Oh what a night!

Opening Night was (as always) a roaring success, with all screened films generating thunderous applause from the massive Palais audience. The Globe Collector had a particularly loud response of laughter and cheers, so too did Transmission (how good was the little girl's performance?!). Glen Robbins was the understated yet warm and funny host, guiding everyone through the speeches -- with Paul Harris' trademark wit and passion for film the highlight.

So where do we go from here? 
Well, it's time to get knee-deep in Festival goodness!
Under the Radar -- the youth-oriented video competition -- will exhibit some of the freshest film talent down-under from 6pm to 7.30pm at The Astor 
Australia's Top 100 Films: Session One will be the first taste (other than last night) audiences will get for the finest short films in the country that are in competition for Sunday's awards. From 7.30pm to 9pm at The Astor
Best of Annecy International Animation Festival: 1997 to 2004 offers half of the delightful animation selection for this year, brought to you straight from the archive of the world's preeminent animation festival, from 9pm to 10.30pm at The Astor 


Not to mention... FORUMS!
Pitch Clinic -- a chance to get up close and personal with Industry experts and their helpful advice on the art of pitching to film financiers 6pm to 7.30pm at Forum Hall 
From Shorts to Longs! The Leap to Directing Features -- a guide for the transition between short and feature filmmaking, with a panel of directors who've done just that. 7.30pm to 9pm at Forum Hall 

So come along, grab some popcorn, make yourself comfortable and be swept away by the superb short films of the SKFF! Or go to Forum Hall with several notepads and pens and get ready for some very beneficial advice!

Hope to see you there!

<Insert Intern>

FORUM FEVER: Update #2

From Shorts to Longs 

Wednesday, May 23rd 

8pm to 9.30pm

How does a filmmaker make the transition between making short and feature films? Can I use my short film as a trailer for my feature? Find out the answers to these confounding questions with a series of anecdotes and helpful hints from some of the freshest film industry talents.

Making a Music Video --

Everything You Need to Know 

Thursday, May 24th

6.30pm to 8pm

'Thriller', 'Bohemian Rhapsody', 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' and 'Single Ladies'... What do all these songs have in common? They all have very memorable music videos. Not only is it a great marketing tool -- it's another level of artistic expression. Learn tips for effective music video production from industry pros like Natasha Pincus, who directed Australia's most-viewed online video, Gotye's 'Somebody That I Used To Know' (nearly 200 million views). Darren Middleton, from seminal rock band Powderfinger, will also be talking about his experiences with both film and music.

'Making a Music Video' will be the perfect lead-up to SoundKilda music video competition -- which follows straight after, at The Astor.  

Get Animated -- Annecy and Beyond

Friday, May 25th

6pm to 7.30pm

Join Oscar nominee Anthony Lucas (The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello),Oscar winner Adam Elliot (Harvey Krumpet, Mary and Max) and advertising and stop-motion guru Glen Hunwick in their discussion of the Annecy International Animated Film Festival and the ever-expanding world of animated cinema. This forum is moderated by Robert Stephenson, who teaches at the VCA and has a film in this year's Top 100 -- the satirical animation Paris Lakes (which was screened at Annecy last year).

The Wonderful World of Annecy

Eclectic. Exciting. Bizarre. Whimsical. These are some of the words you could use to describe the animations to expect at Annecy, the world's premiere animation festival. Since its 1960 inception, the Festival has continually supported the emergence of new creative talent. To celebrate this institution, St Kilda Film Festival is offering its patrons the opportunity to explore the world of Annecy through two sessions, showcasing some of the best of the Festival between 1997 and 2011.

Best of Annecy: Program One (1997 to 2004) 
Elderly monks in love, and surreal train stations, revolutions of crustaceans and gender transformation. Sounds like the surreal lyrics of a B-52s song.


Best of Annecy: Program Two (2004 to 2011) 
Clever visual trickery, innovative stop-motion techniques and elegantly crafted stories - the love of animation is clearly evident in these films.

For more information about Annecy, you can visit the website at http://annecy.org/home or to read more about the films selected for SKFF's special programs, visit http://www.stkildafilmfestival.com.au/2012/flipbook.html