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ScreenACT has announced the top ten feature film projects in the running for its Low Budget Feature Pod funding program.

The ten projects were selected from 42 participants who took part in a seven-day workshop run by international script consultant Stephen Cleary. Participants also received feedback from Titan View managing director John L. Simpson (who will distribute the final film), Ronin Films managing director Andrew Pike, Arclight head of production Michael Wrenn, and The Sapphires producer Kylie De Fresne.

The top ten are:

Ariadne's Fate (Geraldine Martin; Science Fiction) Beneath the Sunny Skies (Susan Thwaites; Drama) Blue World Order (Che Baker, Dallas Bland; Science Fiction) Exchange (Declan Shrubb; Horror/Zombie) Flesh and Blood (George Jenkins; Drama) Oil and Water (Ian Hart; Drama) Payday (Kris Kerehona; Drama) The Farmer (Andrew Einspruch & Billie Dean; Comedy/drama) The Mission (Doug Kirk, Andrew Marriott; Science Fiction) Waiting for Robbo (Simon Weaving; Comedy/thriller)

.Low Budget...

Mia Wasikowska's Restless was the first film to be shown at Canberra Film Festival last night. The 12-day event, which features 58 films from 26 countries, will also screen movies such as Olivia Newton-John's cult film Xanadu and Rob Nugent's documentary Memoirs of a Plague. Festival director Simon Weaving told The ABC: "It's a lovely sized festival, so we can really pick the best films in the world. "[Restless is] a love story about a terminally ill girl, but it is one of those wonderfully redemptive films. A gorgeous performance from Mia. Henry Hopper is playing opposite her, Dennis Hopper's son." Weaving had previously said that it was also a "personal goal" of his to showcase some African (more)...

The lineup for this year's Canberra International Film Festival has been announced. This year's cinema event, which will take place from October 26 until November 6 in Australia's capital city, will open with Restless, starring Canberra-born actress Mia Wasikowska. The festival's director Simon Weaving told The ABC: "It is an absolute thrill to have a film with one of our own in the leading role." Weaving also revealed that he is exhibiting some African films this year such as The Bang Bang Club. "A personal goal of mine was to get some African cinema in there," he said. "[They have a] great storytelling tradition but [it's] often unrepresented on the screen." The (more)...