PRESS RELEASE
Now in its fourth year, the WA Made Film Festival will return in 2023 with an epic celebration of locally-made films including 14 feature films, 57 short films, one web series, two masterclasses, multiple filmmaker discussion panels and 17 smartphone films made exclusively for the festival.
Running over ten days from Friday, 17 February until Sunday, 26 February, the 2023 WA Made Film Festival will be the biggest celebration of local screen culture that Western Australia has ever seen.
“As with each year before it, the festival received a record number of film submissions in 2023 which proves the eagerness of local filmmakers to have their work shown on the big screen, exactly where it deserves to be seen,” said festival director Matthew Eeles.
“We can’t wait to throw our full support behind these local filmmakers, and to screen this incredible selection of local work.”
The 2023 WA Made Film Festival will open with the Perth premiere of Jub Clerc’s brilliant debut feature film, Sweet As. Nyul Nyul and Yawuru writer and director Jub Clerc is a highly-regarded WA filmmaker, and the festival plans to make its opening night as celebratory as possible with before and after-parties, food and drinks and an exciting Q&A.
“Sweet As is the first Western Australian feature film to be written and directed by a female Indigenous person, which is just incredible. We couldn’t think of a better film, by a better filmmaker, to open this year’s festival,” said Matthew.
The festival will also host the world premieres of Arnold Luke Carter’s wonderfully whimsical sophomore feature film, Sun Moon & Thalia, Sanja Katic’s complete web series, Love Me Lex, Hassibullah Kushkaki’s fast-paced action thriller, Rampage Electra, Lincoln James Cook’s observational political documentary, Elect Lincoln, and Aaron’s Kamp’s deeply layered, end-of-the-world drama, Thorns & Thistles at the End of the World which will officially close the festival.
“Nothing makes us more excited than seeing festival alumni returning with new work,” says Matthew.
“We couldn’t be any prouder to see Arnold return to the festival with a new feature film following the world premiere of his debut feature film, Punchin’ Darts in 2020. We look forward to welcoming all of these new feature films and all the filmmakers behind them to this year’s festival.”
Other films to premiere throughout the festival include the Australian premiere of Nick Petkov’s dark and often disturbing drama, Painkiller, the Perth premiere of Brodie Poole’s Kalgoorlie-Boulder documentary, General Hercules (produced by Perth producer, Ruby Schmidt), and the WA premiere of award-winning filmmaker Eamonn Miller’s cinema verité narrative, Assessment Seven.
This year will see the return of the WA Made Film Festival’s stacked Saturday and Sunday short film showcases, which are always incredibly popular with audiences. These two showcases will feature twenty short films, mostly premieres, that include an eclectic mix of films from the world premiere of children’s adventure comedy, Sweet Ride, to the world premiere of Tessa Moncreiff’s fun and vibrant, Denmark-shot Boogie Board Mamma, which is guaranteed to be one of the freshest takes on a short film you’re ever likely to see.
The 2023 festival will see the introduction of two world-class masterclasses by two of Western Australia’s most successful and respected screen practitioners, actor Myles Pollard (Wolverine, Drift), and writer and director Ben Young (Hounds of Love, Where All Light Tends to Go). Pollard’s Acting for Camera Masterclass is limited to just twenty spaces and is not to be missed by young and emerging actors. Young’s more laid-back Writing and Directing Masterclass will cover his approach to structuring screenplays and how he applies that structure to visually realising the story when it comes time to shoot. The WA Made Film Festival’s masterclasses will be held at the festival’s new additional venue, The Globe, situated across the road from the festival hub at Palace Cinemas Raine Square.
February will also see the return of WA’s only smartphone filmmaking competition, Get Smart! Presented by Buy West Eat Best which exploded in popularity with the introduction of the competition’s first ever themed challenge. The winner of the Best Film award, decided by a panel of expert judges at the event, will be awarded with a $1000 cash prize.
“Local filmmakers jumped at the opportunity to explore this year’s Ghost theme, with 17 new films made to screen exclusively during the event,” said Matthew.
“We are truly blown away by the quality of submissions received and the filmmakers behind them.”
In addition, the festival has also created themed program strands like Art Reels, a group of factual and experimental shorts exploring the power of art, Indigenous Documentary Showcase featuring the world premiere of Ema Emilia dos Santos’ Finding Family, and The Grey Line, a powerful new film by director Scott Quayle, producers Kayah Wills and Amy Nyidi Smith, and executive producer, Ian Hale. The LOL: Comedy Showcase will be the festival’s first comedy strand, and Long Shorts and Short Longs, a program of quality shorts with a duration of over 20 minutes each, will return for its second year running.
2023 will also see the introduction of two Double Feature programs which will include two one hour documentaries, Leaven and Stage Changers, and two dramas, Heretics and Incognito.
The festival will also host its first ever filmmaker panel, Breaking In, held at The Globe. The panel of six independent filmmakers will answer the most important question for all emerging filmmakers, “what are the first steps you need to take to break into the local screen industry?” Filmmakers responsible for local independent feature films like Cherubhead, Love Me Lex, General Hercules, Thorns & Thistles at the End of the World, Sun Moon & Thalia and Rampage Electra will be on hand to share their filmmaking stories.
The WA Made Film Festival will run across ten massive days and promises an energetic and engaging atmosphere at all screenings. Selected sessions will include before and after parties, networking events, Q&As, door prizes, iced-coffee provided by Hunt and Brew, beer provided by Gage Roads, gourmet grazing boxes by Palace Cinemas, and wine provided by Forester Estate.
The full 2023 WA Made Film Festival program can be found at www.wamadefilmfestival.com.au
The WA Made Film Festival is proudly supported by the City of Perth. Sponsors of the WA Made Film Festival include Buy West Eat Best, Quay Perth, Gage Roads, Forester Estate, Sandbox, Soundbyte, Fremantle Herald and Perth Voice Newspapers, Panta Creative, Palace Cinemas, South Beach Boardies, The Globe, NomadiQ, RAC Arena, Sealink, Raine Square, Earth Sculptures Pottery and Chalet Retreats Toodyay, Cinemachine, and Hunt and Brew, and is co-presented by Cinema Australia.
