Freedom Swimmer
| Freedom Swimmer | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Olivia Martin McGuire |
| Written by | Olivia Martin McGuire |
| Produced by | Ron Dyens, Brooke Tia Silcox |
Release date |
|
Running time | 15mn |
| Country | Australia |
Freedom Swimmer is a 2021 Australian animated short film directed by Olivia Martin McGuire.[1] The short is a fifteen minute documentary telling the story of a man and his daughter who swam from China to Hong Kong during the Cultural Revolution.[2] Following its premiere at the Melbourne International Film Festival,[3] the short has been featured in several film festivals including Slamdance Film Festival,[4] Palm Springs International ShortsFest[5] and the Calgary International Film Festival, where it was awarded for Best Documentary Short.[6]
Plot[edit]
A grandfather’s embarks on a courageous journey and a perilous swim from China to Hong Kong that parallels his granddaughter’s own quest for a new freedom.
Reception[edit]
Since its launch, the film has been selected in various festivals and academies around the world:
| Year | Festivals | Award/Category | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Sydney Film Festival | Best Animated Film[7] | Won |
| Kendal Mountain Festival | Best Creative Film[8] | Won | |
| 2022 | Palm Springs International ShortsFest | HP Bridging the Borders Award[9] | Won |
| Manhattan Short Film Festival | Bronze Medal[10] | Nominated | |
| Aspen Shortsfest | Ellen Jury Award for Best Animation[11] | Won | |
| GLAS Animation Festival | Grand Prix[12] | Nominated | |
| Calgary International Film Festival | Best Documentary Short[6] | Won | |
| Grierson British Documentary Awards | Special Mention for Best Documentary Short[13] | Won | |
| Santa Fe International Film Festival | Best Documentary Short[14] | Won | |
| AIDC Awards | Best Short-Form Documentary[15] | Won |
References[edit]
- ^ Morfoot, Addie (2022-09-27). "'POV Shorts' Unveils Doc Lineup for Fifth Season (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
- ^ "Freedom Swimmer | Documentary Australia". documentaryaustralia.com.au. 2021-04-28. Retrieved 2022-11-09.
- ^ Hughes, Lleyton (2021-08-05). "Olivia Martin-McGuire's Swim for Freedom". FilmInk. Retrieved 2022-11-09.
- ^ 華婷婷, Vee Hua (2022-01-28). "Supreme Short Films at Slamdance 2022: Top Picks in Narrative, Animation, Documentary & Experimental". REDEFINE magazine. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
- ^ "'POV Shorts' Announces Acquisition of Six New Films Following Premieres at 2022 Palm Springs International ShortFest and Tribeca Festival | American Documentary". www.amdoc.org. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
- ^ a b "Calgary International Film Festival jury winners announced". calgaryherald. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
- ^ Review, Arts (2021-11-15). "2021 Sydney Film Festival Award Winners Announced". Australian Arts Review. Retrieved 2022-11-09.
- ^ Bird, George (2021-11-22). "'Torn,' 'The Alpinist,' 'They/Them' Among Big Winners at Kendal Mountain Film Festival". Variety. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
- ^ "Freedom Swimmer wins MOZAIK Bridging The Borders Award at 2022 ShortFest". Cinema Without Borders. 2022-06-28. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
- ^ admin (2022-09-08). "Manhattan Short Film Festival 2022". Hurleyville Arts Centre. Retrieved 2022-11-09.
- ^ "'Freedom Swimmer,' 'F^¢k '€M R!ght B@¢k' among Aspen Shortsfest winners". www.aspentimes.com. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
- ^ "GLAS Animation Festival Shares Signal Film and Program". Animation World Network. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
- ^ televisual.com; Considine, Pippa (2022-11-11). "Grierson British Documentary Awards: the winners". Televisual. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (2022-10-22). "Santa Fe International Film Festival 2022 Winners Include 'Scarborough', Julian Rubinstein Docu 'The Holly'". Deadline. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
- ^ Vann-Wall, Silvi (2022-03-10). "2022 AIDC awards announced". ScreenHub Australia. Retrieved 2022-11-15.