Tropfest founder John Polson outlines plans to own Parramatta

Tropfest founder John Polson wants to own Parramatta — and the humble pineapple could help him do just that.

John Polson is looking forward to the festival moving to its new location. Picture: Daniel Aarons

Tropfest founder John Polson wants to own Parramatta — and the humble pineapple could help him do just that.

The award-winning actor, director and producer, who is now based in New York, flew into Sydney last week to give us a glimpse of the reimagined Tropfest that will celebrate its 25 birthday with a new location, Parramatta Park, a new day, Saturday, and a pineapple theme.

“If you look at festivals around the world, the festivals that have really worked have taken ownership of the destination,” Polson said.

“Like Cannes, the Cannes Film Festival does not happen in Paris it happens in Cannes, a small French seaside town.

“Same with Sundance, Sundance does not happen in LA, it happens in Park City, Utah. It owns that city.

“And we want to own Parramatta, not just for a night — we are going to own it for five days.”

To entice the traditional crowd to embrace the Parramatta move Polson said there would be dedicated trains running on February 11.

Tropfest is leaving its inner-city home at Centennial Park for Parramatta Park.

“We are going to call them the Pineapple Express. There will be people on the platforms, starting at Central all the way out to the park, with T-shirts and signs making it very easy for our die-hard fans to come along and we are also embracing a whole new set of fans,” the executive producer on the CBS crime drama Elementary said.

“We have always said Tropfest is not an elitist eastern suburbs thing, anyone can enter, everyone is welcome — this is a festival for the people.

“So I am hoping this is going to be a perfect partnership between our die-hard fans, who always come along, and a brand new young and a diverse crowd.

“I feel like it going to be a great marriage of our history and our future.”

Tropfest, the world’s largest short film festival, started as the Tropicana Short Film Festival that first screened at Darlinghurst’s Tropicana Cafe to a modest crowd of 200. To mark its 25th birthday the organisers have gone back to their roots for the signature item.

“The pineapple sets the perfect tone,” Polson said.

John Polson says Tropfest will be the Cannes Film Festival of Parramatta.

“The pineapple is tropicana, it is tropical and it is very Tropfest for anyone who really knows the event.

“And it also shows, as much as Tropfest is a great springboard for filmmakers, we don’t take ourselves too seriously.”

To move to Parramatta Park signals a new era for the Sydney festival that came close to collapse in November 2015 when a debt “well into six figures” emerged.

“The silver lining is it has forced us to re-examine everything about this event,” Polson said.

“It is really coming back to the core of what the event is - we’re re-imagining Tropfest.

Tropfest will be be held at Parramatta Park from February 7 to 11. Entries close on December 15.

Rose Byrne will head the jury for the short film festival.

BYRNE LANDS ‘THRILLING’ ROLE

Australian actress Rose Byrne will head the jury for the short film festival, Tropfest.

The Bridemaids actress, who is starring in Sydney Theatre Company’s production of David Mamet’s Speed-The-Plow, will be judging the festival in the first year of its relocation from Centennial Park to Parramatta Park.

“I am thrilled to be heading up the jury in such an important year for Tropfest as it celebrates its 25th year. I have had the opportunity to be a part of Tropfest both in Australia and New York and am excited to see its new home in Parramatta in February,” Byrne said.

As the festival relocates west of the city, it will introduce events across Parramatta for a week including Trop Jnr, Trop Talks, and the Tropfest Craft Awards.

Entries for Tropfest are open until December 15 and all films must include this year’s signature item which is pineapple.

“This is an enormous honour,” Tropfest founder and director John Polson said.

“Rose is one of Australia’s most prolific and talented actors and the finalist filmmakers, as well as Australian audiences, are in for a huge treat.”