You don’t have to wait till November for BOFA film action – there’s a great film event this month!

On Wednesday, February 27, the Tasmanian Breath of Fresh Air Film Festival (BOFA) will bring the best of the Flickerfest International Short Film Festival to Launceston.

Flickerfest, presented by Renault, is Australia’s leading short film festival, and this year received a record 2,300 entries, with only the top 100 selected in official competition.

BOFA has partnered with Flickerfest to select the best of the best – eleven outstanding short films from around the world to screen in an exclusive, one night only, BOFA event.

FLICKERFEST AT BOFA
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27
The Annexe, Academy of the Arts, Inveresk
Bar opens at 6.30pm. Films at 7.30pm,
$12/$10 concession (students, seniors). Total Running Time: 121 mins.
Session Rating: 15+ (u15 w/adult). Cash, Visa, Mastercard at door.

Download the flyer here

Spot the up and coming young film makers, and enjoy the work of established directors with such fine actors as Judi Dench and Jacki Weaver, in a varied program of nonstop entertainment. Go to the Flickerfest flyer for full program details. BOFA in February – one night only – be there!

If you’re an aspiring film maker, or know one, here’s an opportunity to develop your skills and creativity, and possibly win one of four $5000 prizes, provided by Tourism Tasmania.

Building on the success of last year’s competition, film makers – professional and amateur – are invited to submit a film story of up to three minutes duration which interprets Tasmania in new and different ways.

Filmmakers are encouraged to capture the essence of Tasmania in the form of a story rather than a travelogue of images.

Tourism Tasmania will use the films to promote the state, and winners will be featured at BOFA 3013.

Winners will be decided by an expert judging panel and the public will also be able to vote for their favourite films in a People’s Choice competition.

The Essence of Tasmania competition will open on 14 February 2013 and entries close on 31 May 2013. Judging will be held during June and winners will be notified by Monday 24th June. The People’s Choice vote will be open on the BOFA Facebook site from midnight Friday 21st June. The winners selected by the People’s Choice and by the judges will be announced on July 15th 2013.

For detailed information on how to enter go to the BOFA website http://bofa.com.au/2013/home/prizes-awards/. Entrants must apply through the entry form on the web site and films must be recorded in full HD.

Think you can do it? See the winning entries from our 2012 Essence of Tasmania Short Film Competition at http://campaigns.discovertasmania.com/national/bofa2012

With two successful Festivals under our belt, we can be sure that BOFA, Tasmania’s own major annual film festival, is here to stay. The third annual Tasmanian Breath of Fresh Air Film Festival will be held in Launceston’s Inveresk precinct from November 7 to November 10, 2013. The success of last year’s Festival was very much due to YOUR support, with attendance up by 76% from 2011, despite a smaller, more selective program. Festival Director Owen Tilbury believes that last year’s Festival was a significant milestone.

“Not only did we bring in the Festival on budget, but we attracted almost $2 million worth of publicity locally and nationally, attention that is building BOFA’s unique place amongst Australia’s film festivals.”

“Our aim of being not only a festival about cinema but also a festival that embraces the many new screen technologies and also is a festival of ideas seems to be being taken seriously.”

Here are just a few of the comments from leading industry figures who attended last year’s Festival:

“BOFA’s pioneering approach to what a film festival can be was exciting to be part of in 2012. The festival champions a wide range of the best screen content for TV, Film and New Media, creating a unique place for the festival in Australia and celebrating the new ways stories are being told in the 21st Century. Their emphasis on works with a social and political agenda created a terrific program at this year’s festival”.

Rob Connolly, Director

“BOFA continues to push the boundaries of debate by integrating images and arguments in a new, visually striking form of ‘hypothetical’. Festivals are at their best when their own processes are as creative as those of the artists they showcase. That’s the reputation that BOFA is forging in the world of ideas.”

Simon Longstaff- Executive Director, St James Ethics Centre

“Combine an unpretentious but intelligent atmosphere with intriguing and diverse films, great company and bloody fabulous food and wine and place it all in a building that groans with history and style – yeah that about describes BOFA. A festival destined to become something big and very special even if it doesn’t want to.”

Andrew Knight- Producer/writer

“BOFA has come of age. Australia’s first true “Festival of Screen” has done in three years what few festivals ever achieve. not only has it trebled its audience numbers, but it is first and foremost a festival with heart and courage.”

Trish Lake, Producer

“Congratulations to everyone at the Tasmanian Breath of Fresh Air Film Festival for a truly magnificent event. As a local producer I was thrilled to have my first feature film world premiere at BOFA.”

Carolyn Frichot, Producer, Semi Colin

“BOFA is one of those rare festivals that is both genuinely community driven and international in its outlook. There is a real sense of togetherness and sharing. It was a real treat to screen my film to such a warm, receptive audience.”

Liselle Mei. film maker

“I was very impressed with the way BOFA has developed this year, as both a grass-roots film festival with a global eye, and a celebration of screen in its myriad of forms and associated film culture events. This is certainly a unique screen festival that is both informal and informative, and a triumph for Tasmania.”

Peter Krausz, Chair, Australian Film Critics’ Association

…AND NOW FOR 2013!

As plans develop for this year’s Festival, this newsletter will keep you up to date- one of the improvements we hope to make for 2013 is to have our program finalized and published much earlier than last year… and you’ll hear it first here.

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