The 2024 Australian Women’s Film Festival (AWFF) finished in Sydney last night with the announcement of this year’s AWFF Awards winners and other honours recipients.
Leah Purcell and Tracey Corbin-Matchett were among those recognised at the awards presentation hosted by Australian media personality Poppy Reid. The awards night saw a panel of judges, including Kyas Hepworth (Head of Screen NSW), Leah Purcell (director, writer & producer) and actors Sophie Wilde and Bella Heathcote, recognising the outstanding contributions of women in film.
Co-founded by Kelly Tomasich and Tahyna MacManus, and now in its fourth year, the Australian Women’s Film Festival celebrates and platforms short films (no longer than 20 minutes) that are made by female storytellers and leaders.
The conditions of entry include having at least three of the short film’s key creatives identifying as female. Fictional films must also pass the Bechdel test, the now famous measure of the representation of women in fiction, which asks whether a work features at least two women who have a conversation about something other than a man.
ScreenHub: Bechdel, Sexy Lamp, Vito Russo, Riz – which test is best?
The AWFF Groundbreaker Award was presented to presented to Tracey Corbin-Matchett, the CEO of Bus Stop Films, ‘for her advocacy for greater representation of people with disabilities in the screen industry. Her groundbreaking work continues to challenge the status quo and push for inclusive storytelling.’
Leah Purcell, the actor, director, producer, writer and proud Goa-Gunggari-Wakka Wakka Murri woman, was presented with the AWFF Trailblazer Award for being ‘a formidable force in the creative landscape for over 25 years, continually breaking new ground and inspiring others.’
ScreenHub: How to make an amazing short film
The night also featured the presentation of the M&C Saatchi Group Audience Choice Award to writer and director, Briar March, for I See You, ‘recognising the power of audience engagement in celebrating emerging talents.’
Co-founders Kelly Tomasich and Tahyna MacManus said: ‘It’s truly humbling to see AWFF become a key fixture in the Australian film and entertainment industry calendar. Our goal has always been to address industry imbalance and we are so grateful for the continued support of our sponsors, helping us to showcase and celebrate the remarkable work and talent of female storytellers.’
The 2024 Australian Women’s Film Festival Award Winners
- BEST COMEDIC FILM – 2004 Was Twenty Years Ago
- BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM – Memorabilia
- BEST ANIMATED FILM – Chicken
- BEST DRAMATIC FILM – Sleeping Beauties
- BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY – I See You
- BEST SCREENPLAY – Push
- BEST ACTOR – Anne March, I See You
- BEST DIRECTOR – Pia Derya for Sleeping Beauties
- JUDGES ONE TO WATCH AWARD – Aarushi Chowdhury
- AUDIENCE AWARD – I See You
Pia Derya won Best Director and Best Dramatic film for Sleeping Beauties her 14-minute debut short film which she also wrote and starred in. Her follow-up short The Disconnected was also a Top 10 Finalist for the Dendy Awards for Best Short Film at Sydney Film Festival. As part of the AWFF Awards, Derya wins a $10,000 rental package from VA Hire, a $10,000 rental package from Disney Lighting and a $5,000 post production package from Spectrum Films.
For more information, visit Australian Women’s Film Festival.
