Closing night film, Balibo, has won two of the five jury prizes at the 2009 St.George Bank Brisbane International Film Festival.
The Australian film, about the murder of five Australian journalists in East Timor in 1975, took out both the Interfaith and Fipresci Jury Awards.
Director Robert Connolly and actor/producer Anthony LaPaglia were both on hand at the ceremony to receive the awards.
Three other jury awards were announced, including two awards for films for young
people screened at the festival as part of TransLink Cine Sparks.
The Junior TransLink Cine Sparks jury singled out It’s Not Me, I Swear! by Philippe Falardeau, while the Senior TransLink Cine Sparks jury named Ben X by Nic Balthazar as its award winner.
The NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) jury named two titles for
recognition: Agrarian Utopia by Uruphong Raksasad and About Elly by Asghar Farhadi.
The awards ceremony at the Emporium Hotel also included the presentation of the two The Courier-Mail Queensland Short Film Competition awards. The winner of the Critics” Choice was Seersucker by Mairi Cameron, while Behind Blue Eyes was named Audience Favourite.
Writer, director and producer Jackie McKimmie received the Kinetone Award for outstanding contribution to the Queensland film industry.
Over her long and distinguished career as a filmmaker, administrator and advisor, McKimmie has played an extensive role in the development of young and emerging filmmakers in Queensland, including indigenous filmmakers.
St.George Bank BIFF closed with Balibo. The film, which was to have been screened in a single cinema, was expanded to two cinemas due to public demand.
The screening was attended by director Robert Connolly, actor/producer Anthony
LaPaglia, actor Damon Gameau, and Shooting Balibo author, Tony Maniaty.
Media contact: Julie Byth, Publicist, BIFF
Ph: 07 3854 1455 or 0414 874 334