Lost and Found earns local talent four gongs at film awards

Screenplay based on original stories by Ian Westley, TJ Wickham, Dean Netherwood, Stella McMahon and Christos Aristidou

Ian Westley director of award winning local movie Lost and Found. Picture: Jann Houley

LOCAL talent took out four awards at the Australian Screen Industry Network Awards held in Brisbane last weekend.

Ian Westley directed the feature film Lost & Found and wrote its screenplay based on original stories by himself, TJ Wickham, Dean Netherwood, Stella McMahon and Christos Aristidou.

The winning team behind Lost & Found. Picture: contributed

The movie, which was entirely shot in Rockhampton with a local cast and crew, earned Westley a Best Writer/Screenplay gong and narrowly missed out on the Best Feature award.

He says receiving the awards was "a buzz" and gives him and other local film-makers greater credibility for future projects.

"There were two votes between Lost & Found and the winner, which had a multi-million dollar budget," he said.

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Nominated in twelve categories, the homegrown feature earned Narelle Schirmer a runner-up award for best composer.

Schirmer graduated from the Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music; she will headline this year's Carols by Candlelight at the Keppel Bay Marina on December 21.

She composed a dozen dramatic pieces to match the film's changing mood.

Tegan Devine, principal of Yeppoon's Devine Dance & Drama, said "lots of good times flooded back" as she received the runner-up award for best actress.

Her character, Gail, is set up on a date with another chronically shy diner by cafe staff in the film, which will soon be made available to watch online for free.

"I am very proud of the entire cast and crew," Westley said.

He thanks businesses that supported the production especially the Regional Arts Development Fund and Rockhampton Regional Council.

ASIN fosters new and existing talent in Australia and actively promotes Queensland as the centre of film-making in Australia.

Originally published as Lost and Found earns local talent four gongs at film awards