Screen Queensland today announced the five short film projects selected to premiere at Brisbane International Film Festival (BIFF) 2022, as part of Screen Queensland’s RIDE Shorts program.
Standing for Respect, Inclusivity, Diversity and Equality, the 2022 RIDE Shorts program grants $35,000 each to five Queensland filmmakers from under-represented backgrounds to create a non-fiction short film.
Applications for the program launched in March, following the initiative’s success in 2021, which saw four scripted shorts launch at BIFF and a subsequent encore screening due to popular demand.
Screen Queensland Chief Creative Officer Belinda Burns said the initiative aims to champion the voices of practitioners identifying as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, culturally and linguistically diverse, female, non-binary, LGBTQIA+, persons living with disability, regional or remotely based, lower socio-economic status and under-represented age groups.
“Screen Queensland is the Founding and Principal Sponsor of BIFF, and we are delighted through our Screen Culture Funding program to support screen events that showcase and celebrate diversity in our industry, to eager local audiences,” said Burns.
“For the second year running, RIDE Shorts has provided a platform for diverse filmmakers to bring fresh ideas and unique stories to screen, and this year’s selected factual shorts explore the eye-opening, fascinating and sometimes confronting lived experiences of under-represented communities.
“We look forward to seeing the RIDE Shorts premiere at BIFF in October.”
Brisbane International Film Festival CEO Josh Martin said the RIDE Shorts program played a vital role within the overall film festival’s program offering.
“Last year’s RIDE Gala event sold-out quickly and was a wonderful night, showcasing incredible local filmmaking talent across a range of diverse backgrounds,” said Martin.
“We can’t wait to see what this year’s five recipients will present to BIFF audiences in October and urge film-goers to get in quick once tickets go on sale, closer to the festival.”
RIDE Short recipients will receive extensive support and guidance from Screen Queensland throughout development, production, post-production, delivery and distribution, as well as mentoring sessions from industry experts including Mandy Lake (Bowled Over: A Dragumentary, The 110+ Club), Peter Hegedus (Inheritance: A Fisherman’s Story, Strudel Sisters) and Douglas Watkin (Alick and Albert, Ella).
Furthermore, Screen Queensland will deliver a one-day bootcamp for recipients to receive one-on-one support and facilitate an ‘in conversation’ opportunity with BAFTA award-winning documentary filmmaker, Sarah MacDonald (Newsnight – A Family Affair, The Great Green Wall).
Screen Queensland has a long track record of supporting diverse documentary series and feature films, including recent projects Hating Peter Tatchell, PUFF: Wonders of the Reef, Bowled Over: A Dragumentary, Strait to the Plate (Seasons 1 and 2), Muster Dogs and the 2022 TV WEEK Logie Award-winning documentary Incarceration Nation.
