Sam Neill slams Lock Out Laws

Actor Sam Neill was at Parramatta to announce the move there of John Poulson's short film festival Tropfest, covered by Whispers so many times including the very first one years ago which had only 20 guests that included Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise (and moi).

The controversial lock out laws that now make nightclubs serve their last drinks at midnight have devastated Kings Cross and the Golden Gay Mile of Oxford Street. Sam had some pretty strong criticism of the laws. Will we be going to Parramatta to attend Tropfest? Hmmm, may have to think long and hard about that. It took 90 minutes to get to the presser but I suppose there is always the ferry.

Tropfest-Twenty Years On....

At least two of the movie superstars at last night's Tropfest were there at the beginning-Nicole Kidman and Toni Collette. Others like Geoffrey Rush and Cate Blanchett have come onboard in recent years.

Some who are about to be catapulted into superstar status like Joel Edgerton ( The Great Gatsby) even appeared in Tropfest entries before finding stardom. Any visiting actor makes their way to The Domain to join 150,000 Sydneysiders for the festival.
Sadly, Leo Di Caprio and Tobey McGuire were too busy bunkered down at Fox Studios putting the finishing touches to their roles in Gatsby. Russell Crowe also sent apologies as he flew out to Europe yesterday.

                                              

It's twenty years since director John Polson conceived of the idea of a short film festival and held it in the Tropicana coffee shop in Kings Cross. The Shuttle was there with about 40 others (we lent him 50 bucks for photocopying)

Now it's screened to huge gatherings in every capital city around Australia and there are Tropfests held in London, New York, Toronto, Bangkok and Beijing. Recently one was held in Abu Dhabi.
Last night's first prize went to to Alethea Jones for Lemonade Stand, a comedy about a man and his grandfather whose efforts to sell lemonade bring a clash with an officious council officer.

Keeping it in the family- film-maker Matilda Brown (below left) and her mum, actress Rachel Ward (right).