The prize just might be the best gig ever.  We’re serious.

Check it out here.

‘We’ve All Been There’ explored the idea of shared kindness through goodwill and pay-it-forward style ethics. A young woman in need gets a dose of kindness from someone who experienced it herself. Lead actress Laura Wheelright won Best Actress for her role as the struggling pregnant girl in We’ve All Been There, making it quite a big night for the film all up!

Tropfest has also released the Tropfest Signature Item for its 22nd competition: “Change.”

As well as being the required item for all filmmakers to include in their entries, the new TSI in part reflects some ground-breaking festival announcements that were made by its Director, John Polson, live from the Tropfest stage.

Tropfest Australia has officially announced that its ever-expanding audiences in hometown Sydney mean the world’s largest short film festival is making a venue move. From the next event onwards, Sydney’s spectacular Centennial Park will become Tropfest Australia’s new home.

Furthermore, Tropfest has made a significant festival date change for the first time in two decades: December 8, 2013 is the new date for Tropfest’s Australia’s 22nd competition – to take place live from Centennial Park.

Festival Director John Polson said he is excited about the changes, but will miss the Domain:

“We’ve been extremely privileged,” Polson said. “The Domain is now an important part of our history, having been our home since 1999. However, with our steadily growing audience, Centennial Parklands is really the only Sydney venue that offers us the space we now need. This will be an exciting new chapter for us.”

“The change to December also reflects the growth Tropfest is experiencing both locally, and internationally. Our significant increase in international guests – both regular audiences and VIP attendees – has meant we need to think more globally now. Our new date fits better with the international film calendar including events like the Oscars. It’s also a magical time of year in Australia. What better way to kick off our glorious summer than with Tropfest?” he said.

If filmmakers need more encouragement to get cracking on their entries for the December competition, they need look not further than at what Clifford took home tonight.
Clifford is the lucky recipient of an all-new 2012 Toyota Corolla Levin ZR, a $10,000 cash prize (courtesy of Kennedy Miller Mitchell) and a trip to Los Angeles for a week of meetings with film executives (organised by Motion Picture Association and the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft).
And to help him on his way as a filmmaker, he is now also the proud owner of the award-winning Nikon D800 and $2000 RRP worth of lenses and accessories.
Clifford says “I can’t wait to go to LA, go The Clippers! Thankyou to Tropfest and everyone that’s come out. It’s the best feeling in the world.”

The winner of the new Nikon DSLR category Matt Hardie’s film Let It Rain was a light-hearted gun-war – with water pistols instead of firearms. This category was awarded for the first time this year for films shot entirely on DSLR cameras, encouraging a creative approach to filmmaking with a new genre of equipment. He has bagged a sweet Nikon D600 and $3000 RRP worth of lenses and accessories.

The night’s warm fuzzy feeling really shone through some of the other films, including second prize winner Jefferson Grainger’s Better Than Sinatra, which followed the story of Raymond Borzelli, elderly pensioner who brightens the days of strangers by dancing to buskers around CBD Sydney.

Sam Worthington announced that the judges had collectively put up $3000 to go towards a new prize created especially for this year’s festival for Best Personality In a Documentary. The prize was awarded to Raymond Borzelli, who has learnt to see the bright side and dance his way through financial struggles.

The third prize-winning film Punctured by Nick Baker and Tristan Klein was a wonderful animation made with a combination hand-coloured collage and digital effects. A dystopian tale, the film followed the tale of a man whose only job was to puncture balloons.

Nick Baker helped out with the film while working on the Obama campaign, communicating with Tristan Klein over Skype to get it done.

Nick Hamilton, lead actor in Time, a film about time travel firmly rooted in reality, took out the best actor award.

Minister for Tourism, Major Events and the Arts, George Souris, said he was pleased to see so many talented NSW filmmakers in the running for first prize, with 12 of the 16 finalist produced by local talent.

“The NSW Government, through our tourism and major events agency Destination NSW, is proud to support Tropfest 2013, the world’s largest short film festival,” Mr Souris said. “NSW’s domination of Tropfest 2013 reinforces our position as the hub of film production in Australia and the home of the creative industries. NSW employs almost half of all those involved in the film industry in this country and is the headquarters for a vast majority of Australia’s film industry’s businesses.”

