The 8th Annual Blue Heeler Film Festival. Tune in to watch 40 short films and find out who wins the open category award and the secondary school award!

Introduction to 2021 Blue Heeler Film Festival

1. INTRODUCTION

A short film about the science of stress told from my experience with school in lockdown. (Video was shot on the first day of a snap lockdown in Victoria Australia.)

The science of stress during remote learning

Two friends at Maron Dam School Camp take part in a series of challenges with three simple rules:1. Run to the Flag2. Stamp the Paper3. Repeat!Who will be the first to fill their page?

Disorienteering

The Adventures of Hiro: Unexpected Hero, is a quirky, adventure, science-fantasy short film of a boy who gets sucked into a videogame-wired universe. With no memory of why and how, Hiro must start on a quest journey and progress through ‚'levels' to discover clues on how to get home.

Adventures of Hiro: Unexpected Hero

It is the first day of the school summer holidays. Covy is enjoying her first day of freedom, indulging in much needed screen time. Her holidays are instantly ruined when she receives a text from her teacher regarding a holiday assignment. Covy must now hunt for ways in which she can make a connection without the use of technology. Who knew making a connection with the rest of the world could be so hard?

Project Connection

Who knew making a connection with the rest of the world could be so hard?

Jazza, a local bogan wakes up hungover in Muswellbrook Centrelink, however the office is overrun by crazed magpies carrying a new strain of disease. Jazza and Johnno, a Centrelink worker, must embark on a perilous quest to save the Upper Hunter Valley, and potentially the world from the rise of these new magpies, in this hilarious and action-packed adventure.

The Rise of the Magpies

Set in the near future ‚Red Mist is a one shot film that follows a conscript soldier after a failed mission to take out a target, however the mission goes horribly wrong.

Red Mist

Stasis is an exploration into the internal anxieties and uncertainties of moving into a new stage of life, specifically from adolescence to adulthood. Being plunged into an unknown world, sometimes it's ok to not know where we will go, because we are the only ones who can figure it out.

Stasis

Liminal is a two-minute experimental short film about the place between places that we pass through at some point in our lives. Aurora has been stuck in this place for some time when Esra enters. As Esra learns about the liminal space from Aurora, Aurora learns how to leave it behind and head into the next chapter of her life.

Liminal

Six months after his father's death, Conor still grieving journeys to their favourite spot at a viewpoint to reminisce about the times they had when he was alive.

Strings

An introspective art film following the journey of self-discovery and emotional embrace through natural themes and movement.

While I breathe, I hope

A baby rabbit struggles with the desire to escape in a story we can all relate to.

Behind the Window

Sunday breakfast is a big chore to prepare for a family of six, especially when that sixth member happens to be a slinky, gluttonous dog. It's not that dad can't handle it though; the dog wouldn't run off with the bowl of bacon sitting behind him...right?

Bacon

After borrowing a tripod from his high school's Film department, Lee realises he does not actually know how to put it together.

THE TRYPOD

Perfectionism explores the harsh torture of perfectionism and the internal battle a person faces when attempting to complete a task. The protagonist's mental state quickly deteriorates throughout the film as she attempts to play a piece without any mistakes.

Perfectionism

Sabotage is a visual representation of the idea that you are your own worst enemy. Stranded within a metaphorical void, the protagonist must locate and piece back together the broken mirror shards of her shattered sense of self before her inner demons break free and take over.

Sabotage

'Imposter Syndrome' depicts the turbulent mental state of teenager Ramona Taylor as she is inevitably rendered powerless in distinguishing whether her externally-perceived serenity or internal monologue of perfectionism truly represents herself. This invasive form of imposter syndrome psychosis instigates various dissociative hallucinations as she investigates the facets of her identity.

Imposter Syndrome

An adorable little creature named KEN, finds something awesome while on a walk. Excited, he shows it to his friends. He will do anything to show them his amazing find despite their evident disinterest.

Eskimos catch a monster fish made out of ocean rubbish and talk about our human impact on the environment.

Monster Fish

Have a 5 minute break to grab some snacks and share your favourite films on social media ! Remember to tag #bhff21 #blueheelerff

2. INTERMISSION

Another monotonous day of Covid19 lockdowns takes a turn when restrictions are lifted. What will our protagonist do and who will she spend it with?

Unlocked

'Lockdown' is an Unreal Fellowship film completed for the Women Creators Program. The theme given was 'fusion' and this film expresses my sense of isolation experienced while contained in my home for many moths during the lockdowns that happened in my city during the pandemic. Small connections with nature were those 'fusions' with life that made me able to stay sane in an otherwise stressful situation.

Lockdown

A compilation of skits surrounding the mundane and frivolous aspects of the pandemic.

Just Quarantine Things

Disabled people realise they don't need fancy super hero costumes - being themselves is super enough.

