Why Tropfest is the Arse-End

Since when did amateur film comps become a corporate spectacle?
Tropfest is now the blue blood of a concept that was once considered classless.
But with Polson comes power comes money and so them's the brakes for any struggling film students out there with no connections.
Well, this kind of thing really pissed off three artsy Newtown types, Martin, Spiros and Bill, who now dig into their own pockets to fund the now annual Newtown Ficks Film Festival (as well as JVC's - but they're NOT sell-outs by any stretch)...

Anyone who can, should get down there, it's over the weekend of the 31st May - 2 June at the PACT Theatre (Erskineville, right near Newtown)...it'll be 3 days of keeping it REAL...and we should all encourage that, right, peeps?
Plus, film-makers make the best bar buddies ever (heaps better than pretentious actors, who end up breaking down in a messy heap of self love when too blotto...trust me...)

In the meantime, check out my feature on it! It's going to appear in the upcoming edition of Precinct, which makes it official - my Precinct cherry's been popped!

Soon it'll be Reportage after I go undercover to the D&D ball this Saturday night. I'll be vox-popping whilst trying to pull some poor bloke and make my poor Mumsy's wishes come true, and I might actually settle down with some nice, desperate dude and hopefully getting blind on the virtues of a press pass...stay tuned, it'll be posted!

Film festivals, in the height of their popularity, seem to be neglecting the grassroots notion that they once encapsulated.

With the likes of short film extravaganza, Tropfest, which has made a sharp ascent into the mainstream, there is little opportunity for up and coming film makers to put their work out there and be guaranteed a screening.

In light of this, three Newtown locals: Martin Kelly, Spiros Hristias and Bill Jordan got together in 2005 to put together and are the directors of what is now known as Newtown Flicks Short Film Festival.

“As we saw it, these were the facts,” says Kelly. “The Valhalla and Cheval Theatres had closed down and the likes of Tropfest was unattainable for most film makers.”

Now in its third year, running May 30-June 1, the festival is determined not to become like Tropfest. “It’s the brand-name festival, that’s what we call it.” Says Kelly, only half-jokingly. “We were pretty concerned about making sure that we weren’t just going to be another branded festival, what we want to do is really support, assist and showcase young people.”

And, of course, being centred around Newtown, the festival is possessive of that slightly eccentric, bohemian feel that makes up this Inner-West suburb. “We want that Newtown vibe, we want that Inner West sort of vibe,” agrees Hrsiatis.

In terms of its conditions, the only criteria is that films are twenty minutes or less in duration, and all are intending to be screened during the festival. “If we do get too many, then we guarantee that we will find other venues to show it at a later date.” Says Kelly.

Newtown Flicks awards four prizes: The Open Category, Film School, Director’s Choice, and, one of the first of its kind, the Treehouse: a special award dedicated to children’s film.

“I haven’t really seen any other festival in Australia that had just a childhood category it’s quite uncommon. It’s one of the reasons why I entered it,” says Tonnette Stanford, 2007 Treehouse winner with her film, Wally.

When it comes to the categories, Newtown Flicks is about moulding itself around its entrants and not the other way around. “We’ve got an award chosen by the directors.” Says Kelly. “For those films that don’t fit into those that have tangible qualities

Last year’s directors prize went to Sarah Antill, and that was something that didn’t fit within the other categories.” Antill, whose featured documentary, Not Sitting Still, was produced as an educational film, used Newtown Flicks to raise the film’s profile.

“Since winning, I’ve begun working on much bigger projects with two documentary makers,” she says. “The Newtown Flicks win gave me the confidence to approach them, and an award that got them to look at me.”

Stanford has also achieved a large degree of success, with her production company, Stickybeak, producing films that are currently being distributed around the world.

With a festival that prides itself on ditching production values in the name of a good story, Newtown Flicks, again, stands alone in the world of film festivals. All three directors are sceptical of film makers and their use of special effects.

"They’re looking for prouction qualities and sound editing, etc etc…” says Kelly of usual festival standards: “Newtown Flicks is an opportunity to have your work up on the big screen for everyone to see, for everyone to hear – to have their voice heard.”

And with some big-name judges on board, such as Garry Maddox and Genevieve Lemon, it also enables film-makers a chance to be offered objective criticsm.

“The entrants are being at least measured by their peers or people that they aspire to be and I think that that’s very important that they get a realistic vision when they get the opportunity to show their stuff.”

Stanford acknowledges the assistance that public attention can bring for a film maker: “Every time you enter a film festival and it gets screened, especially if it wins an award…it expands its profile and the fact that Newtown Flicks was especially good was because they organised a lot of media and stuff surrounding it.” She says.

Newtown Flicks is also intent on focussing on the importance of the ultimate critic: the audience. “Catering to and considering what an audience wants is crucial,” says Kelly, acknowledging the importance of the audience perspective in terms of educating the film maker: “so it’s about planning for them as well… the program considers not only about presenting a show for a film maker, but about presenting for an audience as well.”

Antill agrees: “When Not Sitting Still was showing at Newtown Flicks, I sat just in front of a woman who had obviously come to see someone else’s film, because when it started, she was rummaging through her handbag for chocolate. At the end, she was dabbing her eyes with a tissue and snuffling,”

When looking towards the future of Newtown Flicks, for film makers, audience and director’s alike, Kelly and Hrsiatis remain enthusiastic, but uncertain. “We’re much better placed now than we were then – but it’s the Great Unknown.” Says Kelly.

Further plans involve the expansion of Newtown Flicks to the western suburbs, thereby capturing the voice of Sydney in its entirety.

“Their story is as valid as someone who has a beautiful, carefully constructed production.. That’s the point we want to make about the festival.”