VCA graduates showcase short films in partnership with MIFF
The next generation of Australian filmmakers will showcase their graduating works from the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) from 26 November to 10 December.
Forty-two films by VCA graduates will be featured in the 2024 Film and Television Graduate Season showcase, streamed for free on Cinema 3, ACMI’s new digital platform, in partnership with the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF). This will be the fifth annual partnered showcase.
“I can’t wait for Australia to get a look at this year’s films. There is such a wild diversity of voice and style amongst our graduates. It’s a kaleidoscope of creativity,” said Head of VCA Film and Television, Associate Professor Annabelle Murphy.
“Students here at the VCA are strongly encouraged to find their own creative voice and this year’s films really show what amazing talent Australia has here with our grads.”
The showcase will feature a diverse selection of screen stories, ranging from absurdist dramas to dark and queer comedies, experimental documentaries, historical horror, fantasy and animation.
MIFF Artistic Director Al Cossar said: “MIFF exists to further visibility and opportunity for all kinds of Australian filmmaking — and so it’s our great pleasure to again partner with the VCA in the online presentation of their 2024 Film and Television Graduate Season.”
“With over 40 films, the season promises to be an incredible ground for discovery, and a celebration of some of our major filmmakers of tomorrow, and of cinematic voices finding their moment. See them here first!”
Filmmaker Will Beattie describes his graduating film Cellular Automata as an animated exploration of whether human input remains important in a world of automation.
He said: “My film is intended to serve as an allegory to its own creative construction and how it feels to be an artist trying to create meaning in the computer age.”
“I found the creation of the film cathartic in allowing myself to ask myself questions about human input in artistic creation, as well as putting the collaboration between artist and computer to the test.”
Still from ‘Dance Floor Murder’, by Emily Quattrocchi (2024)
Filmmaker Emily Quattrocchi’s graduating film Dance Floor Murder follows the story of Nisansala, a clever but rigid-thinking young detective who is pushed out of her comfort zone by her colleagues, opening her eyes to a different perspective on a case.
“The actors and crew placed a level of trust in me I am so grateful for because the film enters a magic realism place, which did not always make sense until the film was finished,” said Emily.
“Exploring how to visualise Nisansala’s mind space as she saw the case differently taught me to see filmmaking in a new way, so just like the character, I was growing and becoming more confident in who I am as a director.”
The VCA will celebrate the new lineup of films at an official launch event on Tuesday 26 November. The showcase will be available on ACMI’s Cinema 3 platform from 26 November to 10 December 2024. Create an account now to be ready to select and view the films of your choice.