Tropfest is the world’s largest short film festival. Its first edition was held in 1993 as a screening for 200 people. The festival has since grown to become the largest platform for short films in the world. In 2005, the festival team decided to inaugurate a young filmmaker competition. It took them three years to plan the inaugural festival. The first edition of Trop Jr took place in 2008. Tropfest’s spin-off for youngsters is supported by the Australian Children’s Television Foundation and the Cartoon Network. The event is billed as “The world’s largest short film festival for kids, by kids!”.
At the first festival, 8 films were screened in the competition. In 2009, 12 films were screened. The jury of Trop Jr’s second edition included Brandon Walter, an Indigenous Australian child actor known for playing Nullah in Baz Luhrmann’s film Australia. Around 150 entries were submitted in 2010, of which 14 were chosen as finalists. The 2011 winner, Imagine by Simeon Bain, was inspired by Christopher Nolan’s Inception. It was made using a camera phone over three days.
The rules of Trop Jr are similar to that of Tropfest. Participants are required to submit films made specifically for the festival which are no more than 7 minutes long (including titles and credits). To ensure that films are unique, entries must include a signature item which is sometimes referred to as the theme of the festival. Each participant must be 15 years or younger, but actors can be any age. The prize awarded to the winner includes a digital camera and the opportunity to participate in educational events (workshops, seminars, short cources) dedicated to filmmaking.
Tropfest Jr is a day-long event held in Sydney’s Centennial Parklands. Films are screened outdoors on the big screen to hundreds of young cinema fans. The festival is a great platform for young filmmakers to showcase their works.
Photo: tropfest.com
