GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE CELEBRATED IN WINNER’S ROSTER AT SYDNEY SCIENCE FICTION FILM FESTIVAL AWARDS NIGHT.
Beniamino Cantena’s captivating feature VERA DE VERDAD and hometown favourite Jonathan Adam’s charming short DAILY DRIVER have taken Best Film honours in their respective categories in The 2021 Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival, held last night at the Actors Centre Australia.
L-R: Jessica Tanner, Best Actress (Short); Maria Gastini in Best Feature Film, Vera de Verdad; Ben Tedesco, Best Actor (Feature); Haydeé Cáceres, Best Actress (Feature)
The films led an eclectic roster of winners selected from the 21 features and 78 short films made eligible as part of the festival's first ever foray into ‘hybrid programming’. The 4-day live event wrapped Sunday 14th, while the online program will run via the Xerb streaming platform until Thursday 25th.
An Italian/Chilean co-production that comes to Sydney via festival placements in Torino, Trieste, Brussels and Chuncheon, Vera De Verdad tells a deeply moving story of soul transference and shared destiny and stars Marcelo Alonso and Maria Gastini (both nominated in their respective lead acting categories).
“Like Vera, the protagonist in my film, [this award] brings love and sharing beyond any differences, beyond space and time.”
- Beniamino Catena, Director of Best Feature Film winner, VERA DE VERDAD.
The Best Film category is named in honour of the late production designer Ron Cobb, whose conceptual artistry is central to the iconic status of such works as Star Wars, Conan the Barbarian, Alien, Aliens, The Abyss, Total Recall and the TV series Firefly. Cobb married an Australian woman and lived in Sydney from the 1970s until his passing in September, 2020.
Other feature film winners included Ben Tedesco, crowned Best Actor for his self-directed performance in the lockdown time-loop drama NO TOMORROW; Peruvian actress Haydeé Cáceres for her wordless but wondrous lead turn in Aldo Salvini’s MOON HEART; and, exciting multi-hyphenate Carlson Young for her unique vision as director of the festival’s Opening Night film, THE BLAZING WORLD.
“I’m so glad you were able to experience it. This feels very cathartic, thank you.”
- Carlson Young, Director: THE BLAZING WORLD
Also in contention for Director and Actor trophies, Daily Driver took top short film honours but ceded other categories to U.K. filmmaker Ryan Andrews (Best Director for HIRAETH) and French leading man Denis Hubleur (Best Actor for CAUSA SUI). Melbourne-based Jessica Tanner earned Best Actress for her blistering turn as the shell-shocked victim of cyclical domestic abuse in Andrew Jaksch’s controversy-courting drama TODAY.
The Audience Award winners were Eddie Arya’s RISEN, an ambitious alien invasion epic that filmed in Sydney and Canada over a four year period, and Spanish effects master Jorge Corpi’s CGI short-film thrill-ride, ELLIPSIS.
The 2021 Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival ‘Virtual Festival Experience’ will continue until November 25 here.
“I’m both very proud and, of course, humbled to receive this award. Thank you very, very much.”
- Denis Hubleur (with co-star Olivia Vanpoperynghe), Best Actor (Short Film): CAUSA SUI
The full list of The 2021 Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival award nominees and winners are:
BEST ACTOR in a SHORT FILM
Ryan Shrime, ORBITAL CHRISTMAS
(WINNER) Denis Hubleur, CAUSA SUI
Eric Whitten, PRISONER #1616
David Lee Huynh, SOLITARY
Andrew Scott, COGNITION
Callum McManis, DAILY DRIVER
BEST ACTRESS SHORT FILM
Akiva Pacey, GIRL ON THE MOON
Liz Cha, MARY’S ROOM
(WINNER) Jessica Tanner, TODAY
Olivia Ross, HIRAETH
Irene Fernández, FAITH
Lauren Grimson, MAYA
BEST ACTOR FEATURE FILM
Marcelo Alonso, VERA DE VERDAD
Tony Brockman, A GUIDE TO DATING AT THE END OF THE WORLD
(WINNER) Ben Tedesco, NO TOMORROW
Richard Rennie, CLAW
Tom England, REPEAT
Wang Ziyi, ANNULAR ECLIPSE
BEST ACTRESS FEATURE FILM
Kerith Atkinson, A GUIDE TO DATING AT THE END OF THE WORLD
Chynna Walker, CLAW
Carlson Young, THE BLAZING WORLD
Lois Temel, LIGHTSHIPS
(WINNER) Haydeé Cáceres, MOON HEART
Marta Gastini, VERA DE VERDAD
BEST DIRECTOR SHORT FILM
Camille Hollet-French, FREYA
Jonathan Adams, DAILY DRIVER
Carol Butrón, FAITH
(WINNER) Ryan Andrews, HIRAETH
Andrew Jaksch, TODAY
Oliver Crawford, EVOLUTIONARY
BEST DIRECTOR FEATURE FILM
Kelsey Egan, GLASSHOUSE
Aldo Salvini, MOON HEART
Eddie Arya, RISEN
Zhang Chi, ANNULAR ECLIPSE
(WINNER) Carlson Young, THE BLAZING WORLD
Beniamino Catena, VERA DE VERDAD
BEST SHORT FILM
MAYA
(WINNER) DAILY DRIVER (Producers: Jonathan Adams, Andrew Boland)
HIRAETH
FREYA
REMOTE VIEWING
EINSTEIN TELESCOPE
THE RON COBB AWARD - BEST FEATURE FILM
(WINNER) VERA DE VERDAD
MOON HEART
RISEN
ANNULAR ECLIPSE
GLASSHOUSE
THE BLAZING WORLD
AUDIENCE AWARD
Feature Film - RISEN (Producer: Eddie Arya)
Short Film - ELLIPSIS (Producer: Jorge Corpi)