Alumni award: Davo Hardy – The Switchblade Sisterhood
“Returning once again with an honest and moving drama, Hardy maintains his strong Australian spirit for independent filmmaking.” – Ben Rider and team
Special Prize: Best Community Film – Gumbo Coalition
“For our 20th year, we recognise the ability of cinema to capture the imaginations and spirit of communities. Gumbo Coalition does just this. We have become, as spectators, a part of this community. And it is a credit to the filmmakers to successfully bring us into these rooms and meet these individuals.” – Ben Rider and team
Special Prize: New Horizons – tied: Lemons, New Spawn Fades
“In both instances, these two short films are produced by young mavericks. In both instances, the filmmakers of Lemons and New Spawn Fades reveal that sometimes the most exciting projects come from new horizons. And for our 20th anniversary, we’d like to recognise both of these projects for their sheer infinity and brilliance.” – Ben Rider and team
FEATURES
- BEST FEATURE FILM
Trust in Love
“I’d like to personally take a moment to express gratitude to Mick Davis and his team. Granted, this film has a significantly larger budget than most features this year. However, it’s not just the production value that has impressed us. It’s the bold Maverick spirit in this film. It’s a heartfelt movie, executed with a serious sense of dedication from all the departments. The cast gives their best, as does the cinematographer, editor, and the compelling script is moving. The directing is often subtle, with a powerful dramatic twist. This effort instills hope in our team as we celebrate our 20th year in operation. As we pass the baton to a younger generation, we’re excited to envision the future of Maverick with such an impressive milestone entry for our significant anniversary. Thank You.” – Charlie Rolprent and team
NOMINEES
Michael Gaismayr
That Great British Documentary
The Switchblade Sisterhood
- BEST DIRECTOR
Michael Gaismayr
NOMINEES
Trust in Love
The Switchblade Sisterhood
The Gaze Adventure
- BEST SCREENPLAY
Tales of Babylon
NOMINEES
Night Voices
Trust in Love
The Musgrave Ritual
Goin’ Home
The Switchblade Sisterhood
- BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Michael Gaismayr
NOMINEES
Tell Me Why You’re Going To Hell
Once Upon a Time Muay Thai Rainbow
- BEST EDITING
Silent Fallout
NOMINEES
The Switchblade Sisterhood
We Will Not Be Silenced
Tales of Babylon
The Martin Decker Show
- BEST MUSIC
Asteria
NOMINEES
Tell Me Why You’re Going To Hell
We Will Not Be Silenced
Silent Fallout
The Gaze Adventure
- BEST SPECIAL FX
We Will Not Be Silenced
- BEST ACTOR
Jimi Petulla, Trust in Love
NOMINEES
Peter Schorn, Michael Gaismayr
Alec Baldwin, Silent Fallout
Keiron Self, The Martin Decker Show
- BEST ACTRESS
Dianne Wulf, Spin the Wheel
NOMINEES
Olivia Blake, The Love Song of William H. Shaw
Rebecca Quinn Robertson, We Don’t Care
Sara Jackson, The Love Song of William H. Shaw
- BEST ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE
Trust in Love
NOMINEES
We Don’t Care
Tell Me Why You’re Going To Hell
The Switchblade Sisterhood
- SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT
Best Post-Modern Film – We Don’t Care
Best Documentary – That Great British Documentary
- BEST GENRE FILM
We Don’t Care
NOMINEES
Spin the Wheel
Tales of Babylon
The Love Song of William H. Shaw
SHORTS
- BEST SHORT FILM
The Pulpit – Prelude
NOMINEES
Reprise
Skeletons
Neutopia
West Flies The Raven
By Any Other Name
- BEST DOCUMENTARY
The Walk
NOMINEES
47 Million Bees
- BEST ANIMATION FILM
Dulce
NOMINEES
Sin City
How To: Sleep
- BEST DIRECTOR
Reprise
NOMINEES
The Pulpit – Prelude
SWINE
Eyes From Hell
The Calzone
Neutopia
White Lies
Lost Fathers
- BEST SCREENPLAY
By Any Other Name
NOMINEES
The Pulpit – Prelude
The Good Word
Adagio
The One That Got Away
Cassandra
Whiskey Mountain Days
Lizziehead
- BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Skeletons
NOMINEES
An Axe To Grind
Half Samurai
The Pulpit – Prelude
Reprise
The Cabin
West Flies The Raven
The Tunnel: Interview With A Monster
By Any Other Name
- BEST EDITING
The Pulpit – Prelude
NOMINEES
Iscariote
The Calzone
Snare
Clean Your Room!
