Veteran Australian actor Jack Thompson and young film-maker and director James Khehtie on the eve of the Asia Pacific awards on the Gold Coast. Photo: Mike Batterham
THE Asia Pacific Screen Awards focuses on feature films, but veteran actor Jack Thompson is hoping to change that.
The Australian film identity, on the coast ahead of tomorrow night’s awards ceremony at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, wants a short film category included.
Best known for his roles in Australia, Leatherheads and Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, Thompson and director James Khehtie screened their short film to the APSA jury yesterday morning.
He said although they were ‘very nervous’ the film, titled The Telegram Man, received ‘nods of approval’ from the prestigious judging panel.
”Lord David Puttnam is the president of the jury this year and it was pretty confronting screening it for him,” Thompson said.
”I’d like to say we were confident but … it was really like showing it to a panel of our peers.”
The Telegram Man also stars Gary Sweet and Sigrid Thornton.
As Patron of the APSA Academy, Thompson said the addition of a short film category would be a great way for emerging filmmakers to be ‘seen and noticed’.
”When you look at the short film awards around the world and the festivals, what you are looking at is the work of emerging directors,” he said.
”Every one of the films being shown here, including the New Zealand film Home By Christmas, have all been made by short film directors before they did feature films.”
Oscar-winning producer Lord David Puttnam (Chariots Of Fire, The Killing Fields) who is the Jury President for this year’s awards, has been deliberating with fellow Jury members on the Gold Coast this week over the 31 nominated films.
Representing 15 countries and territories, there is a wide variety of features nominated for awards including Australian films The Legend Of The Guardians: The Owls of Ga’hoole and Bran Nue Day.