Please see the 2012 event.

Kea proudly invites you to the fourth annual Kea Festival of Kiwi Short Films, once again showcasing world-class New Zealand cinema – in bite size portions.

The festival will crisscross its way along the East Coast of Australia, screening in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.

Each screening will include complimentary drinks from our loyal partner Giesen Wines and a selection of premium Mainland cheese. Guests will also receive our now famous goodie bag, filled with a selection of gifts provided by our festival sponsors including Mindfood Magazine, Charlie’s Honest Juice, Abe’s Bagel Crisps & Anathoth jams and pickles.

The strength of the Kiwi short film industry has been recognised on the world stage in 2011 by the world’s premiere short film event. France’s Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival dedicated a retrospective to nearly 50 New Zealand short films spanning a generation.

The 2011 program has been carefully selected to bring you the best of the best from this cinematic goldmine, and will showcase a cross-section of the diversity, cultural richness, and irreverent humour that is New Zealand:

Das Tub Drama/Comedy
Director: James Cunningham / Writer: Nick Ward
Lost in the frozen depths of the Atlantic a German U-Boat crew find themselves on a collision course with objects stranger than they can fathom. The truth leaves them bathed in confusion in this submarine drama of domestic proportions.
•    2011: Best Short Short, Aspen Shortsfest, USA
•    2011: Best Director, Honolulu Film Awards, USA
 

Mokopuna Drama
Director/Writer: Ainsley Gardiner
Mary lives in middle class suburban New Zealand. After briefly befriending a young Mäori boy at her school, she becomes curious about his culture and its relevance to her. But when his curiosity turns to her, it soon becomes clear that Mary is not quite ready to embrace her own roots.

 
Only Son Drama/Comedy
Director/Writer: Jarrod Holt, Ryan Hutchings, & Nigel McCulloch
An only son tries to woo the girl of his dreams with the unwanted help of his father’s ghost. 2010 winner of New Zealand’s V48Hours competition in which teams have a single weekend to write, shoot and cut a short film. In 2010 mandatory elements included the line “when you look at it that way” and a broken toy as a film prop.
•    2010: Grand Champion, V48 Hours, NZ
•    2010: Best Short Film, Qantas Film and Television Awards, NZ

 Manurewa Drama
Director/Writer: Sam Peacocke
A multi-perspective narrative of a tragic 2008 robbery that took place in the Auckland suburb of Manurewa.
•    2011: Crystal Bear for Best Short Film, Generation 14 plus category, 61st Berlin International Film Festival, Germany
 

 Cow Comedy
Director/Writer: Michael Bennett
A fable about two old men (NZ screen legends Ian Mune & Martyn Sanderson) and a Friesian cow, lost at sea in search of land. A surreal study on how a minor event can quickly evolve into something far more extreme.
•    2003: Best of the Best NZ Short Films, New York
•    2001: Official Selection, Critics Week, Cannes International Film Festival
•    2001: NZ Film Awards: Best Short Film Script

 Careful with that Crossbow Black Comedy
Director/Writer: Jason Stutter
A boy, a crossbow, his sister, and an apple... The sequel to last year’s squeamish hit “Careful with that Axe”.
 

 
 Aphrodite’s Farm Modern Fairytale/Comedy
Director: Adam Strange/ Writer: Peter Force
Everyone in Taranaki wants to know the secret behind the magical milk produced on Aphrodite’s Farm. However when patriarch Ralph Riley dies, the future of the farm is thrown into jeopardy. The timely arrival of young farm hand Friday will bring the family’s destiny full circle...but things will get a whole lot worse before they get any better.
•    2009: Crystal Bear for Best Short Film, Generation 14 plus category, 59th Berlin International Film Festival, Germany
 

This event is now firmly established in the calendars of ex-pats across Australia and will sell out. Don’t miss your chance to escape to New Zealand for the price of a cinema ticket!

Links to Festival Sponsors:

SYDNEY
Wednesday, 3 August 2011
Time: 6:30 - 8:30pm, followed by drinks at the Paddington Inn (500m from cinema)
Chauvel Cinema, Paddington Town Hall, Cnr Oxford St & Oatley Rd, Paddington
$25 Kea members - $35 Non-members*
Bookings essential:  Click here to register.

BRISBANE
Tuesday, 9 August 2011
Time: 6:00pm pre-screening drinks, for 7:00 - 9:00pm
Palace Centro, 39 James St, Fortitude Valley
$25 Kea members - $35 Non-members*
Bookings essential:  Click here to register.

MELBOURNE
Friday, 19 August 2011
Time: 5:00pm pre-screening drinks, for 6:30 - 8:30pm
Capitol Theatre, 113 Swanston Street, Melbourne
$25 Kea members - $35 Non-members*
Bookings essential:  Click here to register.

*Kea membership is free – simply visit the Kea homepage to sign up.