National Film and Sound Archive host AFTRS 50th anniversary with remastered short films of highly praised alumni

Director Jane Campion made the short film Peel while at AFTRS. It won the short film Palme d’Or at the 1986 Cannes Film Festival, making her the first woman – and only Kiwi – to win the award. Photo: AFTRS.

If you’re underwhelmed by the weekend’s box office fare, join the Australian Film, Television and Radio School’s (AFTRS) 50th-anniversary celebrations this Monday night (23 October) at the National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA).

The evening will feature highly acclaimed director Gillian Armstrong introducing several remastered short films from some of the school’s most illustrious alums.

The school partnered with NFSA to get these short films out of the basement and restored so they could show them off all around the country as part of their celebrations.

“It’s fantastic to remaster these beautiful shorts and give them a second wind, but also see where these extraordinary creatives started in their career,” AFTRS CEO Dr Nell Greenwood says.

“You can see the creative lines between their early work and where they’ve ended up, but all in sequence, the films are just a beautiful collection of work.

“When you watch them back, the storytelling cuts through time and its themes remain compelling to this day.”

Before the project was completed, Dr Greenwood says their students often sought these works out and watched them in the library because of their cinematic power.

“At the film school, short films still have a great deal of currency because they require a limited use of resources, being around 12 to 15 minutes, and really test your narrative skills.

“Directors describe them as the ‘haikus of film’, which many use as a beginning medium for creativity.”

Catriona McKenzie's The Third Note follows a blind woman and her neighbour's discovery of a common bond after battling each other with sound. Photo: AFTRS.

Ivan Sen's Warm Strangers follows the last moments of a young Aboriginal man named Jess. Who, fatally wounded, attempts to reunite with his father after 15 years. Photo: AFTRS.

Chris Noonan's Bulls follows a young girl's struggle with the isolation of living on a remote dairy farm in the late 1930s. Photo: AFTRS.

Sue Brooks' retelling of The Drover's Wife follows a different perspective from the original Russell Drysdale painting. Photo: AFTRS.

Phillip Noyce's Caravan Park follows a father trying to get his family's car repaired in a caravan park after it breaks down on their way to Queensland. Photo: AFTRS.

Cate Shortland's Joy follows a young woman's Thursday night of late night shopping and intent to have fun. Photo: AFTRS.

Robert Connolly's Mr Ikegami's Flight follows a man on business in Sydney while his wife awaits their first child back in Tokyo. Photo: AFTRS.

Gillian Armstrong's One Hundred A Day follows a young girl being forced to work in a 1930s shoe factory after visiting a backyard abortionist. Photo: AFTRS.

In 1973, AFTRS and the Australian Film Commission [now Screen Australia] came into being through a bipartisan Act of Parliament to develop Australia’s cinematic landscape and limited industry. Although its core role in creating and supporting the industry’s need for skill, talent, and knowledge remains, Dr Greenwood says they’re constantly asking themselves how to adapt.

“We’ve now got video games, podcasting, TikTok, and other forms, which is a massive proliferation of industries. But our purpose remains in ensuring we still have access to world-class storytelling made by Australians for Australians, no matter what platform you’re creating on.”

Monday night’s guest is Gillian Armstrong (with AFTRS CEO Dr Nell Greenwood), who will introduce each short film and reflect on her career and time at AFTRS following the screenings. Photo: AFTRS.

The school’s international reputation grabbed Dr Greenwood as an 18-year-old in the UK due to her adoration of director Jane Campion. When she recognised AFTRS as this beacon of cinematic excellence, the work of the school’s alums helped her understand what the Australian half of her identity means. She says the school remains keenly aware of its role in defining that sense for people here and overseas.

“For the school, our understanding of Australianness comes in three. The recognition and support of First Nations people. Reflecting the incredible cultural diversity of this country. And encouraging the multiple truths of its stories, which make its films this kind of great empathy engine.”

The Australian Film, Television and Radio School’s (AFTRS) 50th-anniversary celebration will be held at the Arc Cinema from 6:30 pm on Monday, 23 October. You can purchase tickets from the NFSA website.