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Winton film tops local Oscars

The spoils were evenly spread at this year's WA Screen Awards, with several features and shorts taking out multiple prizes in the local version of the Oscars.

Not surprisingly, Robert Connolly's justly acclaimed adaptation of Tim Winton's The Turning beat the Sam Worthington surf flick Drift for best feature film, the night's most prestigious prize.

However, Connolly's refusal to enter The Turning into other categories because of its ensemble nature opened the way for Drift to pick up the best actor award for Myles Pollard, best screenplay award for Tim Duffy and best sound (long form) for Glenn Dillon.

The most nominated film at this year's awards, Antony Webb's Pixar-inspired urban fable The Fan, came through in several categories, picking up the award for best short drama as well as prizes for direction and for Ash Gibson Greig for best original music.

The feature-length factual section was dominated by Comic Book Heroes, Nicholas Dunlop's ABC documentary about a pair of Perth comic book creators who set out to crack the lucrative American market.

A scene from The Turning, winner of the Best Feature. Picture: Michael Torres


It collected four prizes, including best direction (long form) and best television production.

The technical awards were dominated by Roderick MacKay's short film Factory 293, an eye-popping mini-epic set in a snowbound Soviet munitions plant during World War II.

It picked up prizes for best production design (Louise Brady), editing (Roderick MacKay) and visual effects (Andrew Gordon).

The awards also acknowledged achievement in new media, with the hit web series The Legend of Gavin Tanner winning the People's Choice Award and leading lady Emily Rose Brennan winning the prize for best actress.

A scene from Drift. Picture: David Dare Parker


Veteran Fremantle documentary maker Andrew Ogilvie received a statuette for his outstanding contribution to the WA screen industry.

Australian Film and Television School graduate Daniel Monks was recognised as the Young Filmmaker of the Year.

This year's WASAs were held at the State Theatre Centre and were the climax of the Revelation Film Festival, which had its biggest audiences in its 17-year history.