I'm Super

Discovering that he is trapped in an endless science exam, a hopelessly unprepared student struggles against his loop. Your time starts now.

Writing Time

After accidentally summoning a demonic spirit, young student Jane must rely on her incompetent and oblivious boyfriend Henry as he plans his birthday.

Dont Panic

Inspired by global uncertainty and individual hope, 'The Plantdemic' chronicles the dystopian reality of daily life after the COVID-19 virus permeates the world.

The Plantdemic

Shot within the constraints of Melbourne's ongoing COVID-19 lockdowns, ‚Leave Your Body features the apartment where the filmmaker spent the better part of 2020. However, where she sees a prison, her partner Sean sees a sanctuary. To him these five rooms are a fortress, not only protecting them from the virus, but also from the social pressure to interact with strangers. Portraying a fictitious version of himself (as well as the film's various intruders) he defends his solitude while quietly losing touch with reality. ‚Leave Your Body is a celebration of isolation, but also an acknowledgement that the longer confinement continues; the harder it will be to rejoin society.

Leave Your Body

Farah is a representation of equality and kindness, balance and harmony. Our Farah has the superpower to connect people, beyond language. She came from a drop of warm light, gives out a lovely hug and a friendly and sympathetic hand. How would Farah use her ability to bring back balance from the chaotic world?
Kismet means destiny or fate. It is an animated adaptation of 'Superpower Reveal' by Erin Gough. Our initial idea came from the fortune cookie of the original story. Farah's (Anna)- the protagonist -communication ability was randomised but was also planned beyond anyone's control. 
Farah's world consists of two species. The first one, Anani (Pavani) and its army, is the leader of chaos, exclusivity, and unbalance. It does not necessarily symbolise good or bad; instead, a natural phenomenon that exists surrounding us. Anani has the ability to "look through walls". Her kind acts like invigilators that monitor everyone's move. When a heretic (difference) is found, an army led by Anani will push the victim into the abyss of darkness (the pit). The outcasts (Geoff), the other species, were repressed and abandoned ethnics living under the darkness. The outcasts mainly were solitary, like lonely reptiles, and rarely meet or interact with their kind. Soon all the outcasts lost their ability to communicate. Farah herself, the intermediary between the two kinds, does not belong to either side. Her power seems unuseful to compete with the natural phenomenon (Anani). However, she was able to bind the differences together as one, bringing back the balance that came from a sprinkle of light.
Throughout the story, we wanted to explore themes of communication, differences, as well as 'human against nature' that we believe were prominent within the original story. The original characters and their powers are presented through Farah, Anani, and the outcasts by means of anthropomorphism. At the same time, we transform the incomprehensible concept of superpowers into a pink-purple fictional universe/world.

Kismet

Based on a short story by Jen Webb, Terra is a short film about restoration and reconnection with the earth in the age of a climate crisis.

Terra

The life and death of local TV in South Australia.

Malcolm Harslett

Delighted by her friend Rebbeca's return to college, Annie seeks to reconnect with her on a stormy night, but everything is not what it appears to be.

While finishing up his paper run, Marcian finds himself on the same street his friend Alden once lived on. He reminisces about the adventures they shared in this poignant tribute to the friendships which shaped their childhood and fleeting nature.

Paper Boys

It begins as a usual day for Charlotte and Gus in Muswellbrook, till a series of strange occurrences threaten their livelihoods, and those around them.

Two kids bond over their divergent love of bugs.

girl

'Dust Bunnies' explores daily life through the lens of isolation, which for many has unfortunately become the new normal as a result of the pandemic and subsequent lockdown measures.With my film, I aimed to bring life and company back into the isolated characters home. It is to suggest to the viewer that despite having to isolate, many others around the country are experiencing the same situation and therefore nobody is truly going through it alone. The animated bunnies throughout the project serve as a visual representation of this idea, as you may not see them yourself but in the back of your mind you know they are there, and that alone acts as encouragement to continue forward. The light-hearted nature of the film was intended to be in some way comforting for the viewer, during times of such uncertainty.

Dust Bunnies

Social contact can be difficult when you're not expecting it.

Lifted

A young woman battling boredom and her noisy neighbours is surprised to find the Coronavirus living in her wardrobe.

Self Isolation

When a teenage girl is socially isolated by the restrictions of lockdown, she finds herself looking at her surroundings from a new perspective when she reconnects with her younger sister and finds hope in new life.

A New Hope

Two lively sisters spend a day out in Canberra together, unbeknown to the dangers that lie ahead.

Sister

Find out who wins the Secondary and Open categories for the 8th Annual Blue Heeler Film Festival. Sponsored by Muswellbrook Shire Council and Bengalla.

3. AWARDS CEREMONY

Behind the scenes of some of the short films screened !

4. BONUS FEATURES - BEHIND THE SCENES

Australia

New Zealand

Blue Heeler Film Festival 2021 Open & Secondary Category 

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