We are delighted to share the news that four works by NIDA’s award-winning Head of Writing for Performance, Stephen Sewell were selected as part of the Sydney Film Festival (SFF) program.
We are delighted to share the news that four works by NIDA’s award-winning Head of Writing for Performance, Stephen Sewell were selected as part of this year’s Sydney Film Festival (SFF) program.
Stephen made his highly anticipated directorial debut with the world premiere of Embedded, which also features his original screenplay. Partially shot at NIDA, this work is an erotic political thriller that sees a war correspondent meet an alluring, enigmatic woman at a cocktail party, before a dangerous power play engulfs the two.
In addition, two interactive experimental works arising from the collaboration of Stephen with director Dennis Del Favero were shown at the University of New South Wales’ (UNSW) iCinema as part of the extended SFF program: Beyond Cinema. The two works are Deluge, which deals with the devastating cyclone Yasi (QLD 2011), and Nebula, a dream work exploring relationships between the human and natural worlds. Both films featured high-tech interactive elements including computer graphics and artificial intelligence.
UNSW’s iCinema is a 360-degree cinematic theatre and was the perfect venue for the SFF’s special Beyond Cinema program which aimed to explore the new worlds emerging beyond cinema, where screen culture intersects with new technologies, techniques and artistic approaches.
Stephen is pleased to have so many works included in the internationally renowned SFF program, commenting:
‘It’s was a thrill to be able to premiere Embedded at the Sydney Film Festival, and almost as thrilling to have my collaborations with Dennis and iCinema featured as part of the program, which has adopted as its motto this year the very timely slogan Change your view, change your world, something I am very happy to be part of.’
Lastly, Stephen’s acclaimed screenplay for the chilling thriller The Boys returned to the big screen with the world premiere of a brand new digital restoration. Starring David Wenham and Toni Collette, Stephen’s screenplay for The Boys received the 1998 AFI Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and the film is considered an iconic Australian classic.
NIDA congratulates Stephen on his success.
Photography supplied by Sydney Film Festival, L�R, NIDA Head of Writing for Performance Stephen Sewell, Producer Steve Jaggi, and SFF Director Nashen Moodley.
