VCA graduates showcase short films on MIFF Play

Still from ‘Monster Save Me’, by Polly Huang (2023).

The next generation of Australian filmmakers will showcase their graduating works from the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) from 1 to 15 December.

Forty films by VCA graduates are featured in the 2023 Film and Television Graduate Season showcase, streamed for free on MIFF Play, the Melbourne International Film Festival’s (MIFF) digital platform.

“I’m particularly excited for Australia to see the short films by our graduates,” said Head of VCA Film and Television, Andrew O’Keefe.

“This year marks the end of a challenging educational experience for many of these filmmakers whose trajectory was abruptly and adversely affected by the global pandemic.

“They have all had to overcome adversity and show considerable resilience in order to present their capstone films to the nation. I am very, very proud of them and their work”.

The showcase will feature some of the most diverse screen stories the VCA has presented in recent memory, ranging from films shot on antique 16mm film to future-facing virtual production projects created with the University of Melbourne’s education partners NantStudios.

The selection includes teen slashers, provocative mockumentaries, improvised and naturalistic personal dramas and documentaries.

Still from ‘internet friends’, by Natasha Brock (2023).

MIFF Artistic Director Al Cossar said, “VCA has shaped the landscape of our creativity here in Melbourne by supporting, building and showcasing the new voices of Australian cinema year after year – something we are proud to have in common here at MIFF.

“Through our partnership with VCA we connect industry and audiences alike to the new lineup of emerging filmmakers as they take centre stage.

“This event is unmissable Melbourne-made filmmaking for those who want to see what’s next for Australian film.

“Audiences will see the first works of the diverse student talents. Who knows, they could soon follow in the footsteps of VCA alumni legends like Gillian Armstrong, Justin Kurzel or Adam Elliot.” Al said.

Filmmaker Natasha Brock describes her graduating film internet friends as a documentary about how she met two of her best friends online as teenagers in the early 2010s.

“It was at a time when meeting people through the internet was seen as a bit taboo and not as normalised as it is today,” said Natasha. “The film is about friendship and community and how it can be found even in the strangest of places.”

Filmmaker Polly Huang’s short film Monster Save Me is “a film inspired by the complexity of trust and communication between both people and animals.

“The two main characters are creatures that have become companions by coincidence, but their relationship struggles due to their inability to communicate with each other,” Polly said.

VCA will celebrate the new lineup of films at an official launch on Friday 1 December. The showcase will be available on MIFF Play from 1-15 December 2023.