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South Australian Screen Awards 2024 Winners Announced
25 June 2024
The South Australian screen industry shone brightly at the 2024 South Australian Screen Awards (SASAs) last week, with winners announced at a gala awards ceremony at The Mercury Cinema on Saturday, 22 June 2024.
Cash and prizes worth $30,000 were awarded as part of the ceremony, which recognised the work of more than 50 nominees across 27 categories, culminating in the Grand Jury Prize sponsored by the South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC).
Elena Carapetis’ short film Blame The Rabbit, produced by Lisa Scott of Adelaide Studios-based Highview Productions and Adam Camporeale, was awarded the Grand Jury Prize as well as Best Sound Design and Best Music Composition for Michael Darren.
The jury said the film, which follows a woman who rebuilds herself to take revenge on her violent husband, was “an outstanding directorial debut, an incredible accomplishment in both script and direction, and very well produced”.
The SAFC also sponsored the inaugural Best Emerging First Nations Screen Practitioner award, which was presented to Wongutha filmmaker Travis Akbar.
Travis has been selected for prestigious screen industry initiatives including the Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS) State and National Talent Camps, the Australians in Film UNTAPPED program, and the SAFC, Adelaide Film Festival (AFF) and Screen Australia Film Lab: New Voices program. He has recently returned from the Marché du Film at the prestigious Festival de Cannes, where he joined a delegation of South Australian filmmakers led by AFF and supported by the SAFC. His credits include several documentaries and award-winning short film Tambo, made as part of the SAFC’s First Nations Short Film Initiative, which premiered at the inaugural SXSW Sydney and screened at AFF 2023.
Many other SAFC supported productions and practitioners were among the winners.
SAFC supported thriller Monolith, from director Matt Vesely, writer Lucy Campbell and producer Bettina Hamilton, was awarded Best Feature Film. The film is the first to come out of the Film Lab: New Voices feature film skills development program, an initiative co-funded by the SAFC, AFF and Screen Australia.
Best First Nations Film went to The Getaway, directed by Adam Scott Jenkins and produced by Tim Harkness through the SAFC’s 2023 First Nations Short Film Initiative, while the winner of Best Video Game, Super BAWK BAWK Chicken by Daytime Devs, was selected to exhibit earlier this year at the SAFC’s South Australian Game Exhibition (SAGE).
Best Web Series went to Be Curious – Australian Space Discovery Centre, directed and produced by SAFC Board member Lauren Hillman and produced by Alison Kershaw.
The Mercury General Manager Sarah Lancaster said her organisation was “incredibly proud” to be able to contribute to South Australia’s screen ecosystem.
“The talent awarded tonight, along with all the nominees, are a testament to the strong and healthy screen community here in South Australia,” she said.
“As we celebrate The Mercury’s 50th year this year, we marvel at the talented filmmakers whose amazing work has graced our screens.”
The full list of 2024 SASA winners is as follows:
- Grand Jury Prize, Sponsored by South Australian Film Corporation – Blame The Rabbit, directed by Elena Carapetis and produced by Lisa Scott and Adam Camporeale
- Best Comedy, Sponsored by UrbanCine – Mating Call, directed and produced by Stephanie Jaclyn
- Best Documentary, Sponsored by Academy of Interactive Entertainment (AIE) – Kala Kunbolk (Colour Country), directed by James Haskard and Nina Haigh and produced by Injalak Arts
- Best Web Series, Sponsored by Star Avenue Studios – Be Curious – Australian Space Discovery Centre, directed by Lauren Hillman and produced by Lauren Hillman and Alison Kershaw
- Best Drama, Sponsored by Picture Hire Australia – Death Doula, directed by Jenna Sutch and produced by Jenna Sutch, James Kwong and Josh Anderson
- Best Animation, Sponsored by University of South Australia – On Film, directed and produced by Emma Hough Hobbs
- Best Game, Sponsored by Academy of Interactive Entertainment (AIE) – Super BAWK BAWK Chicken from Daytime Devs
- Best Feature Film, Sponsored by KOJO – Monolith, directed by Matt Vesely and produced by Bettina Hamilton
- Best Experimental Film, Sponsored by Hanlon Larsen Screen Fellowship – Subject, directed by Fraser Whitehead and produced by Scarlett Scherer
- Best Student Film, Sponsored by Flinders University – Death Doula, directed by Jenna Sutch and produced by Jenna Sutch, James Kwong and Josh Anderson
- Best Music Video, Sponsored by MusicSA – Samuelson – LIAR, directed by Austinn Arruzzolo and produced by Dion Vercher
- Best First Nations Film, Sponsored by Reconciliation SA, Feel Good Nunga Radio & PBA FM – The Getaway, directed by Adam Scott Jenkins and produced by Tim Harkness
- Best Screenplay, Sponsored by Australian Writers Guild SA – Something’s Not Quite Right, script by Tom Cornwall
- Best Directing, Sponsored by Australian Directors Guild SA – Subject, directed by Fraser Whitehead
- Best Performance, Sponsored by Heesom Casting – Subject, Lauren Koopowitz
- Best Cinematography, Sponsored by ProAV Solutions – The Unrequited Life of Farrah Bruce, cinematography by Emerson Hoskin
- Best Editing, Sponsored by Australian Screen Editors – The Unrequited Life of Farrah Bruce, edited by Tiah Trimboli
- Best Production Design, Sponsored by Australian Production Design Guild – Subject, production design by Fraser Whitehead
- Best Sound Design, Sponsored by Australian Screen Sound Guild – Blame The Rabbit, sound design by Michael Darren
- Best Hair & Make-up, Sponsored by Channel 44 – Mating Call, hair & make-up by Elle Baldock, Grace Rolfe and Dominique Keeley
- Best Costume, Sponsored by Australian Production Design Guild – Subject, costuming by Eliza Stafford
- Best Music Composition, Sponsored by Australian Guild Of Screen Composers and Adelaide Symphony Orchestra – Blame The Rabbit, composition by Michael Darren
- Best Young Filmmaker, Sponsored by Adelaide Film Festival – Madison Siegertz
- Best Emerging First Nations Screen Practitioner, Sponsored by the South Australian Film Corporation – Travis Akbar
- Best Emerging Producer, Sponsored by Adelaide Film Festival – Sarah Wormald
- Mercury Rising Award, Sponsored by The Mercury and Adelaide Film Festival – Emerson Hoskin
- Mercury Legend Award, Sponsored by Adelaide Film Festival and CrewHQ – David Tiley