Presented by Southern Cross University, the Nextwave Youth Film Awards, hosted during SWIFF’22, awarded and lauded young filmmakers who entered the Nextwave short film comp for 2021. With filmmakers travelling in from across Australia, it was an evening to remember. Find the winners, highlights and photo gallery below.
Awarding trophies and prizes courtesy of SWIFF, Black Magic Design, Skullcandy Headphones and RODE Microphones – the event saw the big screen premiere of 26 incredible short films, and hosted filmmakers from across Australia. With live music performance by the exceptional Austyn Bremner, and hosted by MC and and Nextwave Program Manager Saige Browne, NYFA was the result of over a year of hard work, creativity and storytelling from emerging filmmakers, with over 60 incredible entries made into the 2021 competition.
Finalists were also invited to an Accelerator Workshop, presented by Southern Cross University – the focus of which was on the art of Montage, presented by filmmaker and lecturer Uwe Terton. Filmmakers met, collaborated, created and presented montages of their very own on the day.
Nextwave 2021 Competition Winners
Best Sound – Luke Meakins, The Hollow
Best Actor – Rylee Parry, Unknown Number
Best Script – Rosa Rowlands, Tea Time
Best Editing – Noah Bailey, Pineapple Punch
Best Cinematography – Kaelyn Ward, Fear Forest
Best Director – Ben Rosenberg, Time Masheen
Young Regional Filmmaker – Brayden Cureton, Footsteps
Young Regional Filmmaker Runner Up – Frank Dik, Welcome to the Night
SWIFF Commendation Award – Kokoda & Max Cadzow-Smith, Colour Theory
Best Film 10-14 – Mila & Lula Kazantzidis, Masters of Persuasion
Best Film 15-17 – Ben Rosenberg, Time Masheen
Best Film – 18-25 – Sam Davison, Guided
School Spirit Award – Mansfield Secondary College, Trinity College Gladstone, Toowoomba Grammar School
People’s Choice Award – Luke Meakins, The Hollow
Nextwave in 2022
The Nextwave National youth Short Film Comp is now OPEN
Not only did NYFA celebrate the best and brightest emerging filmmakers from across the country, it also marked the opening of the 2022 comp, with the theme and item being announced to the crowd of young creatives.
So, without further ado, the 2022 Theme and Item are…
GREEN & TRANSFORMATION!
Films need to reflect the theme of transformation, while also including something green somewhere in their film. We encourage filmmakers to get creative as possible with it, and think outside the box. Competition closes on October 25th, 2022. Head to the Competition Guidelines for all the info.
Nextwave Online is back for 2022
Nextwave’s online filmmaking education platform is back for a second year, teaching young people around the country both in and out of the classroom the fundamentals of short filmmaking, and preparing them for the competition. To learn how you can be part of Nextwave Online, check out the website.
