Two Australian Short Films Selected to Screen At Cannes

My Rabit Hoppy, written and directed by Anthony Lucas, and Jerrycan, written and directed by Julius Avery, will screen in the Shorts Competition as part of the Official Selection at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival.

My Rabit Hoppy tells the story of a school project about a pet rabbit that goes horribly wrong. It is the second time that Anthony Lucas has had a short film selected to screen at Cannes with Holding Your Breath screening in 2002. Lucas’ animation film The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello was nominated for an Oscar® at the 78th Academy Awards.

Jerrycan is about Nathan, a kid who risks everything after he is bullied into making a life and death decision. Julius Avery was the recipient of the Emerging Australian Filmmaker Award at the Melbourne International Film Festival in 2006 and the winner of the Australian Directors Guild Directors Award for Best Direction in a Student Film for End of Town in 2007. Jerrycan was supported by the Australian Film Commission (AFC).

“This is a tremendous achievement for the filmmakers and we congratulate all those involved,” said AFC Chief Executive Officer, Chris Fitchett. “It is particularly exciting to have two Australian shorts in the prestigious Shorts Competition section for the first time in 10 years.”

Feature project Cure For Serpents has been accepted into L’Atelier, which assists directors with financing and completion of their projects. This will be director Ben Hackworth’s second feature following Corroboree, which found success on the international festival circuit with screenings in Toronto and Berlin.

The Shorts Competition will screen nine films this year. The films will compete for the Palme d’Or Short Film award and a Jury Prize.

The 61st Cannes Film Festival runs 14-25 May 2008. The Official Selection announcement in France today will be followed by announcements about Directors Fortnight and Critics Week selections over the next week.

Source: AFC

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