Award winning Australian filmmaker and Hollywood legend Mel Gibson will join be Tropfest’s judging panel this Sunday 14 February, 2016.
“I’m really thrilled to be in Sydney, and to have been invited to judge Tropfest,” said Mel Gibson.
“I know what it’s like to be starting out in this industry, in Australia, and what a big difference a break can make to a career. Tropfest has been doing an incredible job over the last 23 years as a platform for young filmmakers, and I’m absolutely delighted to support the great work Tropfest is doing,” he said.
Gibson, will join The Mentalist star Simon Baker, Rebecca Gibney (Packed to the Rafters and Wanted), Cinematographer Don McAlpine (Moulin Rouge!) and Director Jocelyn Moorhouse (The Dressmaker), on the judging panel.
The winner of the coveted Tropfest fruit trophy cup will receive $10,000 cash, a trip to Los Angeles for a week of meetings with industry execs, a Hyundai Tucson for a year, and a Nikon D800 plus lenses and accessories.
“Mel is one of Australia’s most prolific and talented actors, as well as an Academy Award winning director. It doesn’t get better than this. The 16 finalist filmmakers, as well as Australian audiences, are in for a huge treat,” said Tropfest Founder and Director John Polson.
Along with the free, live event at Sydney’s Centennial Parklands, Tropfest events will be held at venues across Australia and broadcast into living rooms courtesy of SBS 2 from 9PM AEDT
For those not near a TV, SBS Online will be also live streaming the broadcast at sbs.com.au/movies/tropfest.
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