Young filmmakers took centre stage for the ID360 Short Film Competition awards at the NZ Film Archives in Wellington this week.

Overall winners and long time friends Carl Naus and Thomas King (pictured) made their film No Kiwi Restaurants earlier this year, just before starting a one year course at South Seas Film and Television School. The film featured friends from different nationalities including Russian, Croatian, Hindi, German and Spanish. "The idea of being a kiwi is completely subjective depending on where you're from and where your influences lie," said Thomas.

Carl and Thomas have already made six films together and say the award has given them the confidence boost, and prize money, to carry on with their next film.

Judge Jess Feast said she was overwhelmed by the humour, insight, honesty and boldness of the entries. She said hopefully the competition and awards would help the budding filmmakers "hang in there".

"Keep the ideas coming. It's ideas that feed you in this industry. If you keep excited about the ideas it will help you get over the daily grind."Young filmmakers took centre stage for the ID360 Short Film Competition awards at the NZ Film Archives in Wellington this week.

Overall winners and long time friends Carl Naus and Thomas King (pictured) made their film No Kiwi Restaurants earlier this year, just before starting a one year course at South Seas Film and Television School. The film featured friends from different nationalities including Russian, Croatian, Hindi, German and Spanish. "The idea of being a kiwi is completely subjective depending on where you're from and where your influences lie," said Thomas.

Carl and Thomas have already made six films together and say the award has given them the confidence boost, and prize money, to carry on with their next film.

Judge Jess Feast said she was overwhelmed by the humour, insight, honesty and boldness of the entries. She said hopefully the competition and awards would help the budding filmmakers "hang in there".

"Keep the ideas coming. It's ideas that feed you in this industry. If you keep excited about the ideas it will help you get over the daily grind."Feast said she was especially impressed by the technical skills of the 12-15 age group.

"It's amazing what they can produce with their understanding and access to new technology."

Winner of the 12-15 age group, 13-year-old Finn Stichbury said the flim competition and his win had encouraged him to carry on with his "passion".

After starting out with an interest in writing and drawing, his passion switched to film making two years ago when he was home sick and found the family's old Sony video recorder - which had been idle for four years.

After a few 'home movies' under his belt he decided to get serious and 'google' film competitions in NZ and came across the ID360 website.

The family upgraded to a digital camera and with the help of his friend Duncan, and star of award winning movie 'Sand and Ice-Cream', set out to film "the weird traditions we have in our kiwi culture."

His family travelled from Pukekohe in Auckland for the awards - and after his win he said the recognition had helped cement his aspiration to become a filmmaker.

"Now I have something to back up my interest in film that shows I'm kinda alright."

Finn has big plans to develop his scripts "but I haven't been able to film them because they are way beyond my budget." He has decided to continue and perfect his short films and then move onto features.

Youth Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta said the films reflected the diversity of cultures and ethnicities in New Zealand. She said the awards gave young people an avenue to show their talents and encouraged them to pursue a career in filmmaking.

"Young people are integral to the harmony of New Zealand. Fostering understanding of diversity and embracing differences between people will ensure that the present and future generations are more tolerant of each other."

She said the intention was to carry with another film competition but she would like to see the industry partner the awards to provide work experience as prizes.

The winner of the 19-24 age category was Wellington based filmmaker Jesse Taylor Smith for his film A Small Film About a Stranger. Filmed in and around Wellington on Super 8 the film is a dainty, thoughtful, stylistic back-to-front film about being alive and coming of age, told through sounds and images by strangers.

Short films by the fifteen finalists from across New Zealand competed for the People's Choice Award. Over 5000 votes were cast between 27 March and 11 April. New Plymouth brothers Matt and Josh Girvan collected 1096 votes for their film Play which centred on the brother's love of unicyling, to win the People's Choice Award.

15 young filmmakers made it to the finals of the ID360 Short Film Competition.

24/04/08