The Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) unveiled its 2024 Award winners Saturday evening local time, including Matthew Rankin, director of Universal Language, which won the flagship Bright Horizons Award, presented by VicScreen with a prize of $140,000AUSD (USD$95,100).
The Canadian surreal comedy-drama is described as being set “somewhere between Tehran and Winnipeg,” and blends three seemingly unrelated stories. Rankin co-stars as well as directs.
Complete list of winners below
The MIFF jury presented over $250,000AUD in prize money across a suite of five categories. Of the awards and this year’s blockbuster festival season, MIFF Artistic Director, Al Cossar said: “It’s been such a thrill to see the enthusiasm and outright cinematic maximalism with which Melbourne audiences have taken to the MIFF program this year – across over 280 films, we’ve seen audiences celebrate incredible new Australian filmmaking with us, discover the year’s cinematic highlights, explore unseen corners of the history of film, and meet over 130 attending guests and artists. A special alchemy always happens at our festival between film and film-goers, and this year it’s been particularly special to see the momentum MIFF-goers have brought to our festival, and to see those special ‘only-at-MIFF’ moments manifest throughout the last couple of weeks.”
“And it’s all been leading to this – our celebration and recognition of exceptional films and filmmakers. Finding and fostering talent is an indelible purpose of the festival, and seeing these talents be recognised throughout MIFF’s suite of awards, and at our festival, is a wonderful privilege. We hope that it creates new opportunities that will be transformative to the professional pathways of those awarded – our congratulations to all.”
Minister for Creative Industries Colin Brooks added: “The Allan Labor Government is proud to support one of the world’s biggest film prizes, MIFF’s 2024 Bright Horizons Award. This award brings global attention to the winner and to this festival and is part of our commitment to backing Victoria’s screen industry at all levels – from our incredible community of local filmmakers to world class facilities and iconic events like MIFF.”
The recipient of the Blackmagic Design Australian Innovation Award is Jaydon Martin, awarding his distinctive cinematic blend of documentary and fictionalfilmmaking for Flathead. Recognising Martin’s directing, the $70,000AUD award recognises an Australian filmmaking talent for their work within an Australian feature film screening at the festival.
2024 MIFF AWARD WINNERS
Bright Horizons Award presented by VicScreen
Universal Language directed by Matthew Rankin
Bright Horizons Special Jury Award
Flow directed by Gints Zilbalodis
Blackmagic Design Australian Innovation Award
Jaydon Martin, Flathead – directing
The Uncle Jack Charles Award in collaboration with Kearney Group
April Phillips, kajoo yannaga (come on let’s walk together) – director, lead artist
Intrepid Audience Award (joint winners)
Voice co-directed by Krunal Padhiar and Semara Jose
Left Write Hook directed by Shannon Owen
MIFF Schools Youth Jury Award, presented by Collarts
Alemania directed by Maria Zanetti
