Flickerfest 2006 winners
The New Zealand film Tama Tu has won the Coopers Award for Best Film at Flickerfest 2006, beating competitors from around the world to take the $2000 prize – and eligibility for Oscar consideration in 2007.
Directed by Taika Waititi, the film focuses on six Maori Battalion soldiers waiting for night to fall in the ruins of an Italian home. Forced into silence, they keep themselves amused with jokes as they try and ignore the war around them.
The film has already garnered praise at several other film festivals, winning special jury prizes at the 2005 Aspen Shortsfest and at the 2005 Berlin Film Festival, an Honorable Mention in Short Film Making at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival and second place in the Audience Award at the 2004 National Geographic All Roads Festival.
Also eligible for Oscar consideration after winning the Yoram Gross Award for Best Animation at Flickerfest is the UK short City Paradise, written and directed by Gaelle Denis. The tale of a secret underworld, City Paradise is already nominated for a BAFTA for Best Short Animation.
Winners in 14 categories at Flickerfest 2006 were announced tonight (January 15) as Australia’s premier short film festival wrapped its 10-day Sydney season before embarking on a national tour of 14 centres.
Australian film makers Tamara Popper and Louise Fox won the prestigious Jameson Award for Best Australian Film for their 27-minute film A Natural Talent. The film – which premiered at Flickerfest 2006 - is the story of Judith, an ordinary woman in the 1860s who becomes a national celebrity after a series of impossible births.
It is the second year the Jameson Award – which carries prizemoney of $10,000 - has been presented in Australia at Flickerfest.
Festival director Bronwyn Kidd: “There were a staggering number of really excellent films submitted to Flickerfest this year, which made it a great festival for our audiences, and a difficult one for our jury. There’s so much emerging talent out there, and it’s always gratifying to bring their efforts to the screen.”
Prize winners at Flickerfest 2006, driven by MINI, are:

COOPERS AWARD FOR
BEST FILM
Awarded to - Tama Tu
Producers - Cliff Curtis and Ainsley Gardiner
Director - Taika Waititi
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THE JAMESON SHORT FILM AWARD FOR
BEST AUSTRALIAN SHORT FILM
Awarded to -A Natural Talent
Producer- Tamara Popper
Director- Louise Fox
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YORAM GROSS AWARD FOR
BEST ANIMATION
Awarded to - City Paradise
Producer - Erika Forzy
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AUDIOLOC SOUND DESIGN AWARD FOR
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND
Awarded to - Blue Tongue
Sound design - Nick Batterham and Justin Kurzel
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AVID AUSTRALIA AWARD FOR
BEST EDITING IN AN AUSTRALIAN SHORT FILM
Awarded to -The Saviour
Editing - Matthew Walker
FINAL DRAFT BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN AN ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Awarded to -The Djarns, Djarns
Writer - Wayne Blair
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FUJIFILM AUSTRALIA AWARD FOR BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY IN AUSTRALIA SHORT
Awarded to - Cool
Cinematographer- Jason Hargreaves
FILM SUPPORT AWARD FOR
MOST RESOURCEFUL PRODUCTION
Awarded to - Europe
Producer - Louise Alston
Director - Brendan Cowell

ICEBERGS DINING ROOM & BAR AWARD FOR
BEST DIRECTION IN AN AUSTRALIAN SHORT FILM
Awarded to - Green Bush
Director - Warwick Thornton
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MILLER TRIPOD AUSTRALIA AWARD FOR
BEST INTERNATIONAL CINEMATOGRAPHY
Awarded to - Binta and the Great Idea
Cinematography - Chechu Graf
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MINI SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
Awarded to - Silent Companion
Directed by- El ham Hosseinzadeh
Produced by- El ham Hosseinzadeh/ Iranian Young Cinema Society
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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC AWARD FOR
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Awarded to - Rave Against the Machine
Producers/directors - James Harvey, Richard Rudy, Holly Lubbock and Stevan Riley
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GORILLA FILM PRODUCTION HIGHLY COMMENDED AWARD FOR
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Awarded to -The Prodigal Son.
Produced by- Tom Zubrycki
Directed by Tony Radeveski
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SBS TELEVISION AWARD
Awarded to - Azadi
Producer- Scott McDonald/ Anthony Maras
Director- Anthony Maras
Note: The Flickerfest IF Media Award for Most Popular Film is voted by the Flickerfest audience. Lexus IF Awards volunteers are still entering the scores and the winner will be determined next week.
Flickerfest 206 will open in Byron Bay on January 20, then head to Darwin, Alice Springs, Katherine, Adelaide, Narrabri, Gunnedah, Canberra, Kempsey, Sawtell, Melbourne, Perth, Broome and Brisbane.















