BEST AUSTRALIAN SHORT FILMS - 2
Scruples by Adrian Powers (2010) (Australia) (15m)
Written and directed by filmmaker Adrian Powers, Scruples is another testosterone heavy thriller that has much indebtedness to the early films of Quentin Tarantino. Two 'cleaners' for a criminal gang have been sent to tie up a loose end. However, one of them is an undercover cop who finds himself in a tricky spot. A slightly insincere account of how a policeman would actually have to act is forgivable and Powers has gone on to make his first feature film.
Miracle Fish by Luke Doolan (2009) (Australia) (17m)
Miracle Fish, written and directed by Luke Doolan, was nominated for an Academy Award. It is something of a slow-burner but worth the patience. We follow schoolboy Joe on his 8th birthday. After suffering at the hands of the playground bullies, Joe sneaks off to the sick bay, wishing that everyone would go away. He soon finds that his miracle fish may have turned his wish into bloody reality...
Sexy Thing by Denie Pentecost (2006) (Australia) (14m) *
A slightly misleading title - do not expect to be titilated! - this is a beautifully made drama short from Denie Pentecost that was nominated for a Palme d'Or. Sexy Thing is the story of a young boy who escapes his reality by immersing himself in a watery version of the world. With no dialogue apart from an opening line heavy with subtext, it is also an example of how one can tell a story through images alone. The subject matter is not suitable for under 15s.
