[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]Melbourne WebFest’s fifth anniversary festival concluded on Sunday 2 July with a comedic awards night hosted by Greta Lee Jackson and Liam Seymour, at the State Library of Victoria. Over four days the festival screened an official selection of 50 web series, a student and Spotlight on Melbourne showcase and held industry panels and workshops as well as a live pitching competition.
Film Victoria CEO Jenni Tosi said, “We’re delighted to have supported Melbourne Webfest 2017. The festival is a great showcase for rising talent from Victoria and around Australia and I’m sure all those who attended the activities and screenings over the past weekend found them to be entertaining, informative and inspiring.”
The prestigious Grand Jury Award attached with a $1,500 cash prize was awarded to New Zealand non-fiction series Amy Street. Other notable wins for the night included Goober for Best Australian Comedy, Doodles for Best Australian Animation, No Strings Attached for Best Australian Non-Fiction and Bruce for Best Screenplay. High Life clinched three awards this year taking home Best Australian Drama, Best Director and Best Supporting Actor.
Pitch iview, the festival’s live pitching competition in partnership with ABC iview gave 20 finalists the opportunity to present a two-minute pitch for an original web series based on the theme ‘Everyone’s Invited’. The Pitch iview Award was presented to Tim Potter for his pitch ‘Waiting’, by ABC iview Manager Sally O’Donoghue. Potter will receive a cash prize of $5,000 towards professional development. The prize is intended to cover travel and accommodation to Marseille WebFest to attend their screenwriting residency, to develop the idea and pitch it back to the ABC.
Sally O’Donoghue said, “Our special congrats to Tim Potter and Jo de Fina, creators of ‘Waiting’, an evocative and carefully crafted pitch, set in an outback diner with a backdrop of great Aussie characters. We look forward to working with Tim and Jo as they develop their idea, with funding to attend a screenwriting masterclass at Marseille WebFest. The ABC is proud of the relationship we have with emerging Australian screen producers, and we’re committed to supporting careers and original local content through terrific initiatives like Melbourne WebFest.”
LA filmmaker and keynote speaker Christopher Leone (The Lost Room, Parallels) summed up the entire festival experience best as he said, “Like the rise of independent film 20 years ago, we’re now witnessing the rise of independent television delivered via the web. Melbourne WebFest is a fantastic event to discover the new wave of television creators and a damn good time.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][heading]Melbourne WebFest 2017 Award Winners
[/heading][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]Best Australian Comedy: Goober (AUS)
Best International Comedy: Orazio’s Clan (CHE)
Best Australian Drama: High Life (AUS)
Best International Drama: Exode (CAN)
Best Australian Non-Fiction: No Strings Attached (AUS)
Best International Non-Fiction: Waynak: Where Are You (FRA)
Best Australian Animation: Doodles (AUS)
Best International Animation: Deluxe Motion (CAN)
Best Cinematography: Rapt (IRE)
Best Director: High Life (AUS)
Best Editing: Like You (AUS)
Best Lead Actor: Jezabel (FRA)
Best Supporting Actor or Ensemble: High Life (AUS)
Best Score: Exode (CAN)
Best Screenplay: Bruce (AUS)
Best Sound Design: Supa Supa (FRA)
Best Visual/Special Effects: Exode (FRA)
Best of Spotlight on Melbourne: Method (AUS)
Best Student: Two Weeks (AUS)
Crowd Favourite: Fightin’ ISIS (AUS)
Outstanding Diversity: Starting From Now (AUS)
People’s Choice: Krudo (CHL)
Pitch iview Award: Waiting – Tim Potter
Grand Jury Award: Amy Street (NZL)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]