Australian directors Alex Proyas and Kieran Darcy-Smith, visiting New Yorker – screenwriter Charles Randolph, Tropfest Arabia Winner Jassem Al Jabbouri and 2011 Movie Extra Tropfest winner Damon Gameau also sat on the judging panel.

One of Tropfest’s biggest success stories – ‘Wilfred’ creator, writer and actor Jason Gann weighed in live from the US to cyber judge before casting his vote via satellite.

Tropfest Founder and Director, John Polson says, “Lemonade Stand is an incredibly well made film and a favourite amongst the judges. There was intense discussion in the judging room, and some really interesting debates. Alethia should be very proud to have been selected by some of the industry’s greatest talent.”

Jones says, “I signed up to Centrelink two weeks ago, so this changes everything for me.”

Second prize went to actor Rupert Reid from Sydney for “Boo!” – the story of an elderly couple who take a joke one step too far with deadly consequences. “Boo!” also took out Best Male Actor with Don Reid’s great performance, as well as the Telstra Crowd Pleaser Award.

Third prize went to “Photo Booth” by Queenslander Michael Noonan. The story tells of three soldiers who find a photo booth in a war torn landscape that reveals their shocking fate.

Best Female Actor went to Kate McNamara for her unrehearsed one-day performance in “Kitchen Sink Drama” about a proposal gone wrong.

Two time finalist Marie Patane won the Women in Film Award for “How Many More Doctors Does it Take to Change a Lightbulb”, starring past finalist and actor Rob Carlton, and Trop alumni Jason van Genderen as cameraman.

Early in the evening APRA Tropscore winner Ben Allen, picked from over 900 entries, played his winning score ‘Again’ live to more than 90,000 film fans, he walked away with 5K cash.

Tropfest 2011 runner up, Jason Van Genderen took out Tropfest’s mobile category, Telstra Mobile Masterpieces. Van Genderen also won Tropfest New York in 2008 with a mobile film made on just $50. He’ll also take home $5K.

Tropfest delivered a glittering red carpet affair, with amazing weather until a lightning storm set in as the films got underway.

Legendary filmmaker Baz Luhrmann and his “The Great Gatsby” star Tobey Maguire took a well-deserved break to join the world’s largest short film festival screening. They were joined by many of the industry’s movers and shakers including Josh Lawson, Gia Carides, Steve Bisley, Chris Lilley, Rachael Ward, Joel Edgerton, Michael Caton and Rob Carlton.

Hard core festival goers braved the weather to sit out all 16 finalist films, which were screened regardless of the rain. Judges and industry guests watched from the Tropfest marquee as the show continued on.

Tropfest’s overall winner takes home a prize booty of $10,000 from Kennedy Miller Mitchell, a money-can’t-buy trip to LA to meet with film industry executives, agents, and managers and a brand new Nikon D800 and lens prize pack.

The 2013 Tropfest Sigature Item (TSI) ‘BALLOON’ was announced by Polson. Also announced were two more exciting global expansions for Tropfest: Tropfest New Zealand and Tropfest Vegas.

The Vegas festival will kick off in June this year with parties and screening events showcasing the best Tropfest films of the past two decades. The festival will include a panel of film industry professionals and celebrities who will judge the top 12 films and declare a winner.

If you missed out on seeing all the live action on the night, films are available for download on Bigpond Mobile or tune in to MOVIE EXTRA on Saturday 25 February for a MOVIE EXTRA Tropfest special from 1.30pm (AEDT). Hosted by Adam Spencer and Julia Zemiro, you’ll have a chance to view the finalist films including the winning film of Movie Extra Tropfest 2012, and all the red carpet action.

Don’t forget to pick up a copy the Sydney Morning Herald on Saturday 25 February for the 20th anniversary DVD of the Tropfest finalist’s films.

For an insider look into Movie Extra Tropfest 2012 don’t forget to check out Top of The Trops, each night at 8.15pm (AEDST) from Monday 20 February – Wednesday 29 February, hosted by Renee Brack and featuring interviews with all the finalist filmmakers.

Our panel of judges including Asher Keddie, Toni Collette, Geoffrey Rush, Cate Blanchett and Nicole Kidman picked Alethea’s film out of our 16 incredible Finalist films.  They also awarded Second Prize to ‘Boo’, directed by Rupert Reid which also took out the Telstra Crowd Pleaser Award.
Third Prize went to ‘Photo Booth’, directed by Michael Noonan.
Best Male Actor was awarded to Don Reid, the lead actor in Rupert Reid’s ‘Boo’ and Kate McNamara won Best Female Actor for her role in ‘Kitchen Sink Drama’.
Marie Patane took out the Moet & Chandon Women In Film Award and Jason van Genderen won First Place in the Telstra Mobile Masterpieces competition with his film ‘The 53rd Hour’.

