The first two Kiwi films have been announced for the Show Me Shorts Film Festival. 'Noise Control' by Phill Simmonds, who won last year's Best Film award, is an animated documentary about a kindergarten's pet rooster, which is shot by a noise controller called Mr Wolf.

The second is the World Premiere of 'Chalk' by student film maker Esther Cahill-Chiaroni. 'Chalk' is a delightfully fresh short drama about relationships starring Sara Wiseman and Jared Turner. The first two Kiwi films have been announced for the Show Me Shorts Film Festival. 'Noise Control' by Phill Simmonds, who won last year's Best Film award, is an animated documentary about a kindergarten's pet rooster, which is shot by a noise controller called Mr Wolf.

The second is the World Premiere of 'Chalk' by student film maker Esther Cahill-Chiaroni. 'Chalk' is a delightfully fresh short drama about relationships starring Sara Wiseman and Jared Turner.These two films are contenders for the Best Film and Best Student Film awards respectively. Show Me Shorts will announce its line-up of films on September 25.

Festival Director Gina Dellabarca said Australian and Kiwi film students are churning out shorts that are sometimes superior to those made by professionals.

"Students emerging from film schools are not only well versed in story telling, but also tech-savvy and confident mixing their media to capture the essence of their message."

Dellabarca said they received a wide variety of entries, from 'docu-mations' to 'splat-stick horrors'. She said the majority of these short films also have a strong narrative and excellent production values.

"The art direction on some is of an impressive level, with incredible attention to detail."

The Teza Show Me Shorts Opening/Awards Night will take place on the 6th of November in Auckland. Tickets go on sale from the Academy Cinema on the 1st of October.

Show Me Shorts screens for a week in Auckland, followed by a week in each of Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin, plus some other small regional locations.

More information

The Show Me Shorts Film Festival was launched in 2006 and is now in its third year. Show Me Shorts is a competitive festival for short films made in New Zealand and Australia. There are prizes for Best Film, Best Student Film, Best Technical Contribution and a Special Jury Prize. These categories aim to reward a range of film-making skills, and encourage both amateur and professional film-makers to submit their work.

13/08/08