News

.Catherine Mack's 'Passenger'.

Tropfest has unveiled its 2017 lineup, and for the first time in the festival's 25 year history, half of the finalists are women..

Last year, the festival came under fire for having only one female finalist.(Angela McCormack for her film,.Tay Man). Tropfest founder and director John Polson called for more women to enter.the fest, pointing out that the number of female entrants (and not just female finalists) had traditionally hovered around the 20 per cent mark..

In June, as Tropfest announced a switch to a not-for-profit business model, it also promised the festival would have.a stronger focus on attracting female filmmakers.

Polson called the calibre of films submitted for 2017's festival .outstanding. and noted it was wonderful to see entrants reflecting a range of diversity and gender..

.Over the past 12 months, we.ve made a major effort to attract women to enter Tropfest.—.with help from...

Tropfest has given us a sneak peek at the 2016 lineup follwing the festival's relaunch with a new sponsor.

The festival, which was due to take place on December 6 prior to it's cancellation, will now be held on February 14 at Centennial parklands after insurance company Cgu stepped in the save the event. .

The 2016 festival will include stories about an Australian ex World Champion boxer battling the bottle, unlikely Taylor Swift fans, and a best friend with a dangerous secret, amongst the 16 finalist films.

Tropfest Founder and Director John Polson said it was a line up quite unlike any other screened at Tropfest, with documentaries, mockumentaries and animations making up more than half of the finalist films..

.The finalists this year have really brought film back to its core element, the art of storytelling," he said. .

"We have 16 very unique films to present to thousands of Tropfest fans around Australia that...

James Mackay with Kim Ledger

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The pool of talented young Australian actors is so vast the judges of the Heath Ledger Scholarship presented by Australians in Film have named 20 finalists this year, up from the usual 15.

That.s a real stamp of approval considering the calibre of the judges: Collin Farrell, Miranda Otto, directors Gregor Jordan and Robert Luketic, casting director Ann Fay (Anzac Girls, Packed to the Rafters) and Randi Hiller, VP of feature casting at Walt Disney Studios.

The winner of the sixth annual scholarship, which fosters the education and career development of young Australian actors in the Us, will be announced in Los Angeles on June 12.

The prizes include $10,000 cash, a two year scholarship at Stella Adler Academy of Acting and Theatre in Los Angeles, two return flights to La. including attendance at the announcement ceremony and a second flight when he or she is ready to break into the market,...

Home and Away star Catherine Mack has revealed more details of the new love triangle storyline ahead for her character Natalie Davison. Viewers have seen Natalie have an on-off relationship with bad boy Brax (Steve Peacocke) in recent months, but an upcoming plot twist sees her grow closer to ex-boyfriend Zac Maguire, played by new cast member Charlie Clausen. As previously reported, Zac is a prison education officer, who is introduced to the Summer Bay soap when Natalie asks him to keep an eye on Casey Braxton (Lincoln Younes) while he is in jail. Discussing Natalie's history with Zac, Mack told TV Week: "He was a couple of years above her at university and they had a relationship. They thought they would be together for the rest of their lives. "They were really in love. But, without giving too much away, he did some bad things (more)...

Home and Away star Steve Peacocke has told Digital Spy that his character Brax's "jealous streak" may emerge in an upcoming storyline. Viewers have seen Brax in an on-off relationship with counsellor Natalie Davison (Catherine Mack) in recent months, and Peacocke confirmed that the twists and turns for the pair aren't over yet. Watch our chat with Steve Peacocke in the video below: Peacocke told Digital Spy: "There's no happy ever after! He likes her, but what's about to happen is someone else in the Bay might have his eye on Natalie. So you might see the jealous streak in Brax come out and the alpha male!" Asked whether Brax's grief for his last partner Charlie Buckton is causing problems, the actor replied: "Absolutely. You can't just get over someone who you felt that strongly for. "It's (more)...

Home and Away bosses have announced the casting of actor Charlie Clausen as a face from Natalie Davison's past. The 35-year-old has taken on the role of Zac Macguire, a prison education officer who will get to know Casey Braxton (Lincoln Younes) in an upcoming storyline.

Pictured: Charlie Clausen as Zac Maguire in Home and Away. Zac had a stint in jail when he was younger, but has since turned his life around and tries to help others do the same. Natalie (Catherine Mack) asks Zac to keep an eye on Casey while he is in prison, still keen to help the Braxton teen. However, with Zac now back in Natalie's life, (more)...

Home and Away star Catherine Mack has said that bad boy Brax's life may be too "complicated" for her character Natalie Davison. The pair have become an item in recent weeks, but things are about to turn sour on Australian screens as Natalie decides that she cannot be with Brax (Steve Peacocke) anymore. Natalie's choice comes after an adventure in the desert with Brax and his younger brother Casey (Lincoln Younes). Mack told TV Week: "I think she was a little bit shaken up because Brax was about to skip town with Casey and didn't really care about her or take her feelings into consideration. "He expected her to come along and leave her life that she's set up in Summer (more)...

Home and Away newcomer Natalie Davison decides to put her blossoming romance with Darryl 'Brax' Braxton on hold in an upcoming storyline. Natalie and Brax are currently growing ever closer in episodes airing in Australia, but they soon agree to cool things down for the sake of Brax's younger brother Casey (Lincoln Younes). With Natalie counselling Casey as he faces a charge for killing his father Danny, she realises that the teenager needs her full attention at the present time. Catherine Mack, who plays Natalie, told TV Week of the storyline: "Natalie's worried their relationship will get in the way and Casey will stop talking to her if she's going out with his brother. She cares about helping Casey more than her own personal life." Revealing that his character agrees with Natalie's decision, Brax actor Steve Peacocke (more)...

Home and Away's Brax and Natalie will collapse into each other's arms in a moment of passion in an upcoming storyline. Natalie will fall in love with the River Boy in episodes to air this week on Australia's Seven Network and in September on Channel 5 in the UK. Catherine Mack, who plays Natalie, told TVWeek: "She can see through his act. She believes with her whole heart he's a good person. She will not stop until she makes him realise that. "It kind of just happens. She wants to help him and soothe him. Then, it's on, and neither (more)...