Mads Matthiesen

Melbourne Airport Emerging Australian Filmmaker ($5000 + airfare to an international festival)
HELL’S GATES (AUSTRALIA) Directed by Jonathan auf der Heide

Film Victoria Erwin Rado Award for Best Australian Short Film ($5000)
296 SMITH STREET (AUSTRALIA) Directed by John Evagora



Nova Cinemas Award for Creative Excellence in an Australian Short Film ($3000)
MUTT (AUSTRALIA) Animation Directed by Glen Hunwick
I LOVE SARAH JANE (AUSTRALIA) Directed by Spencer Susser

Best Fiction ($3000)
TWO BIRDS (Iceland) Directed by Runar Runarsson

Best Documentary ($3000)
HEART (AUSTRALIA) Directed by Amy Gebhardt

Best Animation ($3000)
I AM THE WALRUS (CANADA) Directed by Josh Raskin
JOHN AND KAREN (UK) Directed by Matthew Walker

Best Experimental Short Films ($3000)
MUMBLER (BELGIUM) Directed by Marc Roels and Wim Reygaert

Best Student Production ($3000)
HELL’S GATES (AUSTRALIA) Directed by Jonathan auf der Heide

Panavision Best Australian Achievement in Cinematography ($1000 + $5000 in-kind)
THE GROUND BENEATH (NSW) Simon Chapmen

Australian Writer’s Guild Award for best short Screenplay ($1000)
296 SMITH STREET (AUSTRALIA) John Evagora

Avid Technology for best achievement in Editing ($1000 + $2,500 in-kind)
JERRYCAN (AUSTRALIA) Jack Hutchings

Shannon’s Way Award for Short Film Promoting Human Rights ($1000)
NEW BOY Directed by Steph Green

Performance Award – Special Citation
Steve Mousakis and Tony Niholakopoulos for 296 SMITH STREET

For further information download the mediarelease: MR__best_MIFF_shorts.pdf (pdf file, 209kb)

Dining & Drinking

MIFF would like to thank all of our 2008 Bar & Restarant Partners for their support. We hope that you will continue to visit them for a drink, a catch up, or for a bite to eat even now that the festival is over!

Places to Dine and Drink

ACMI Lounge - 8663 2537 - Federation Square
Arintji - 9663 9900 - Federation Square
Carlton Hotel - 9663 3246 - 193 Bourke Street
City Wine Shop - 9654 6657 - 159 Spring Street
Collins Quarter - 9650 8500 - 86a Collins Street
Cookie - 9663 7660 - 1/252 Swanston Street
Grossi Florentino - 9662 1811 - 80 Bourke Street
Hairy Canary - 9654 2471 - 212 Little Collins Street
Longrain - 9671 3151 - 40-44 Little Bourke St
Movida - 9663 3038 - 1 Hosier Lane
Ristorante Spontini - 9670 2468 - 20 McKillop Street
Tazio - 9654 9119 - 66 Flinders Lane
The Long Room - 9663 7226 - 162-168 Collins Street
Trunk - 9663 7994 - 275 Exhibition Street
Verge - 9639 9500 - 1 Flinders Lane

Places to Drink

Cabinet Bar - 9654 0915 - 11 Rainbow Alley
Canary Club - 9663 1983 - 6 Melbourne Place
Coopers Festival Lounge - Forum Theatre - 154 Flinders Street
Gin Palace - 9654 0533 - 10 Russell Place
Horse Bazaar - 9670 2329 - 397 Lt Lonsdale Street
Loop - 9654 0500 - 23 Meyers Place
Madame Brussels - 9662 2775 - Level 3, 59 Bourke St
Manchuria Bar - 9663 1997 - 1st Floor, 7 Waratah Place
Meyers Place Bar - 9650 8609 - 20 Meyers Place
Order of Melbourne - 9663 6707 - 401 Swanston Street
Phoenix - 9650 4976 - 82 Flinders Street
Roxanne Parlour - 0410 889 121 - 2 Coverlid Place Melbourne
The Croft Institute - 9671 4399 - 21-25 Croft Alley
The Red Hummingbird - 9654 2266 - Level 1, 246 Russell Street
Transit Cocktail Lounge - 9639 9500 - Level 2, Transport Hotel, Federation Square
Yalumba Festival Wine Bar -Level 1 Foyer, Greater Union Cinemas, 131 Russell Street

