The Tropfest short film festival is held in Sydney, Australia each year. This is the list of 2007's short-listed films and winners. There was controversy regarding the winning film An Imaginary Life due to similarities to the American television series Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends.[1] ## Contents * 1 The Story of Ned * 2 The Grey Cloud * 3 An Imaginary Life (First Prize) * 4 Being Boston * 5 Between The Flags * 6 Road Rage (Second Prize) * 7 Yellow * 8 Pig Latin * 9 Counter * 10 Real Thing * 11 The Von * 12 Bad Yoghurt * 13 Mere Oblivion * 14 A-Z * 15 Still * 16 Fore! * 17 References ## The Story of Ned[edit] Synopsis: John Doyle, as the omnipotent yet not altogether totally reliable narrator, tells the tragic tale of Ned, a little story with a detective yarn for a father and a children's fable for a mother. But in this animation, Ned has a problem: he is a story without an ending. Director: Simon Weaving Producer: Simon Weaving Writer: Simon Weaving Cinematographer: Dan Miller Sound design: Mark Webber Composer: Troy Hambly Editor: Dan Miller Key Key Cast: John Doyle, Tony Turner Length: 6' 50" ## The Grey Cloud[edit] Synopsis: This noirish film, set in a crime-ridden city, opens with a man walking a woman down an alley. Nearby is a mysterious piano bar, a place where the music can simply take you away. Director: Matt Peek, Cam Ford Producer: Matt Peek, Cam Ford Writer: Matt Peek Cinematographer: Cam Ford Sound design: John Kassab Composer: Craig Bryant Editor: Cam Ford Key Cast: Mick Preston, Katie Astrinakis, John Richards, Brett Cartlidge Length: 7' Shot On: Super 16mm Tropfest Awards: Best Cinematography - Cam Ford[2] ## An Imaginary Life (First Prize)[edit] Synopsis: What happens to an imaginary friend once they're forgotten? Where do they go? How do they live? And can their lives ever have any meaning again? For one such imaginary friend, life has been empty. That is, until he finds a potential answer to the one question that's been consuming him this whole time. Director: Steve Baker Producer: Steve Baker Writer: Steve Baker Sound design: Steve Baker Composer: Steve Baker Editor: Steve Baker Key Cast: Andrew Baker, Steve Baker Length: 4' 55" Shot On: Animation Tropfest Awards: First Prize[2] ## Being Boston[edit] Synopsis: When Jeff is dumped by his girlfriend, he buys a cute boxer puppy called Boston to keep him company. But the weeks, then months prove lonely and difficult. Jeff's unpredictable behaviour means it could be some time before Boston makes this man his best friend. Director: Justin Drape Producer: Justin Drape Writer: Justin Drape Cinematographer: Timothy Laffey Sound design: Simon Kane Editor: Simon Njoo Key Cast: Sean Lynch, Felicity Hopkins, Ashlie Fellow Length: 5' 4" Shot On: DV/HD ## Between The Flags[edit] Synopsis: How many rioters does it take to start a riot? When two guys from opposing sides of conflict are the first arrivals for a beach riot, they are initially unsure of the accepted etiquette. Director: Jayce White Producer: Jayce White Writer: Jayce White Cinematographer: Ian Nicholson Sound design: Jayce White Editor: Jayce White Key Cast: Dan Feuerrigel, Matuse Length: 7' 4" Shot On: DV/HD Tropfest Awards: Best Comedy, Best Actor (Matuse)[2] ## Road Rage (Second Prize)[edit] Synopsis: On a busy morning on the roads, there's a near traffic accident. One driver, shaken and angry, watches as the offending car speeds away without its driver acknowledging or apologising for the near miss. He decides to chase him down in a quest for revenge, cornering the offender in a nearby street. Director: Mark Bellamy Producer: Mark Bellamy, Lyndal Mebberson Writer: Mark Bellamy Cinematographer: Simon Harding Sound design: Rohan Charlton Composer: Simon Bailey Editor: Laurie Hughes Key Cast: Paul Kelman, Alan Flower, Scott Johnson, Freddy Talib Length: 7' Shot On: HD Tropfest Awards: Second Prize; Audience Prize[2] ## Yellow[edit] Synopsis: When a well-dressed man climbs into a taxi one night, the tired driver settles in for another boring ride in silence. But things change quickly when the passenger starts talking earnestly about the troubling purpose of the journey. The driver finds himself parked outside a strange house, fearing for his life. Director: William Allert Producer: William Allert Writer: William Allert Cinematographer: Craig Jackson Composer: Andy Scott Editor: Brad Hurt Key Cast: Nathan O'Keefe, William Allert Length: 5' 50" Shot On: HD Tropfest Awards: Best Screenplay - William Allert[2] ## Pig Latin[edit] Synopsis: Two cops startle a woman working in the garden. That's the start of a story about two guys who remember that lucky kid from school who has the pool, the trampoline, the Atari and all that other cool stuff. It's been years since they've seen him, but they still want to play. Director: Nathaniel Kiwi Producer: