Tropfest 2006

Picnic goodness: Tetsuya truffle butter on bagel crisps

Last Sunday saw our annual pilgramage to The Domain for the now much-advertised "largest short film festival in the world" Tropfest.

The competition is open to anyone and everyone. The film must be no longer than 7 minutes, it must include the Tropfest Signature Item (announced on 1 December), and Tropfest must be its first public screening.


Tropfest crowds in The Domain at 3pm




Tropfest crowds at 6pm

Roving crowd cameras and a rocking performance by Regurgitator kept us entertained until the films started at 7.45pm, whereupon the skies darkened and it began to sprinkle intermittently. At intermission we made an executive decision to pack up the picnic rug and call it a night... a wise decision indeed, as ensuing lightning and thunderstorms 30 minutes later prompted organisers to cut short the Sydney screening for the first time in its 14-year history.

Although 35,000 Sydneysiders went home wet and bedraggled, the screening continued to the 115,000 people congregated in outdoor venues around Australia.

I'm glad we went though for the festival is always fun, the films are very entertaining and it's a great excuse for a picnic.

This year the festival spreads to New York. Wow. It must be cool.

Tropfest@Tribeca is due to take place on April 28, 2006 as part of the Tribeca Film Festival. The Tropfest@Tribeca Signature Item is a manhole cover.

How very New York. Entries are due March 24, 2006.

This year's celebrity judges included Rose Byrne, Simon Baker, Toni Collette, Phillip Noyce and Guy Pearce. And although there was some controversy and a little wet weather, I'm glad we went.

And Australians are known for their ingenuity when it comes to gourmet picnics and the "art of keeping your beer cold", but we're also pretty good when it comes to comfy outdoor seating too.





Congrats to the first place winners Alex Weinress and Rob Carlton for their film "Carmichael and Shane". It was one of my favourites by far.

Sydneysiders should have gotten a free copy of the Tropfest DVD in Saturday's Sydney Morning Herald. Otherwise make urgent pleading enquiries at your local newsagency.