This year, Tropfest was broadcast live to a television audience all around Australia on SBS One, who got up close to the stars on a glittering red carpet, as well as capturing exclusively all the film and music action of Tropfest.

Stuck for something to do this Sunday?

Join film fans around Australia at The Domain for Tropfest 2013- a fun day of film, music and red carpet action!

The ‘main event’ on Sunday is all about the festival vibe – the picnics, the sunshine, the red carpet, the bands and most importantly the films! It is a FREE event.

11am Gates Open

Trop Jr 2013 starts

3:00pm Tropfest 2013 starts

3:20pm Live performance – Round the Corner

4:15pm Live performance by MEG MAC

5:15pm Live performance by Clubfeet

5:50pm APRA Tropscore

6:00pm Red Carpet Arrivals

7.00pm Live performance by Kate Miller Heidke

7:30pm Official Festival Program Commences

8:00pm Finalist Films – Part 1

1. Great Day

2. Let It Rain

3. Time

4. Scene 16

5. Monobrow

6. Inside

7. The Pledge for Mister Bunny

8. Ca$h Cow – a 63% true story

Finalist Films – Part 2

9. Cargo

10. Taser

11. Punctured

12. Better than Sinatra

13. Remote

14. The Hustle

15. A Man Walks Into A Bar…

16. We’ve All Been There

10:00pm Judging Time Out

10:15pm Award Ceremony and 2014 TSI Announcement

10:30pm Live performance by RÜFÜS

LATE- SUNDAY

Celebrate at the Tropfest After Party!

Cake Wines Tropfest Pop Up Bar

Where: 77 George St, The Rocks, NSW 2000

HOW TO GET TO THE DOMAIN

Public transport recommended.
Train The nearest station is Martin Place.
Other stations close to the Royal Botanic Gardens are St James and Circular Quay.
Bus Take the Sydney Explorer buses 441 or 200
Ferry Walk to the Gardens from Circular Quay
Parking Sydney Hospital and The Domain car parks.
More info: Transport Info Line 131 500 or www.131500.com.au

And remember: if you can’t get to The Domain on Sunday you can watch the main event unfold live on free to air TV on SBS One from 8:30pm. This year’s free to air broadcast (and festival screens) will be hosted by Adam Spencer and Yumi Stynes, who’ll make sure those at home don’t miss a thing!

See you on Sunday!

As we’ve grown, we’ve introduced new audiences to short film and worked hard to develop ever-expanding opportunities for our incredibly talented finalists. Through our international festivals, too, we have celebrated the work of filmmakers the world over.
Now, in 2013, we will unveil the films made by our sixteen finalists for Tropfest 2013 to the largest audience in Tropfest’s history!
How can you watch the films? We’ve got lots of options lined up for you:

1. At one of our FREE Tropfest events

Join us at The Domain, Sydney or at one of our live screenings at locations across Australia this Sunday.

All Tropfest events are FREE so join us and celebrate the picnics, the sunshine, the red carpet, the bands and most importantly the films!

Venues this year include Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Wollongong, Perth, Surfers Paradise and Hobart.

2. On SBS One

We’re extremely excited to welcome SBS as our broadcast partner for the 2013 Festival.

Thanks to SBS Tropfest will screen on free-to-air TV on the same night as the festival (for the first time ever!). This means that short film fans ACROSS AUSTRALIA will be able to celebrate with all of you who take part in our live events.

If Tropfest isn’t coming to a town near you, tune into SBS One at 8:30pm this Sunday. And feel free to organize yourself a Tropfest Screening Party at your home, or even a local café of pub.

3. On smh.tv

This year, as digital technology continues to take leaps and bounds, we have decided to leave our long-standing annual DVD behind (but please see more about this below).

Yes, thanks to our great friends at The Sydney Morning Herald, Tropfest is going fully digital!

While we understand there will be some disappointment about this from some of our fans, we’re also proud to continue to be at the cutting edge of new developments and feel it’s important for Tropfest Finalists to be accessible ONLINE, as soon as the festival comes to an end on Sunday night.

