Radheya Jegatheva won the Best Australian Short Film Competition’s 2023 overall prize for Bird Drone, an animated short about a seagull’s unrequited love for a drone. The awards were announced at Rooftop Movies in Northbridge on 29 February 2024. The competition described itself as “Australia’s richest short film competition”; that is its promotional wording, not an independently verified national ranking.
What the 2023 winner received
Jegatheva received the competition’s $30,000 main prize for Bird Drone, according to PerthNow’s report on the awards. The competition’s official page advertised a total prize pool worth over $75,000 for the 2023 edition. That broader amount covered multiple awards and opportunities; it was not the amount awarded to the overall winner.
The awards were announced at Rooftop Movies in Northbridge on 29 February 2024. PerthNow also reported a tie in Best Animation, awarded to Australian Mongrel and Self-Portrait.
Other prizes and the jury’s response
The competition’s 2023 awards included categories for animation and youth, as well as a partial scholarship toward a bachelor’s degree in animation or film at SAE Creative Media Institute. The official competition page describes these opportunities in the context of that edition; it does not confirm that the scholarship or categories are available in a later edition.
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Actor and jury member Coles Smith said: “It was an absolute joy reviewing this year’s short film entries, and being reminded of all the wonderful talent that exists within our creative communities.” He also said, “The future of Australian film looks very bright indeed.”
How the 2023 competition worked
The competition invited people across Australia to submit short films and said entrants did not have to be professionals. Under the rules listed for the 2023 edition, films had to be under 10 minutes including titles and credits, and produced after 1 July 2022. Entry was free, and the competition specified no theme.
Rank #2
Those details describe the historical edition, not confirmed current entry rules. The competition page does not establish whether another edition has been announced, or provide verified current deadlines, eligibility requirements, prize amounts or scholarship availability. Check the official Best Australian Short Film Competition page for any current announcement before planning an entry.
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Sources
- Best Australian Short Film Competition official page, describing its 2023 edition.
- PerthNow’s 29 February 2024 report on the winners and awards.
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