Funding for New Films to Premiere at 2017 Adelaide Film Festival

Entries are being sought for funding to make films that will premiere at the 2017 Adelaide Film Festival.

Premier Jay Weatherill last night attended the launch of the 2015 Adelaide Film Festival and announced that the HIVE FUND was officially open.

The fund is provided by the Adelaide Film Festival, Screen Australia, ABC Arts and the Australia Council for the Arts.

“Maintaining the energy and ambition of the Festival involves investment in talent and the opening up of opportunities for first-time filmmakers,” Mr Weatherill said. “I’m very pleased to announce this evening that $700,000 will be available through HIVE funding.”

Established in 2011, the HIVE Fund has commissioned five films to date – Tender, I Want To Dance Better at Parties and The Boy Castaways – all of which premiered at the 2013 Festival – and Girl Asleep and Spear, which premiere at this year’s Festival.

Adelaide Film Festival Director Amanda Duthie today said both premiere screenings for Girl Asleep and Spear are hot tickets at the festival and she is delighted to welcome artists turned filmmakers Rosemary Myers and Stephen Page for their premieres. The HIVE Fund has enabled artists to direct their first films, going on to release their work in cinemas, garner awards, travel the world and continue the creative collaborations that have arisen out of the HIVE FUND and LAB.

Australia Council CEO, Tony Grybowski said: “The Australia Council values this unique partnership that enables artists to be adventurous in a different art form and extend their own creative practice. Without the work of HIVE, these new artistic opportunities would not be possible.”

Screen Australia’s Head of Production, Sally Caplan said: “We are delighted to continue to support the Hive Fund and Lab. The quality of the films that have come out of the initiative is extraordinary. This year, the films again meet the high standards set by the 3 previous films.

Girl Asleep by Rosemary Myers is fresh, charming and delightful and Spear from Stephen Page exquisite and beautiful. The Hive Fund and Lab offer an incredible opportunity to emerging Australian creatives and I encourage participants to push their skill, ideas and talent to the full.”

Commissioning Editor for ABC TV ARTS, Mandy Chang said: “I’m thrilled to be involved in this third and final HIVE, which we hope will continue to uncover exciting new filmmaking talent. Supported by an impressive group of mentors, the lab will provide a carefully selected group of Australian artists and filmmakers with the opportunity to bring their unique skills, knowledge and processes to workshop ideas that will both enrich and stretch conventional filmmaking forms.”

South Australian Film Corporation CEO Annabelle Sheehan said: “HIVE is a highly effective LAB that backs talent and supports innovative practice towards the production of extraordinary films which add to the diversity and quality of the Australian screen industry.”

Adelaide Film Festival Director Amanda Duthie added: “HIVE is rare in the world and it is terrific the HIVE partners can continue the development of new collaborations through the LAB and ensure great cinematic works, co-created by artists and filmmakers, will continue to screen across Australian and around he world. I welcome all the fabulous participants for this years LAB.”

Participants for the HIVE Lab - the residential workshop for Australian artists and filmmakers - will take part in the third and final LAB during the Festival.

The diverse array of talent participating in the HIVE LAB include songwriter and actor Clare Bowditch, director Geordie Brookman, photographer Trent Parke, writer Qing Xie, director Andy Packer, author Emma Magenta, artist Matthew Sleeth, producer and director Madeleine Parry, writer Nakkiah Lui, artist Bruce Gladwin, filmmaker Brendan Fletcher and writer Victoria Cocks.

The leaders for the HIVE LAB are Chris Drummond (Artistic Director, Brink Productions) and Mandy Chang (Director/Producer and currently Commissioning Editor for ABC TV ARTS).

The LAB will run during the Festival from October 19-21, with the HIVE PUBLIC FORUM happening at 5pm on October 18.

This event will feature HIVE LAB and FUND alumni including Rosemary Myers and Jo Dyer (Girl Asleep), Matthew Bate (I Want to Dance Better at Parties) and Stephen Page (Spear), along with Robert Connolly (Executive Producer Spear).

Click here for further details on the HIVE FUND.

Deadline for HIVE FUND proposals is Tuesday December 1, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Mark McGowan 0419 695 487