To our die-hard DVD fans, though, fear not! We’re exploring the idea of producing a limited amount of DVD’s to satisfy those of you who love them. Our decision will be determined by the demand, so please email us at mail@tropfest.com.au and let us know any thoughts you have on this issue. As always, our fans wishes are incredibly important to us.

We’ve got a selection of Tropfest films available on our channel smh.tv/tropfest now, so head over and take a look!

Cider is a way of life in Sweden. And now, thanks to our new partner Kopparberg, cider will also be a way of life at Tropfest 2013!

Kopparberg Cider all began in 1882, with copper mining in the town of Kopparberg, Sweden. An early mining town, settlers came for the copper, but there was something else just as precious to be found under the surface of the earth – soft water. This water is among the most pure in the world and all of Kopparberg ciders are made using it.

Like all Swedes, Kopparberg believe in the virtues of simplicity and uncomplicatedness, and this is reflected in the cider of which they’re so proud.

As part of their partnership with Tropfest 2013, Kopparberg will be offering a super chilled cider lounge at the Sydney screening for over 18 Troppers to relax, unwind and enjoy the festival day.

For more info, visit the Kopparberg Australia Facebook

We spoke to Kopparberg to learn a little more about their history.

Where is Kopparberg Cider made?
Our cider is made in the tiny town of Kopparberg, Sweden with a population of only 4000 people. The brewery has been established here since 1882.

What makes Kopparberg Cider different to other cider brands?
We are going to let you in on a little secret here…. Kopparberg cider is made with some of the most pure water in the world! That’s what makes us stand out from other cider brands. This Swedish, soft water bubbles up from a spring beneath the town of Kopparberg with a low mineral content allowing natural flavours to come through unaltered. All the Kopparberg ciders are made using only this pure, soft water.

What is the most popular cider in the Kopparberg family? 
We love all the members of our Kopparberg family, so it’s hard to pick a favourite! So far Strawberry & Lime has become one of our more popular flavours in Australia. We believe it is because of the unmistakeable strawberry aroma and the super-refreshing flavour!

How is Kopparberg involved in Australia’s cultural scene?
Although new to the Australian scene, we are so excited to be a part of the Australian lifestyle. We look forward to supporting artists and organisations that truly put Australia on the map. Sponsoring Tropfest this year is only a (refreshing) taste of what’s to come!!

Describe Kopparberg Cider in three words.
There are so many words to describe Kopparberg- we could go on and on! But the best way to describe our cider is A Touch of Fruity- meaning  Fruity, Pure and Refreshing.

From documentary to animation, with the staple comedy and drama packed in between, Tropfest 2013 is shaping up to be a brilliant showcase of the work of Australia’s creative minds. You can tell just by reading the notes on the making of these films that we’re in for an amazing night of film – the stories in these production notes are film-worthy themselves.

This year’s filmmakers have shown incredible dedication to the cause by facing creepy haunted buildings, extreme weather and various run-ins with the authorities, all in the name of independent film.

For example, the locations in this year’s films have gone above and beyond the average: a 19^th Century gothic mansion in Katie Wall’s Scene 16; an abandoned mental asylum in Matt Cerwen’s Inside; the depths of Canadian winter in Tim Blackburn and Lyndal Moody’s Monobrow and even dangerous cartel territory in the Mexican desert in Michael Noonan’s Remote.

You’ll witness guest appearances from Mel and Kochie (playing Mel and Kochie) in a film shot on set at Channel 7’s studios (Daniel Reisinger’s CA$H COW – a 63% True Story). And although Tropfest serves up some of the best films made by talented Australians, this year’s film selection features three internationally shot pieces (Mexico, Canada and LA).

We also introduced the Nikon DSLR Film category in 2013. Established to recognise the immense range of capabilities and versatility of video recording on DSLRs, the category offered filmmakers a new, accessible outlet through which to express their creativity.

Over a quarter of all entries were made on DSLR and we are excited to announce that five of the sixteen finalist films were submitted in the DSLR category!

Minister for Tourism, Major Events and the Arts, George Souris, said the NSW Government, through its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW, is proud to support Tropfest 2013, the world’s largest short film festival.

“Tropfest has a long history of success in Sydney, a city that is not only recognised as a UNESCO City of Film, but is also Australia’s creative hub,” Mr Souris says.