Despite the torrential rain in Sydney, we had a fantastic night. Huge congratulations to all of our finalists and a big thanks to our audiences,  tuning in wherever you were to watch the amazing films created by the 16 Finalists from Movie Extra Tropfest 2012.

The all-day event is staged in collaboration with Screen NSW, the NSW Government’s screen development and funding agency, a day before Tropfest’s huge 20th Birthday on Sunday 19 February. Rush joins keynote speaker and celebrated international screenwriter and producer of the 2011 box office hit Love and Other Drugs – Charles Randolph direct from New York.

Buy tickets here.

High-profile Australian film editor Jason Ballantine; Kieran Darcy-Smith – whose new feature Wish You Were Here opened the Sundance Film Festival earlier this month; and leading international composer – Lisa Gerrard will also present as well as 2011 Tropfest Runner Up, Jason Van Genderen.

Rush says he is looking forward to meeting with emerging filmmakers.

“Tropfest is turning 20, that’s serious frisky adulthood – so vicenarians, please join this sexagenarian for a cinematic chat on known knowns, known unknowns, and unknown unknowns… it’s a Q and A and I’d love to hear from you, ” he says.

Tropfest founder and director, John Polson will offer fresh insights into the 20 year history of the world’s largest short film festival.

The day will be hosted by actor, filmmaker and past Tropfest winner, Rob Carlton.

To find out what makes these industry heavyweights ‘tick’ creatively and how their respective disciplines contribute to filmmaking, pick up a ticket to the symposium from www.tropfest.com/au.

The forum will be an intimate affair at the Domain Theatre, Art Gallery of NSW. Tickets are just $35 or $25 for Tropfest Alumni, but book early as space is limited.

Polson says Roughcut has been established to inspire and support those who have a burning ambition to build a professional career in film or television.

“If you are passionate about film and want to explore creativity and collaboration, and what inspires and drives the heart and soul of the filmmaking process, this event is for you,” he says.

Screen Australia, the key Federal Government’s direct funding body for the Australian screen production industry, along with Tropfest’s new festival sponsor, Nikon, have also supported bringing Roughcut to life for Tropfest’s 20th Birthday.

“We’re really excited to be partnering with Screen NSW, Screen Australia and Nikon to present Roughcut. This is going to be an incredibly interesting event for serious filmmakers,” says Polson.

Feeling social? Movie Extra Tropfest talent, filmmakers, judges and audience members have been invited to share their thoughts on twitter via #tropfest or #happy20tropfest.

Ben’s score to Amelia Olsen-Boyd’s film ‘Returning’ was picked out of a mammoth 900 entries!

We also awarded two Finalists -  Jayden Lawrence and James Wingrove.

Listen to their scores here.

Ben will be performing his score LIVE for the Tropfest audience at the Domain on Sunday, 19 February.
If you’re in Sydney, come down and check it out.

DIRECTOR: Nicholas Clifford
PRODUCER: Michael Ciccone
STATE: VIC

Aaron is going to propose to Stacey but in doing so discovers that by playing a joke beforehand he may have ruined the entire relationship.

DIRECTOR: Steve Mitchell
PRODUCER: Ben Plazzer
STATE: VIC

Two inspectors interrogate an entertainer, who discovers that breaking the law is no laughing matter.

DIRECTOR: Bryan Moses
PRODUCER: Laura Hughes, Bryan Moses
STATE: NSW

How far would you go to escape an uncomfortable situation?

DIRECTOR: Kailas Prasannan
PRODUCER: Kailas Prasannan
STATE: VIC

A young man suffering from ‘total colour-blindness’ has the opportunity to see three colours: red, green and blue – but only one at a time.

DIRECTOR: Michael Noonan
PRODUCER: Pearce Hoskinson, Michael J Knott, Sophie Easthope, Timeka Flaherty, Jo Ruskenas, Ashley Hobley, Emmanuelle Chuvan
STATE: QLD

Three soldiers find a photo booth in the middle of a war-torn landscape and soon realise it carries a strange but disturbing message for each of them.

DIRECTOR: Matilda Brown
PRODUCER: Matilda Brown
STATE: NSW

If you could tell the world one thing…what would it be?