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NEW RECORD FOR MADE IN THE WEST Our own film festival shines
ALEX HON AND MISTY MCPHAIL
MADE in the West Film Festival celebrated their 11th annual red carpet gala event on Saturday, November 26 at Event Cinemas in Liverpool.
A record-breaking 320-strong audience attended on the night to support local filmmakers and celebrate the Western Sydney film community.
Hosted by Still Searchin’ Productions, Made in the West showcases short film content independently produced in Western Sydney, including all genres such as comedy, drama, sci-fi, horror, animation, web series and music videos.
All films feature cast members, crew members or film locations from Western Sydney.
“The atmosphere at the festival this year was absolutely electric with so many people in the house and all the action on the red carpet,” says artistic director Ross Page.
“The films this year were outstanding and we’re so pleased to see so many new filmmakers and upcoming artists included in the festival line-up.”
This year’s official selection featured 19 short films that were judged by a panel of 10 industry professionals, including renowned Bankstown-born actor Bryan Brown, ABC presenter Sunil Badami and local film director Michael Budd.
Kamil Domaradzki took home the ‘Best in the West’ trophy for the film Leopard, Katrina Lay won ‘Best Student Film’ for Baby Dole, and Ashley Dawes was awarded ‘Best Music Video’ for Only One. There were also 9 individual category awards for outstanding achievement awarded throughout the night.
At the end of the show, the audience cast their votes for the highly coveted Audience Choice Award, won by WSU student filmmaker Pamela Manos for Hello My Name Is Mother Nature.
The festival attracts hundreds of filmmakers and fans from around the greater Sydney region to celebrate and network with other creatives while watching the cutting edge screen content made by emerging artists from the western suburbs.
The prize pool for this year’s festival was valued at over $10,000 thanks to the generosity of local businesses and festival sponsors Still Searchin’ Productions and The Pagey Train podcast, Western Sydney University, Luke Walker Productions, Sydney Prop Studios, Creative Plus Business, Irierootsini Photography, Million Masters, AFTRS, Arts and Cultural Exchange (ACE), the Australian Writers’ Guild and Australian Production Design Guild.
Made in the West Film Festival will be screening online throughout December and January via a new on-demand content platform that welcomes a worldwide audience for Western Sydney films.
“We’re excited to be sharing the festival experience on demand this year with our new online platform – online screenings are a great way for local festivals like ours to reach a wider audience,” says general manager Misty McPhail.
“Hybrid digital and live streamed events have become more popular since 2020 and it's important to continue making this local content accessible to audiences across our region in particular, as well as across Australia.”
The online festival includes all 19 finalist short films in a 3-hour movie marathon with red carpet highlights and filmmaker interviews during intermissions – perfect for anyone who wants to experience the excitement of Made in the West Film Festival from home.
Scenes from the 2023 gala event.
More information can be found at www. madeinthewest.com.au Photo credits: Lexy Potts, Nataly Thomson, Liam Dealtry, Aaron Tully 2022 MADE IN THE WEST AWARD WINNERS
MAJOR AWARDS
• Best Music Video: Only One: Ashli
by Ashley Dawes
• Runner-up: I Don’t Get You: Parti-
cles by Luke Walker
• Best Student Film: Baby Dole by
Katrina Lay
• Runner-up: Arco’s World by Kasey
Medeiros
• Best in the West: Leopard by Kamil
Domaradzki
• Runner-up: Yannis by James Elazzi • Audience Choice Award Hello My
Name is Mother Nature by Pamela
Manos
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
• Best Director: Kamil Domaradzki
and Ali Zoghi for Leopard
• Best Screenplay: Kamil Doma-
radzki for Leopard
• Best Editor: Sharon Mani for Seen • Best Sound Design: Jarad Avnell
for Bogan Moths
• Best Production Design: Katrina
Lay for Baby Dole
• Best Original Score: Emma Green-
hill and Ali Zoghi for Leopard
• Best Lead Actor: Will Bartolo for
Yannis
• Best Supporting Actor: Tyson
