Public invited to see film creations

Film buffs are in for a treat in the coming weeks as Southern Cross University prepares to provide another opportunity to view short films from its recent SCU U Film Fest competition at Tweed Riverside, Coffs Harbour and Lismore campuses.

The screenings will feature all 19 of the short films entered in the competition, which were created by Southern Cross University students of all disciplines and judged by a panel of student representatives and academics from the University’s School of Arts and Social Sciences – with the winner going onto represent the University in the national U Film Festival competition.

Coffs Harbour–based Bachelor of Arts student and winning entrant Fiona MacKenzie said her film entitled ‘Yurruung-Ga (Urunga)’ was an exploration of place and belonging.

“The film is an expression of all the layers of feeling that I have about my place in this country, about Indigenous ownership, time, synchronicity and connectedness,” said Fiona.

“It was done as a digital art and design project – I was also doing an Indigenous studies subject at the time and questioning my responsibilities as a non-Indigenous Australian.

“I was looking for something to do that would stretch the skills I’d learnt in other subjects and luckily I had a sympathetic tutor and a classmate willing to lend me his high definition camera – so it all came together.

“Another classmate persuaded me to enter the film and I was thrilled when I won first place as it’s only the second film I have made.”

Fiona’s film will be entered in the annual U Film Fest due to be held later this year, which is produced by national youth events organisation the Australasian Association of Campus Activities and attracts entries from universities all over the country.

The local event was the work of the SCU U Film Fest Committee, consisting of lecturers Andrew Jones and Hugh Burton from the School of Arts and Social Sciences, student film club Mixed Up Reels, and the Office of Sport and Cultural Activities led by student affairs officer Ann-Maree Wilkinson.

Runner-up in the SCU competition was Bachelor of Environmental Tourism Management student Shane Mew from Cedar Creek in Queensland for his film entitled ‘The Story of U’ about the life of a letter ‘u’. McLeans Ridge-based Bachelor of Technology Education student Joshua Myles took out the People’s Choice Award for his light hearted animation ‘The Big Picture’, about an egg struggling with realising its self image and its place in the world.

Andrew Jones, Southern Cross University lecturer in media studies and panel judge, said audiences could expect a mixed bag at the screenings, from conventional documentaries, local stories, social justice pieces and poetic creations to enjoyable fun animations.

“The criteria for the U Film Festival is for people to take risks and we saw a high level of creativity and innovation in all the films submitted,” said Mr Jones.

“Each and every one of the pieces is the product of a great deal of work, and it shows the wide diversity of storytelling approaches that can be engaged through the medium of film.

“It was good to see the talent of students from all disciplines on display and given the success of the competition we will be running it on an annual basis.”

The SCU U Film Fest screenings will take place at the following locations and times:

Tweed Riverside: (Brett Street Tweed Heads): Screening will feature as part of the monthly ‘Last Monday Movie Night’ on Monday August 31 at 5pm for a 5.30pm start in the seminar room foyer area. The screening includes a short talk from Murwillumbah-based SCU U Film Fest entrant Tracy Rainford who will speak about the film making process.

Attendees are invited to come dressed as their favourite movie star, director or movie character with prizes for the best costume, most outrageous and best look-a-like.

Lismore: The SCU U Film Fest will be screened for the second time at the Lismore campus on Friday 4 September in the Uni Bar from 6-9pm as part of the SCU Fusion Festival program.

Coffs Harbour: The screening will take place as part of the Multicultural Festival celebrations at the Coffs Harbour campus in D block theatre on Friday 4th September from 6pm.

All are welcome to attend, bookings are not necessary.

Photo: Fiona MacKenzie (high resolution image available on request)