TOM HAJDU ADDED TO INTERNATIONAL JURY

He’s collaborated with Oliver Stone, U2, Laurie Anderson, Lou Reed and David Byrne, to name a few – and now he’s coming to Adelaide Film Festival. Creative director, composer and innovation specialist Tom Hajdu has been added to the International Film Jury at this year’s Festival, it was announced today.

Tom will join Jury President Christian Jeune, from Cannes Film Festival, filmmakers Annemarie Jacir and Sophie Hyde and film critic Maggie Lee on this year’s Adelaide Film Festival International Jury.

Adelaide Film Festival Creative Director and CEO Amanda Duthie said she was thrilled to announce Tom’s inclusion to the Festival, which runs from October 15-25.

Tom co-founded the phenomenon “tomandandy” in New York in 1990, which he built into one of the largest music production companies in the world, composing music for films such as Resident Evil 5, Natural Born Killers, The Rules of Attraction, Mean Creek, The Hills Have Eyes, and the upcoming Brad Pitt-produced documentary, Apex.

He helped reshape the role of music in the film, television and advertising industries by introducing a disruptive process that lowered music production costs to a fraction of previous levels while improving creative quality.

Tom is also the CEO of Disrupter, a strategic innovation company which has developed a way to create deeper and more creative strategic technologies more quickly. Disrupter recently launched 2 companies: Umbilical, a mobile entertainment platform and development company and uNET, a next generation network company.

Having sat on many award juries and spoken at the original TED, Tom will be re-locating from California to Adelaide next month to share his skills as entrepreneur and educator with Australia.

Tom recently received Australia's Distinguished Talent Visa, awarded to individuals worldwide who have an internationally recognised record of exceptional and outstanding achievement in a profession, a sport, the arts, academia and research.

Tom said today: “I am honored to be a juror for the Adelaide Film Festival; it is such an important event, having launched many successful films over the years. South Australia has so much to offer and the people have been very welcoming; I look forward to being an active member of this generous community and State.”

Arts Minister, Mr Jack Snelling welcomed Tom to Adelaide: "To have someone of Tom's calibre moving to Adelaide is fantastic news. His involvement in our Adelaide Film Festival through his participation on the jury will only strengthen the reputation of the festival, especially considering his experience and wealth of knowledge of the music and film industry."

Amanda Duthie added: “Adelaide Film Festival is thrilled that Tom will join in the delights of the 2015 screen adventures and be part of our stellar Jury line up. We look forward to welcoming Tom to South Australia, with his extraordinary network, creativity and bold entrepreneurial spirit and together explore opportunities for screen industry activities in the future. “

Some quotes from film and music artists on working with Tom Hajdu:

“I love tomandandy.” - Lou Reed

"tomandandy are amazing. I insist on working with them on everything I make." - Roger Avary, Acadamy Award winning writer/director (Pulp Fiction)

"tomandandy has created a sleek orange futuristic boho cyber-factory where people get paid to play." - David Byrne

"On the front line of culture there is a space where music comes unglued. From this space comes the future. From the future comes tomandandy." - Oliver Stone

Foxtel Movies will again sponsor the Best International Feature Film at this year’s Festival, with the winning director awarded a $25,000 cash prize.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

Mark McGowan - 0419 695 487