In this newsletter

• Innovative Tasmania Awards launched
• BOFA Action Sessions bring ACTION
• BOFA Directors back from International Festivals
• French film makers in Tasmania
• Last chance for short film competition

Nominations for the 2016 Innovative Tasmania Awards are now open. The outstanding success of the 2015 Awards has attracted exciting new partners, allowing us to lift the number of Awards from 5 to 11.

Festival Director Owen Tilbury said that BOFA was delighted to welcome the new partners to the Awards.

“Organisations like Bellamy’s Organic, Bell Bay Aluminium, NBN and NRM North are all innovators in their own right and appreciate the vital role innovation will play in the future of Tasmania.”

The 11 Awards for 2016 are:

• Innovator of the Year Award. Proudly presented by Eaglecrest Technologies
• Young Innovator of the Year Award. Proudly presented by UTAS
• Innovative Start-up Award. Proudly presented by NBN
• Innovative Product Award. Proudly presented by Bellamy's Organic
• Innovative Science and Technology Award. Proudly presented by Dept of Industry, Innovation and Science
• Innovative Service Award. Proudly presented by Australian Innovation Research Centre
• Innovative Process Award. Proudly presented by Bell Bay Aluminium
• Innovative Community Award. Proudly presented by Anglicare Tasmania
• Innovative Region Award. Proudly presented by RDA Tasmania and TCCI
• Innovative Environment Award. Proudly presented by NRM North
• Innovative Government Award.  Proudly presented by Dept of State Growth

Each winner receives a 2 minute video vignette of their innovation which will be broadcast on Southern Cross News (value $4,500) plus a trophy, certificate and laurels.
Winners are chosen by crowd-sourcing, with voting open to all Tasmanians once nominations close. Prizes will be awarded at a prestigious event in Hobart on Thursday 27th October, 2016.

Information and entry forms at bofa.com.au/innovation-awards/. Entry is free and nominations close 14 August, 2016.

Watch the TV ad here

BOFA  has always been about more than just film – movie master classes, stimulating debates and creating a great meeting place for everyone involved in Tasmanian film making.

BOFA in Action began in 2013 and has grown to become an integral part of the Festival, as an incubator for innovation, creativity and positive change in our Tasmanian economy and community.

An example of the positive change generated from BOFA is the proposed Fermentation Tasmania, an  idea  generated at a BOFA Action Session.

Over the past year or two, a group of industry professionals and researchers has been developing this concept, informed by earlier work by the UTAS Centre for Food Innovation.

They see a great opportunity for Tasmania to capitalise on our State’s growing reputation as a producer of world-class food and beverages that all have a focussed point of difference - the skilled application of fermentation in products like wine, beer, cider, whisky, cheese and bread, to name just a few.
Read all about it at www.fermentasmania.com

A few reflections from Owen and Helen Tilbury after  recently  visiting two major international film festivals  in New York and Krakow:

“The first thing we noticed was that the bigger festivals (most of which have no central location) really battle to create the friendly inclusive vibe we seem to get at BOFA. However, the beauty of a city like Krakow reinforces that it really helps to site a festival in a beautiful place (like Tasmania!!). We were also surprised that their printed materials were not of a higher quality – our BOFA programs compared very well. One other advantage they have is their access to celebrities like  Jodie Foster which we battle with.

Our final observation was that most other film festivals are very much for the film makers whilst BOFA is focussed as well on the audience and on the ideas in the films. A major difference!”

BOFA Directors recently met with two visiting film makers, Mathieu Van de Velde and Philippe Muyl, scouting locations in Tasmania.

Many BOFA followers will fondly remember Phillipe Muyl’s wonderful feature The Nightingale, made in China, and a highlight of BOFA 2014.

Mathieu Van de Velde  is a French film producer currently based in Sydney and he and Phillipe are collaborating on a new feature film with Tasmania as a key location.

Their enthusiasm for Tasmania increased after tasting some of our great artisanal cheeses (courtesy of Kim Seagram and Fermentasmania) and the Tamar Valley’s Goaty Hill wines.

We look forward to perhaps premiering the as yet unnamed film at a future BOFA

Film makers have just three more weeks to submit entries to the 2016 BOFA Aussie Short Film Competition.

The competition is open to all Aussie film makers with a film of 15 minutes or less made in the last five years. Up to 40 of the short film entries will be selected for screening at the Festival.

The panel of judges this year will include one of Australia’s best known film directors and actors, Clayton Jacobson, who is best known for Kenny, Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries and internationally distributed Kenny’s World plus many shorts such as Mordy Koots, Melma, I Love U, Tanaka and Tickler. Clayton has had, as well, a long association with Tropfest.

Aussie Launceston will partner with BOFA in presenting this year’s Aussie Short Film Competition. Chris Antypas, Aussie Launceston Franchisee said:

“Aussie Launceston is a proud partner of the BOFA Aussie Short Film Competition. Aussie Launceston is a natural partner for the competition as we love Australian stories and are excited that there will be separate awards for Best Aussie Short Film and Best Tassie Short Film."

Each winning film maker will receive the unique hand crafted blown glass BOFA Devil Award plus $1,000.

All short film entrants will receive a pass to see eight films of their choice at the 2016 BOFA Festival and an invitation to the industry only BOFA Devil Awards function. Many film makers from around Australia come to BOFA (where we offer them billets) because they love the networking, the vibe and the Tassie experience. As Aimee Lee Curran, film-maker of Sydney says:

"I've been looking forward to returning to BOFA ever since we left!! The perfect week of film, food and fun, with excellent vibes all round. No better way to celebrate film than down in Launceston at BOFA."

You can see some of the past BOFA Short Film winners (Best Kept Secret, Nick Stranger and The Grim Experience) and the music video 'Eye of the Storm' on the Water Screen at the Penny Royal from 7.30pm on Friday and Saturday nights.

The Penny Royal Wine Bar & Restaurant is open daily from 9am to 5pm with evening dining Friday and Saturday nights from 6pm.

BOFA at the Barrel Room is back for its winter season from Sunday July 17th and every Sunday for 6 weeks at Saint John Craft Beer in St John St Launceston. See the programme at: www.bofa.com.au/festival/regional-festivals/