'Drowning': Winner of the NFSA Orlando Award

The 2012 NFSA Orlando Short Film Award has been awarded to Craig Boreham, writer and director of Drowning (2009). The winner of the best lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex short Australian film receives a cash prize of $5,000 and is placed in the national audiovisual collection.

The Award was presented by NFSA Chair Chris Puplick AM at the closing night of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival at the Australian Centre for Moving Image, as part of the NFSA’s recognition of Australia’s cultural diversity and the role screen culture plays within the broader community.

'The NFSA aims to recognise and celebrate the creative profile of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex screen culture and filmmaking; by acquiring the nominated films along with any supporting documentation for the national audiovisual collection; screening the award-winning film through its cinema programming, and generally encouraging their promotion in the broader cultural landscape’, said the NFSA’s CEO, Michael Loebenstein.

'It is hoped the NFSA Orlando Short Film Award will assist the winners to further their filmmaking careers by promoting their current work, contributing to the making of their next film, or supporting them to undertake further professional development’ he said.

Craig Boreham’s Drowning is a story about friendship and the transition into adulthood. Realisations of their place in the world, their familial responsibilities and awakening sexualities shape the men they will become and their changing relationship with each other. Produced by Annmaree J Bell of Azure Productions in 2009, Drowning was funded by Screen Australia and features up and coming Australian actors including Miles Szanto and Xavier Samuel.

Craig Boreham’s video and film work focuses on themes of sexuality and the politics of desire. His films have been seen in over 150 festival screenings and received numerous awards. Craig has also directed a chapter in the feature film Before the Rain, a co-production between two of Australia’s most prestigious film and drama institutions, The National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA) and the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) as part of NIDA’s 50th Anniversary celebrations.

In 2011, Drowning won Best Film at both Melbourne Queer Film Festival and My Queer Career at the Mardi Gras Film Festival, and has been screened at over 20 film festivals internationally. The Director/Producer team have had continued success in 2012 with their follow up film Ostia – La Notte Finale, which was awarded the top prize again at My Queer Career last month.

Artistic directors of Australia’s pre-eminent queer film festivals were invited to nominate one film from their respective 2011 festivals, as a means of forming a short-list for final judging by an appointed panel NFSA staff and externally qualified experts.

For information on eligibility and selection criteria see www.nfsa.gov.au/about/awards-and-lectures/

For interviews with Director Craig Boreham or more images:

Samantha McDonough
P. + 61 2 6248 2173
F. + 61 2 6248 8159
Samantha.McDonough@nfsa.gov.au