Nathaniel Kiwi Writer: Nathaniel Kiwi Cinematographer: Stuart Simpson Sound design: Andrew Neil Composer: Mark Farrel Editor: Nathaniel Kiwi Key Cast: Stephen Curry, Steven Stagg, Diana Greentree, Charlie Clausen Length: 5' 40" Shot On: DVCAM ## Counter[edit] Synopsis: A troubled accountant inherits a mysterious counter from a relative, who says "it will make everything clear". But what does it count? Desperate to know the purpose of his inheritance, Neville begins to question everything he does in his daily routine, becoming drawn into an obsessive and life-changing search for meaning. Director: Michael Noonan (filmmaker) Producer: Michael Noonan, Carine Chai Writer: Michael Noonan Sound design: Michael Noonan Composer: Michael Noonan Editor: Michael Noonan Key Cast: Christopher Sommers, Kat Henry, Catherine Glavicic, Paul Bryan, Michael Carter Length: 6' 59" Shot On: HDV ## Real Thing[edit] Synopsis: A woman wakes up in bed. Beside her is the man who insists he is her husband. But is he really? She can't remember. Director: Rupert Glasson Producer: Hugo O'Conner, Rani Chaleyer Writer: Rupert Glasson Cinematographer: Ben Allen Sound design: Michael McMenomy Composer: John Gray Editor: Rani Chaleyer Key Cast: Slava Orel, Emma Jackson, Jean-Marc Russ Length: 5' Shot On: DVCAM Tropfest Awards: Best Original Score - John Gray[2] ## The Von[edit] Synopsis: It is 1982 and a schoolboy Alex Vonzitzavitz—possessor of a cool jacket and superhero card collection—is about to face the most humiliating experience of his life. Remember that nightmare you had about turning up to school naked? This is worse. But don't panic! Superheroes like The Von always find a way to get out of trouble. Director: John Mavety Producer: Robyn Sinclair Writer: John Mavety Cinematographer: Glenn Hanns Sound design: Nathan Brand Composer: Tewe Hanare Editor: John Mavety, Adam Harley. Key Cast: Jacob Bicknell, Zeke Collins, Jaime Lee Parker, Gabrielle Desdoigts, Louis Desdoigts, April Hayes Dickson Length: 6' 59" Shot On: HD Tropfest Awards: Third Prize; Sony Foundation Young Talent Award - Jacob Bicknell[2] ## Bad Yoghurt[edit] Synopsis: On a hot summer's day, a hot sexy woman sits by a pool. She eats some hot sexy yoghurt. But everything is not as perfect as it seems. The glamour fades when she realises the yoghurt is bad. Director: Shaun Beagley Producer: Shaun Beagley Writer: Shaun Beagley Cinematographer: Jonas McGuiggin Sound design: Stuart Welch Composer: Bernard Houston Editor: Kurt Royan Key Cast: Natalie Lynn Length: 5' Shot On: 16mm Tropfest Awards: The Tropicana Award[2] ## Mere Oblivion[edit] Synopsis: The title, from Shakespeare, is a reference to growing old. Librarian Kenny Bunkport learns what it means when he takes his elderly grandmother to a swish restaurant. Director: Burleigh Smith Producer: Burleigh Smith Writer: Burleigh Smith Cinematographer: Jason Thomas Editor: Ross Farnsworth (i.e., Burleigh Smith)[3] Key Cast: Burleigh Smith, Elizabeth Caiacob, Michael Su, Kate Ritchie Length: 7' Shot On: HDV Tropfest Awards: Best Female Actor - Elizabeth Caiacob[2] ## A-Z[edit] Synopsis: Muz's doctor has bad news: "Your aorta's clogged with fat, all your vital parts are weak". In this animation, that means Muz has to stop eating meat. To break the habit, the doc prescribes a radical new cure that goes from A to Z. Director: Zenon Kohler Producer: Zenon Kohler Writer: Murray Hartin Still photographer: Greg Desmon Sound design: Ash Maklad Composer: Pat Drummond Editor: Zenon Kohler Length: 4' 40" Shot On: Computer generated on a Macintosh with digital stills ## Still[edit] Synopsis: When a man and a woman choose the paths they want to take in their relationship, their son is left aside. In this evocative film, there are three lives and two decisions on one still night. Director: Jayne Montague Producer: Jayne Montague Valentina Forno Assistant Director: Ashleigh Kate Brooks Writer: Nick Thompson Cinematographer: Shing Fung Cheung Sound design: David Stalley Composer: David Stalley Editor: Rolmar Baldonado Key Cast: Jodine Muir, Pete Walters, Giles Penfold, Length: 6' 41" Shot On: HD ## Fore![edit] Synopsis: "Golf isn't a game," says Tiger Woods. "It's a choice that one makes with one's life." A man learns the truth of that statement when he heads to the driving range to hit a few balls. Director: Duane Fogwell Producer: Stewart Brown Writer: Duane Fogwell Cinematographer: Geoff Ellis Composer: Geir Brillan Editor: Duane Fogwell Key Cast: Daniel Bowden, Paul Moxey, Length: 6' 30" Shot On: 35mm Tropfest Awards: Best Editing - Duane Fogwell[2] ## References[edit] 1. ^ Maddox, Garry Now the blob is back at Tropfest at Sydney Morning Herald arts reviews, 20 July 2007 2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Tropfest Winners at Sydney Morning Herald films 3. ^ Alternative name at Burleigh Smith - IMDb