Silencing The Madness
- BEST MUSIC
The Reset
NOMINEES
木偶表演
Sin City
Dr. M: The Method Lecture
SWINE
The Calzone
White Lies
- BEST SPECIAL FX
SLEEP
NOMINEES
Traveller
Mad Chicken
Interrogation
The Tunnel: Interview With A Monster
The One That Got Away
- BEST ACTOR
Laurie Duncan, Neutopia
NOMINEES
Michael Joseph Fraser, SLEEP
Richard Mothes, Iscariote
Christian Seavey, Whiskey Mountain Days
Christian Bagnoud, The Calzone
Grady Rosevear- Ferricks, Beam Me Up
Andy Van Antwerp, Body Count
- BEST ACTRESS
Carrie Cohen, Skeletons
NOMINEES
Sarah Bennington, Interrogation
Frankie Payette, Skörda
Christy Hernandez, Eyes From Hell
Grace Berry, Snare
Cathryn Gleeson, Pros and Cons
- BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Jaycob Maya, Hopeless
NOMINEES
Ed Wightman, White Lies
Argyris Gkagkanis, Cassandra
- BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Bree Paige, Beam Me Up
NOMINEES
Joanna Bryant, White Lies
- BEST ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE
Lizziehead
NOMINEES
Mad Chicken
The Pulpit – Prelude
SWINE
Summer Fun Time
By Any Other Name
Lost Fathers
Reprise
- SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT
Radio Telescope – Best Retro Film
Adagio – Best Use of Location Filming
Scarlet – Best Period Film (tied)
Foretoken – Omen Of The Outsiders – Best Period Film (tied)
Marvin the Vampire – Best Sub Genre Film
- BEST GENRE FILM
Mad Chicken
NOMINEES
Popped Culture
SLEEP
SWINE
West Flies The Raven
Beam Me Up
Perilune
Cassandra
WEB SERIES
- BEST WEB SERIES
WordLotto
NOMINEES
Story of Godia
Unravelling Anxiety
Shambleton
Kombucha Cure
This Is Paradise
Special Mention Winners – Web Series
Winner: Best Cast – Love Undone
Winner: Best Script – Love Undone
Winner: Best Genre Web Series – Story of Godia
UNPRODUCED SCRIPT
- MOST MAVERICK CONCEPT
Solipsism
NOMINEES
Friendly Fire
IN BAD COMPANY
Whiskey Mountain Days
JACK’D
The Misadventures of Billie Jean
VOODOO VALENTINOS
- BEST SCRIPT WITH FILMING POTENTIAL
Whiskey Mountain Days
NOMINEES
Donavan Emery, The Android & Himself
Over the River
Screwed sp, a comedy of manners in word and song
Fugazi
- SPECIAL MENTION – UNPRODUCED SCRIPT
The Four Of Us Are Dying – Most Unique Script
Calf Rope – Most Authentic Script
Hollywood Romance – Best Micro Budget Script
SACRED SUN – Best Genre Script
- POSTER (including all films, fiction and docs)
Winner: The Grotto of Death
Special Mention Winner: Body Count
NOMINEES – Popped Culture, Once Upon a time Muay Thai Rainbow, Skewered, The Tunnel: Interview with a Monster, Fallen: The Search of a Broken Angel, Tales of Babylon, Half Samurai, Sa Paglupad Ka Banog (The Flight of Banog)