Tropfest finalists announced

The finalists for the prestigious Tropfest and Trop Jr competitions were revealed today. See the full list of short films.

Filmmakers Patrick, Jack and Philip will experience their first Tropfest event this year after their film made the cut for Trop Jr. Picture: Jordan Shields

• Tropfest announces film convention

The verdict is in — these are the top films in contention for Tropfest 2019.

Sixteen Trop Jr and 16 Tropfest films were announced as finalists this morning.

Contenders for the top nod include a film about a leading air guitar champion by night, high school drama teacher by day, and a comedy about two hearse drivers who invent a heroic backstory for their deceased passenger.

Entries came in from around Australia and the globe, including a finalist from Mexico and one from New Zealand.

In the Trop Jr category, finalist films range from a story about teenage droid who is inspired by strong women to break free, to a tale of a boy who calls in a team of professionals to exterminate the world’s most annoying insect.

Oakhill College students Jack Talty, Philip Joseph and Patrick Crowle made it all the way to the finals of Trop Jr — a feat even more remarkable given this year is the first time they have entered the competition.

Patrick, Jack and Philip have made it into the Trop Jr finals with their film Jerry and Matt.

“We’ve been making films independently without submitting them and we thought it would be fun to give it a go,” Talty, of Northmead, said.

Their satirical comedy Jerry and Matt is about two best friends who start playing a boardgame and “go on an adventure”.

“It kind of pokes fun at the sitcom genre,” Talty said.

The 14-year-olds, who met in primary school, started filmmaking five years ago and have won their school’s annual film festival twice.

Directors Jayce, Claire, Janyon and Simon have had their films selected to Tropfest.

Now they are looking forward to experiencing the magic of Tropfest for the first time on February 9.

“We’re just there for the experience, all the people, the crowds, it’s going to be awesome,” Crowle, of Winston Hills, said.

The teens were surprised but elated to find their film had made it to the finals.

“We didn’t expect it at all,” Joseph, of North Parramatta said.

Ivan Farkas also had his film selected to Trop Jr - an early birthday present for the Quakers Hill filmmaker who turns 12 this week.

He has made the finals cut for the second year in a row, this time with animated comedy Hook, Line & Sinker.

“It’s a fishy twist to a boy who cried who wolf,” he said.

Ivan Farkas has made it into the Trop Jr finals for the second year in a row. Picture: Dan Himbrechts

The St Andrew’s College student, who starts year 7 this week, said he was “psyched” to be named a finalist for the second year in a row and was looking forward to the event.

“Last year I just loved watching all the films, I just loved seeing what people have done,” he said.

In the Tropfest category, Blacktown’s Cameron Rogers was part of the production team on the short Suck It, which follows a dated cleaning robot’s bid to keep pace with a more advanced model for fear of losing his beloved job.

Each film will be screened at Tropfest at The Crescent in Parramatta Park on February 9, starting with Trop Jr at 4.45pm.

Tropfest finalists: Allie, Barry, Be You T.Fool, Can You Hear Me?, Comican’t, Crush, Dad To the Bone, Fringe Dweller, Notes to Salma, Safe Space, Suck It, Evolution of a Poorly Thown Snowball, The Jinja Assassin, The Last Fight, Treetment, Violet Worth

Trop Jr finalists: Hollow, Hook, Line & Sinker, Jerry and Matt, Life in Pieces, Own You, Reboot, Release, Rewire, Sane, She Loves Me..., Smile, Social, Swat: Fly Removal Services, The Hammor of Thor, The Runaway Club, The Shape of Pizza