The 3^rd Actors Anonymous Film Festival was held over the weekend at the inner city, Slide Cabaret venue.

Ben Ferris from the Sydney Film School and Actors Anonymous Chair Valentino Arico were the afternoon’s hosts.

The brief by co-curators Stephen Carnell and Tim Lea was for filmmakers to submit short films on any subject with a running time between 5 to 20 minutes. They received a total of 30 films and 8 made the final cut.

They were, in order, filmspeak’s production The Salt Maiden, directed by Beverley Callow, Phooey Productions Zombie Beaters directed by Kenny Foo, Sydney Film School’s production  Shadow, directed by Sandra Fonseca, Nickelby Films production 54 Days directed by Tim Lea, Sydney Film School’s production Solitude, directed by Colin Jones, Blancmange Productions Easy Money, directed by Stephen Carnell, Layer Below Productions Sunny directed by James Brettell, and Progressive Pictures production Life directed by Jonathon Adams.

It was an engrossing selection, featuring a broad range in material from ancient mythology to a fresh take on the zombie genre.

I had the honour of giving commendations in the four selected categories,- film, director, actor and writer.

Gentle humour won the day in the choice of Jonathon Adams’s vignette LIFE which had the audience in stitches. Nick Bolton gave a great comic performance as a beleaguered man desperate to make himself a nice breakfast before he has to run out the door at 8 am exactly. Lovely stuff and a scenario that everyone can relate to…

Sandra Fonseca took out the director’s commendation for her deft hand with Shadow, a poignant, cathartic film depicting a young woman finally breaking free from an abusive relationship.

Meme Thorne received the acting commendation for her telling, harrowing performance as a terminally ill, middle-aged woman visiting her unappreciative partner who is serving a long custodial sentence .

Finally, Tim Lea received  the writer’s commendation for his crisp, witty take on the mobster genre in Easy Money.

The commendations for Life, Shadow, Solitude and Easy Money mean that these four shorts will receive automatic entry into the upcoming inaugural Port Stephens Film Festival, the details of which will soon be announced.