2011 Melbourne Underground Film Festival: Award Winners

Movies were destroyed and awards given to the destructors at the 12th annual Melbourne Underground Film Festival, which was held back on Aug. 19-28.
The Best Film of the fest, as chosen by jury head Jimmy the Exploder in in consultation with The MUFF team, was the controversial A Serbian Film by Srdjan Spasojevic, which has been banned in some parts of the country, but now available on DVD in others.
Other big winners are: Larry Wessel who took home Best Director and Best Documentary for his epic 4-hour profile of cult figure Boyd Rice, Iconoclast (Watch the trailer); Viva Bianca and Hanna Mangan Lawrence appropriately shared the Best Actress award for their starring roles in Jon Hewitt‘s X (Watch the trailer); and John V. Soto”s Needle took home numerous awards such as Best Actor (Michael Dorman), Best Cinematography (D.P. Stephen F. Windon), Best Poster (Horror Version) and the Special Jury Prize.
And a special Underground Film Journal shout-out goes to U.S. filmmaker Greg Hanson, whose Good Taste won for Best Short Film.
The full lineup of winners is below:
BEST FILM
A Serbian Film, dir. Srdjan Spasojevic
BEST ACTOR
Michael Dorman (Needle)
BEST ACTRESS (Tie)
Viva Bianca (Holly Rowe X)
& Hanna Mangan Lawrence (Shay Ryan X)
(Watch the trailer)
BEST DIRECTOR
Larry Wessel (Iconoclast)
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Iconoclast, dir. Larry Wessel
(Watch the trailer)
BEST SCREENPLAY
James Harkness (Birthday)
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
Needle, dir. John V. Soto
BEST GUERILLA FILM (Tie)
Boronia Backpackers, dir. Timothy Spanos
& Garth Lives in a Van, dir. Gregory Pakis
BEST SUPORTING ACTOR
Richard Wilson (Birthday)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Kestie Morassi (Birthday)
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Needle (D.P. Stephen F. Windon)
SHORTS:
BEST SHORT FILM
Good Taste, dir. Greg Hanson
RUNNER-UP BEST SHORT FILM
Gumby’s New Tit, dir. Alex Machin
BEST SHORT FILM DIRECTOR
Michael Adams/Charlotte Squires (Grandma’s Gift)
BEST SHORT FILM ACTOR
Paul Yardley (Don’t Ya Wanna Dance)
BEST SHORT FILM ACTRESS
Deanna Ortuso (A Tale of Obsession)
BEST SHORT SCREENPLAY
Michael Adams/Charlotte Quires (Grandma’s Gift)
BEST POSTER
Needle (Horror Version)
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Thanks to Richard, Jimmy & the entire MUFF gang for putting on another stellar edition of the festival, and thanks for sending us home with three awards!
For those of you who haven’t heard much about the film, you can check us out here: http://www.birthdaythefilm.com/ — Australians, keep an eye out for a local release later this year.