Origin Energy OFFER

We're proud to be Ethical Investor's ‘Sustainable Company of the Year'. We're working together with our customers, communities, shareholders and our own people to help create a more sustainable future. Carbon offsets are one of the many easy ways to make a difference.

Reduce your environmental impact with Origin's Go Green Calculator™ at www.origingreen.com.au. Quote "MIFF2008" when prompted to receive a 5% discount. Your actions also provide a benefit to MIFF.

tramTRACKER

Yarra Trams, one of our Major Partners, helps you to make the most of your time. Their tramTRACKER service provides real time tram arrival information by phone, SMS or online. It means you can take the time to enjoy what you are doing, like having a meal or a drink at one of our bar and restaurant partners, before heading to the tramstop at just the right time.

Try out the service at www.yarratrams.com.au.

Chinatown 20% off

Even though the festival is now over, you can still use your Chinatown 20% discount Voucher which is valid for use up until 17 August. If you are in the city, grab a bite to eat at a Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Malaysian, Thai or European-Italian restaurant OR get a discount on Hair, Fashion, Gifts and Groceries. Terms and conditions apply.

Click HERE for further information and to print off your 20% discount voucher

FURTHER INFORMATION ON WINTER IN CHINATOWN

Widescreen Giveaway

Axeman Lullaby
CHUNKY MOVE STUDIOS
Thursday 7th – Sunday 17th August
Thurs 7 & 14 at 8.00pm, Fri 8& 15 Sat 9 & 16 at 7.00pm & 8.30pm,
Sun 17th at 3.00pm
113 Sturt Street, Southbank
Bookings: www.balletlab.com
^{Choreography & Direction: Phillip Adams
Composer: David Chisholm Musicians: Duo Sol
Scenic Visual Décor: Phillip Adams.
Costume design and construction: Doyle Barrow.
Lighting Design Paul Jackson and Nic Pajanti Production management: Traffic Light
Dancers: Joanne White, Clair Peters, Carlee Mellow and Stuart Shugg
Axeman: Laurence O’Toole}

Axeman Lullaby is described by Artisitc Director, Phillip Adams, as a collaborative exploration and reflection on the physical and climatic characteristics of Australian wood chopping and early Victorian bush settlements.

^{Underpinning this new work is the desire to recreate a sense of Australian cinematic landscapes. In the mid 70s and early 80s, Australian cinema produced a number of films that captured a raw and edgy identity teetering between suburban worlds and indigenous myth. These films offered a somewhat surreal and eerie portrayal of our past and unsettled future.}

The powerful image of a man swinging an axe in the forensic nightmare of Thomas Keneally’s ‘The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith,’ and the prevailing electric atmosphere and air of danger one experiences while watching a wood chopping competition is vividly revisited in Axeman Lullaby.

BalletLab is regarded as one of the most inventive and visionary choreographic companies working in Australia’s today. Adams has created a significant body of work that is highly sophisticated, physically idiosyncratic and aesthetically unique. His choreography has positioned BalletLab as a unique creative force amongst contemporary dance companies worldwide.

Up for grabs - 4 Double Passes to Balletlab's Axeman Lullaby, Chunky Moves Studios, on Thursday 14 August at 8pm at 113 Sturt Street, Southbank. For your chance to win a double pass to see this performance, courtesy of BalletLab, email your name to griffen@melbournefilmfestival.com.au. Winners will be notified by email and name put on the door list. Please include "Axeman" in the subject line.

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