WA Screen Culture Awards (the WASCAs!) recognise a diverse array of quality local cinema

The curtain has fallen on the 2023 WA Screen Culture Awards (cleverly dubbed the WASCAs), an ode to the creative spirit of screen practitioners in Western Australia.

Held at Luna Cinemas Leederville on Sunday 26 November, and hosted by hilarious YouTuber and comedian Ethan Marrell – AKA Ozzy Man Reviews, the WASCAs are a vibrant tribute to our local film industry.

Organised by the Revelation Perth International Film Festival, the WASCAs stand as a testament to the vibrancy of the state’s screen landscape, acknowledging excellence across all forms from new, established and emerging screen practices.

“The consistent quality of the WA screen scene across all its forms never ceases to be a source of inspiration for us,” says Revelation Director Richard Sowada. “Over the last few years, the leaps and bounds in moving image art, short films, independently produced features and computer games have had locally and largely under their own power is as good as anything in the country and finding their feet on the international stage. We’re so proud to fly their flag and celebrate their success.”

Ethan Marrell – aka Ozzy Man Reviews, hosted the WA Screen Culture Awards 2023.

The night’s standout was David Vincent Smith’s directorial debut, He Ain’t Heavy, a compelling drama inspired by true events, set for release in 2024. Produced by creative partner Jess Parker of No Labels Media, the film secured an impressive four awards out of seven nominations. Noteworthy recognitions include Innovation in Narrative Feature Film (budget over $1m), Outstanding Achievements in Cinematography or Visualisation (Lewis Potts), Performance (Sam Corlett), and Production Design (Emma Fletcher).

Steven J. Mihaljevich’s low-budget horror flick Violett claimed two awards for Innovation in Narrative Feature Film (budget under $1m) and Outstanding Achievement in Performance Under 18, credited to the talented actress Valentina Blagojevic.

Kaleb McKenna’s poignant short film Raising Thunder also earned two awards for Outstanding Achievement in Sound/Sound Design and Original Music.

Films with distinctly Western Australian imprints shone through including the powerful short film The Grey Line, recounting the experience of Noongar woman Helen Dwyer from the Stolen Generation. The narrative-driven social impact documentary Black Cockatoo Crisis, shedding light on the plight of WA’s iconic and endangered species. Additionally, Ningaloo Nyinggulu, a mesmerising exploration of one of the Earth’s last intact wild places, written and narrated by acclaimed author Tim Winton, with additional writing from Peter Rees, also earned WASCAs.

Congratulations to all this great local talent, and keep your peepers on the big screen to see their work in full.