Alethea Jones has taken out the top prize at the 20th annual Tropfest with her film Lemonade Stand, a comedy about a man and his grandfather whose efforts to sell lemonade catch the ire of an annoyingly assertive council officer. The film was voted for by the judging panel that included Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, Nicole Kidman, Toni Colette, Asher Keddie and John Polson. For her win, Jones receives a trip to Los Angeles to meet film industry executives, a $6000 camera and $10,000 cash.
Second prize went to actor Rupert Reid for Boo!, which also won Best Male Actor (Don Reid) and the Clowd Pleaser Award, while Michael Noonan’s Photo Booth took out the third prize. Marie Patane’s How Many More Doctors Does it Take To Change A Lightbulb? won the Women in Film award, and Kate McNamara received the Best Female Actor award for the comedy Kitchen Sink Drama.
The Tropfest Jr. Award was presented prior to the screening of the finalists and went to two 15-year-old school friends from Melbourne, Max Barden and Tim Sheehan, for Let’s Make A Movie.
Watch Alethea Jones’ winning film Lemonade Stand below:
Benny and Grandad are best friends and never leave each other’s side. They also run the most successful light refreshment stand in town. Yet all could change when an old neighbour decides to get in the way.
Watch Max Barden & Tim Sheehan’s Tropfest Jr. winning film Let’s Make A Movie:
Max and Tim decide to make a movie to enter into a short film competition. But what kind of movie should they make? Be entertained as they go through a few options…
Thoughts?
