The Kents: College's Grand Film Festival

The red carpet was rolled out, the spotlights were dazzling, and the anticipation was palpable as the College students celebrated their media and animation efforts at its cinematic awards show — The Kents. This annual film festival showcased the creative talents of excellence grade receiving Year 12 and 13 students, providing them with a platform to display their cinematic creations to an eager audience of parents, friends, and fellow students.

The highlight of The Kents is undoubtedly the presentation of awards, akin to the Oscars, recognising excellence in various aspects of filmmaking. This year, the films faced the discerning judgment of three industry professionals with impressive credentials. 

Adam Moorehead has clocked over a decade in the film and television industry across Australia and New Zealand, including stints with Netflix and ABC. JC Scadden, based in Melbourne, brought their mastery of scriptwriting and extensive experience in theatre and film to the judging panel. Alex Cairns, hailing from Tauranga, New Zealand, and known for his work on projects like Hunt for the Wilderpeople and Netflix's Cowboy Bebop, provided an insider's perspective.

The Year 13 Live Action (Media Studies) category:

Year 13 Judge's Honorary Award: Last Message

Best Cinematography: Soup

Best Sound Design: Crescendo

Best Editing: Crescendo

Best Use of Genre Conventions: Soup

Best Performance: Caitlin Gardiner - Unigaikyo

Best Performance in a Supporting Role: Kassidy Tilleyshort – Last Message

Best Film: Soup

Audience Choice: Soup

The Year 12 Live Action (Media Studies) category:

Year 12 Judge's Wildcard: Spooky Town

Best Use of Genre Conventions: The Watcher

Best Year 12 Cinematography: The Altar Ego

Best Year 12 Sound: Wink Murder

Best Creative Risks in a Year 12 Film: No Way Out

Best Year 12 Editing: I Dare You

Best Year 12 Film: Wanna Sleep Over?

Year 12 Audience Choice: Wanna Sleep Over?

The Animation category:

Best Animation Film: Danielle Clark

Best 2D Animation: Malte Engelmann

Best 3D Animation: Grace Hunter

Best Stop-Motion Animation: Sophie Sampson

Animation People's Choice: Sophie Sampson

Best Sound Design in an Animated Film: Sophie Sampson

The Kents 2023 was not just a celebration of cinematic excellence but also a testament to our student's boundless creativity and passion for the art of filmmaking. As the curtains closed on this year's festival, the Year 12s look to next year's coveted Kents, while the Year 13s look to their future as budding filmmakers.