“Tropfest is an important feature on the NSW Events Calendar, and joins a number of Sydney’s fantastic free outdoor events including Sydney New Year’s Eve, Sydney Festival and Sydney Mardi Gras Parade. A launch pad for filmmakers of all ages, having a film screened at Tropfest can be the start of a very exciting career in film. I would like to wish all finalists the best of luck.” He says.

This year APRA Tropscore, Tropfest’s competition for screen composers, will reward one of ten finalists  for their vital contributions to film.

Matt Bird, a Tropfest Finalist for the third year in a row with his 2013 Finalist film Taser, provided the film for Tropscore 2013, a beautiful piece of cinema and a clean musical slate for which all entrants composed a score. Tropscore winners receive a neat $5000 cash prize along with the chance to perform their score live on stage at Tropfest.

On Sunday February 17, the Finalist films will screen live at the Domain, Sydney and at venues across Australia to a crowd of around 150,000 and to a judging panel of celebrities and industry heavyweights – past judges include Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor & Geoffrey Rush – who will together decide the champion of Tropfest 2013.

The talented winner will leave a richer, more mobile and better-equipped filmmaker in an all-new 2012 Toyota Corolla Levin ZR, holding $10,000 cash prize courtesy of Kennedy Miller Mitchell, and preparing for a trip to Los Angeles for a week of meetings with film executives organised by Motion Picture Association and the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft. The victor will also take home the latest Nikon D800 and $2000 RRP worth of lenses and accessories.

And don’t forget: not only can you watch this show live on SBS that night, but Tropfest runs three days’ worth of parties, film nights and talks including Tropfest Roughcut leading up to the night.

To read more about the finalist films, click here

Click here for the full media release

DIRECTOR: Nicholas Clifford
PRODUCER: Michael Ciccone, Jim Wright & Bridget O’Shea

STATE: VIC

SYNOPSIS: A flat tyre connects a stranded traveller, a struggling waitress and a man in need of some luck in a way they couldn’t imagine.

Watch the film here.

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Nicholas Clifford was a Tropfest finalist in 2012 for his film Kitchen Sink Drama, working alongside his current producer Michael Ciccone on that film as well. Together with other producer, Jim Wright, they established their own company Truce Films and work in partnership there. Nicholas has also directed Brad In a Bottle in 2011 and Nicky Two Tone in 2009, has completed a Graduate Diploma at AFTRS. is a Film and TV graduate from RMIT and even lived in Beijing for a year to work on a TV series.

DIRECTOR: Katie Wall
PRODUCER: Conor Reid
STATE: NSW

SYNOPSIS: An ambitious soap actress goes to great lengths to nail a scene.

Watch the film here.

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Katie Wall studied at VCA and has worked as an actress in Australia for the past 15 years, winning an AFI award for best supporting actress in a television series for her role in ABC miniseries, Marking Time and has starred in a number of other film and television series including My Year without Sex, Puberty Blues, Underbelly Tale of Two Cities, Love My Way and The Secret Life of Us. This is the first short film Katie has directed.

DIRECTOR: Rhys Wakefield & Sophie Lowe
PRODUCER: Rhys Wakefield

STATE: NSW, filmed in LA

SYNOPSIS: A man walks into a bar… and so does a woman.

Watch the film here.

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Born in Cairns and raised in Sydney, Rhys Wakefield is new to directing as both he and his co-director, Sophie Lowe, have worked as actors in film and television and never studied a film related course. He is drawn to bold choices from directors, particularly a second act turning point like the works of Paul Thomas Anderson and Quentin Tarantino. Rhys was nominated for best actor in a feature film by the Australian Film Institute and the Australian Film Critics Circle for his performance in The Black Balloon. The co-directors both attended The McDonald College of Performing Arts and starred together in The Philosophers.

DIRECTOR: Topher Field
PRODUCER: Ben Whimpey

STATE: VIC

SYNOPSIS: Are you a player?

Watch the film here.

DIRECTOR’S BIO: Topher Field has directed two previous Tropfest entries, Life or Death, in 2009 and Rules of the Game, in 2011, and has also directed a number of small-scale mini documentaries. Born in Corowa, country NSW, he then grew up in the suburbs of Melbourne and studied Screen Acting for one year with Film and Television International.