Christian filmmakers from around Australia will bring the word to light for the fourth year running at the 2007 Ignite Film Festival.
This year will see the creation of an exciting new category with school submissions competing in a special "Battle of the Schools' category which promises to discover up and coming Christian filmmakers.
Last year schools like Thomas Hassall Anglican College generated films dealing with biblical themes and issues affecting youth.
The film Lifesavers, produced by Thomas Hassall's co-ordinator of enrichment, Suzanne Kennedy, was a project by a Year 10 class, featuring a cast predominantly made up of students.
"The kids absolutely loved it. They started with nothing, so I helped them with my film making experience and by working together they made a good product," she says.
Lifesavers is about a teenage boy who is verbally and physically abused by his father but who finds refuge and comfort in the gracious actions of a friend.
Almost 30 students and family members attended the screening of Lifesavers at the Ignite Film Festival, an experience Sue says the students will never forget.
"Their film ended up being shown on the big screen and again on television at Christmas time, so they got a lot of excitement out of that."
Sue also says the film-making process was valuable for engaging with the Bible.
"Most of the kids involved weren't Christians so it challenged them to look at different parts of the Bible and find a passage to base the film on," she says.
The students built the film around Jude 1:22-23, a passage focussing on the importance of mercy.
"We had to get the Bible out and check out different biblical concepts which promoted good group discussion about God and life," Sue says.
Bible ideas mean big results
Ignite co-ordinator Deb Chen says students can not only win great prizes for their school by entering a film; she says the film making process can be extremely valuable for students' Christian growth.
"Ignite is a great way to make learning the Bible fun, meaningful and memorable," she says.
"Not only do students get to make a short film, they will also have the opportunity to see their film screened in front of a live audience, released on DVD and shown on national television."
Deb says this year’s Ignite Film Festival, where the theme of ‘light’ must be included in every film, is the perfect event for youth groups and schools to attend.
"At Ignite 2007 we are going to see Christian film makers use their creativity to bring the word to light with the theme of light."
Ignite 2007 will take place on October 13 at the Wesley Conference Centre in Pitt Street, Sydney and will feature a musical performance by Christian singer-songwriter Richard Beeston.
Former winners talk
The new schools category will be an addition to the established categories for best film, best script, best cinematography, best sound and best acting.
The winning film of Ignite 2006 was Arthur which was directed and produced by Hillsong members Ben Field Bruce van Niekerk respectively.
Ben says the film has not only given his Studio Nine Media production company exposure, but is has had immense gospel value.
"We have used Arthur as part of sermon illustrations and other events at church, which was primarily why I made it," he says.
"It has been a great tool to show the message of Christ and show the standard of what Christian films can be."
Up and coming filmmaker and CCC Lane Cove member Paul Cavallo directed Chance which won the best actress award thanks to the powerful performance of Lize Johnston as a struggling drug addict.
"I was really proud of her. I thought it was a fantastic honour," Paul says.
"A lot of the cast and crew were not Christian so it was a good opportunity to have an influence on everybody around us. After people read my script, I was able explain my motivations for writing it."
Paul is putting the finishing touches on his 2007 film The Morgue, a film about a newly married couple who are in a crash following their honeymoon.
"The movie is about holding your loved ones close and relying on God and being led by his light."
Jonathan Gunawan who attends Hope Church Parramatta won the award for best animation at Ignite 2006 for his film Messing with the Wong Guy.
The MTV digital media editor says winning the award was a "great encouragement'.
"It was great to have my work acknowledged like that. The message I was trying to convey was that as Christians we should not be hot-headed but patient," he says.
The humorous animation shows a young man going to great lengths to swat an irritating fly.
Anglican Youthworks embraces young talent
Animator Tim Andrews initially saw the Ignite Film Festival as a bit of fun, but he says winning the top award three years ago at the inaugural Ignite in 2004 kick-started his career.
"I never thought it would be such an important step in my own career and ministry and I'm very grateful for what God has done for me," he says.
Tim's winning short film, The Great Feast, was inspired by the biblical parable of the great banquet. Since then, he has produced a 13-episode animated television series called Glen At Work, which follows "a typical suburban husband and father of two, who works on the local council".
Anglican Youthworks has also agreed to publish Tim's new series of short animated films exploring common biblical themes called The Treasure House. Tim is planning to enter one of these episodes in this year's Ignite.
Small screen hits
The Seven Network has confirmed that they will again screen the best of the Ignite film festival on Christmas Day.
"Following the huge success of Ignite 06, Channel 7 will be running Ignite 07 this year on Christmas day," Deb says.
"Without a doubt, the backing of Channel 7 indicates the confidence they have in the quality of the short-films being developed and submitted by Christian filmmakers."
