The Australian High Commission in Brunei Darussalam in collaboration with the Mahakarya Institute of the Arts Asia (MIAA) brought FLiCKERFEST to Brunei with a showcase of short films from Australia and ASEAN yesterday.
The FLiCKERFEST Short Film Festival is held annually in Sydney and showcases the works of amateur and professional filmmakers from around the world.
In 2019, FLiCKERFEST featured a special category for filmmakers from ASEAN in which Brunei’s Bunga, a short film directed and written by Hanis Hashim, was shortlisted and screened at Bondi Beach in Sydney.
Bunga along with other short films from Australia and ASEAN were screened at MIAA. Guests included local film students, filmmakers and other associations.
FLiCKERFEST’s Director Bronwyn Kidd spoke about how short film festivals can deliver surprising, exciting and ground-breaking content while providing filmmakers with an opportunity to test their work and a build diverse networks within the industry.
Australian High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam Tiffany McDonald praised Brunei’s local film industry for sharing their stories and experiences through films.
“Australia’s iconic screen industry is an important contributor to our rich cultural life. I am pleased we could share some of that culture with Brunei’s local screen industry, and that we were also able to share some of Brunei’s, and ASEAN’s more broadly, culture with Australia through the FLiCKERFEST Short Film Festival in Sydney earlier this year.
“Growing talent and creative industries is a focus of the Australia Government. I look forward to continuing to strengthen the connections between our two countries in this area, including through the MIAA’s partnership with TAFE Queensland,” she said.
