AFTRS student film wins entry to 2006 Academy Awards
11 February 2005
Friday 11th February 2005
A short film made by students from the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) has won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Narrative Short at the Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, USA – and eligibility to enter the 2006 Academy Awards®.
Splintered, directed by Peter Templeman and produced by Stuart Parkyn, is a gritty drama about the unspoken rules of friendship between two teenage boys.
The Grand Jury described Splintered as: “A director-driven narrative that wonderfully balances feeling and action and is executed with an attention to detail that exemplifies strong, visual storytelling.”
Director Peter Templeman travelled to Utah to attend the Slamdance Film Festival. In accepting the Grand Jury Prize, he dedicated it to the AFTRS student crew who worked on the film.
“Slamdance was a fantastic event and I’m thankful for the opportunity to attend,” he said.
Producer Stuart Parkyn said he was thrilled that Splintered had won at its first overseas festival.
“I always had a feeling that the film – with its universal themes and strong visual storytelling – would work for international audiences,” he said.
“We’ve done well in Australian festivals so far, but hopefully this will be a launching pad for the US. It’s just amazing that our first American festival win is giving us access to consideration for the Academy Awards®.”
Parkyn is currently completing a three-month AFTRS/Village Roadshow internship at the offices of Roadshow Films in Melbourne. He and Templeman have continued their working partnership with an 18-minute film called The Saviour.
Website: http://aftrs.edu.au
