With two weeks left till festival day, the world’s largest short film festival is clicking into high gear.
Tropfest South East Asia, the first Asian edition of the world’s largest short film festival, is picking up pace ahead of its inaugural festival on 25 January 2014.
The festival, which is supported by the National Film
Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS) and Malaysia Major Events (MME), a
division of Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) under the
Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia, will be held on the field of
Esplanade (Padang Kota Lama) and looks set to be an unforgettable day for all
who attend.
An exciting array of entertainment has
been confirmed for the festival, including a selection of pop-up stores from
local goods, a range of vendors from some of Penang’s most best-known cafes and
restaurants, and a line-up of local and international bands including Paladin,
Paperplane Pursuit, and White Shoes and The Couples Company.
Most importantly, the evening will
feature the premiere of 12 short films whose makers collectively represent some
of the finest filmmaking talent that the region has to offer. Hailing from
countries across the ASEAN region, they will hope that Tropfest can provide the
platform to launch a glittering career in the world of films, much as it has
done for Hollywood stars Joel Edgerton and Sam Worthington.
“As a platform for young and aspiring
filmmakers, Tropfest is really in a league of its own”, said Managing Director
Joe Sidek, summing of much of the appeal of this festival, which has grown from
being a tiny “café festival” to hosting over 300,000 people annually in five
locations worldwide
“South East Asia has amazing potential.
There are 600 million people here and never has there been a chance for
collaboration or exposure at this level. I am confident that Tropfest SEA will
be a jolt for creativity in the region and that the existence of such a
festival will inspire South East Asian filmmakers to continually raise their
game.”
The festival night is in fact the
culmination of a week of exciting film related events taking place in
Georgetown leading up to the festival. It all starts with the South East Asian
film showcase, held from the 20th-23rd of January in the
MPPP Town Hall, which will feature the works of some of the South East Asia’s
finest filmmakers, many of whom will be on hand to meet attendees and hold
Q&A sessions and forums. The event also features a special Hong Kong film
showcase, which is taking place on the 23rd of January.
The 24th then sees the
arrival of host of internationally famous filmmakers and actors for Roughcut,
Tropfest’s very own film symposium, to be held at the Macalister Ballroom in
the E&O Hotel. Some of the speakers confirmed to attend this event include
Adam Elliot (Oscar winning animator and Director of Harvie Krumpet), Robert
Luketic (Director of Legally Blond, 21 and Monsters-in-Law),
Gurmit Singh (Phua Chu Kang himself), Afdlin Shauki and former Tropfest
winner Jason van Genderen, along with a panel of leading South East Asian film
luminaries. They will discuss some of the key issues facing filmmakers today,
particularly within the context of South East Asia, and the event is surely a
must-attend for any true film aficionado.
Elliot and Luketic will then form part
of the 6 person judging panel for the final festival night on the 25th
of January. There, they will help determine which of the 12 finalists will
receive the grand prize of USD10,000 and a money-can’t-buy industry immersion
trip to Los Angeles, meeting leading filmmakers and studios, and gaining
invaluable insight into the processes of the film industry.
With 10,000 people expected on the day
of the festival Tropfest SEA promises to be one of the biggest art events to
ever hit Penang, and Joe Sidek is optimistic about the boost that the festival
will give to Penang as a hub for the arts.
To this end, Tropfest are encouraging
local involvement and have even worked with Penang hotels (Glow, City Bayview,
Cititel) and Star Cruises to offer a range of prizes for those who pre-register
themselves before the date of the event. For travellers coming into Penang for
the festival, Tropfest have announced a RM80 rebate on accommodation booked
through festival partner Airbnb.
For more details about Tropfest SEA, please
visit www.tropfest.com/sea or www.facebook.com/tropfestsea
ADDITIONAL PARTNERSHIPS
Listeners of Red.FM have the chance to
win themselves a free VIP pass to the festival, which includes free food and
drinks in a special enclosure, if they submit an 18-second video of themselves
themed “Red” through the station’s website. The winner will have their video
played onscreen in front of thousands during festival night.
There will also be an audience choice
award for Tropfest, which allows the viewing public to choose their favourite
film from amongst the 12 finalists. The contest will be hosted on Viddsee, the
festival’s online screening partner, and will allow viewers from across South
East Asia the chance to watch the films online and vote for their own winner.
The winner will receive USD500 and a 4D3N cruise to Krabi, Thailand, sponsored
by Star Cruises.
ABOUT MALAYSIA MAJOR
EVENTS (MME)
Malaysia Major Events is a division of Malaysia Convention &
Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), an agency under Malaysia’s Ministry of Tourism and
Culture. Created under the Prime Minister’s Economic Transformation Programme
(ETP), Malaysia Major Events facilitates significant events that help
contribute to Malaysia’s economic growth. It focuses on identifying and
supporting major event bids for sports, arts, lifestyle and entertainment
events. It also assists home-grown and home hosted events as well as other
cluster events that strengthen Malaysia’s global appeal as an international
avenue for major events. As a conduit between public and private sector, it’s a
one-stop centre which facilitates and liaises with diverse event stakeholders
to ensure seamless processes and successful events.
For more information, please visit http://www.mymajorevents.com.my
ABOUT
TROPFEST SOUTH EAST ASIA
Tropfest SEA joins the global Tropfest family spanning New York, Abu
Dhabi, Sydney and New Plymouth in New Zealand. The short film competition is
open to all citizens and residents of South East Asia; the free-to-attend film
festival premieres in Penang, Malaysia in 2014, a celebration of short films,
music and in support of the culture of storytelling and creativity.
The winner receives a USD10,000 cash award from Tropfest SEA and a
five-day film industry immersion trip in Los Angeles sponsored by the Motion
Picture Association. Tropfest SEA is supported by the National Film Development
Corporation Malaysia (FINAS) and Malaysia Major Events, a division of Malaysia
Exhibition & Convention Bureau under the Ministry of Tourism and Culture.
For more information visit www.tropfest.com/sea
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