Ben Apfelbaum

TROPFEST 2018

After a near financial disaster which threatened Tropfest’s existence it has risen phoenix like in its new home at the Crescent in Parramatta Park. The fact that it survived is due both to its founder and Executive Chair John Polson and ‘rescue sponsor’ CGU Insurance.

At the time of Tropfest’s existential crisis Susan Sarandon’s attendance had to be deferred.

As a fulfilment of her commitment to attend Ms Sarandon chaired a distinguished group of jurors comprising of Oscar nominated actress Rachel Griffiths, Emmy nominated director Garth Davis (Lion), BAFTA nominated Australian documentarian Jennifer Peedom and  Logie award winning actor Rob Collins (Clever Man).

A crowd of 45,000 watched the 16 short film finalists whose theme this year was the inclusion of a rose.

In a first for Tropfest, during intermission, a crowd was entertained by multi award winner Tim Minchin, and the evening proceedings were hosted by Andy Ryan, Christie Best, Zan Rowe, and Susie Youssef.

After a long wait for the jury’s decision 23 year old  Greta Nash’s film, Two Piece  was announced as this year’s  Best Film.  It is a tender coming of age film  about a 13 year old girls’ humiliating embarrassment- shopping for a bikini with her mother.

Two Piece lead actress fourteen year old Freya Van Dyke was judged Best Female Actress for her poignant performance.

Thirty three year old Hugo Johnstone-Burt won  Best Male Actor for his role as a terrified delivery man in COMBINATION  FRIED RICE.

Nick Baker and Tristan Klein took home Second Prize for ROCK BOTTOM and Third Prize went to Damian McLindon for THE LAST TIME I SAW YOU.

Trop Jr, held earlier in the day, for filmmakers 15 years and under was won by Tadji Ulrich.

Next year’s theme for Tropfest is candle and for Trop Jr is pizza.

http://www.tropfest.org.au

Featured image – Best Actress Freya Van Dyke (‘Two Piece’) with Best Actor Hugo Johnstone-Burt (‘Combination Fried Rice’). Pics by Ben Apfelbaum.

 

 

 

Published by Ben Apfelbaum

My photography began when my father handed me the proverbial brownie box camera as a child. As cameras developed I went through Fujica and Olympus range finders graduating to my first single lens reflex camera, the Minolta SRT101, the latter being the greatest facilitator to my growth as a photographer. Digital photography has only added to this. I was a regular contributor to Camera Craft magazine (Australian Camera ) for over three years. During Australia’s Bicentennial year (1988) I made it a personal project to document the celebrations. This culminated in the creation of a book of my photos which was published in 1989. The book was called CELEBRATING AUSTRALIA and came with an accompanying calendar. My works have appeared in a number of publications including the coffee book entitled MY AUSTRALIA (1989), publisher Robertsbridge Severn. This book had a preface by the then Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke. I was a co-photographer on a book entitled SYDNEY- DISCOVER THE CITY with text written by Robert Treborland. Major Mitchell Press was the publisher. Also for two years I was the photographer for calendars celebrating Sydney’s multicultural communities. The two calendars were entitled MULTICULTURAL SYDNEY. My work appeared in a group exhibition held at Sydney’s Town Hall pertaining to the diversity of life in South America to raise money for orphanages there. I have over one hundred photos stored in the New South Wales State Library archive. I had a solo exhibition held in 2007 entitled Ben’s Lens at the Sydney Jewish Museum which celebrated the vibrancy of the Sydney Jewish community. Some of these photos are on the Museum’s permanent display. I have exhibited internationally firstly at the Spruill Gallery in Atlanta Georgia, united states, and in an exhibition entitled Kosher and Co at the Jewish Museum in Berlin. Currently I am a regular contributor to J-Wire and this esteemed publication.