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Is the death of Tropfest important?

Crass, populist and a heap of fun, Tropfest changed the cultural landscape around short film. But what does the industry really lose from its shock cancellation?

16 Nov 2015 12:00

David Tiley

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Writing and Publishing

Image: Tropfest from on high in a year when it didn’t rain.

Tropfest, which started before some of its entrants were even born, is now in terrible trouble. Last week, founder John Polson shocked the sector and left 16 finalists gasping when he announced a gap in funding which ran into six figures, and that he was contemplating legal action.

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David Tiley

David Tiley was the Editor of Screenhub from 2005 until he became Content Lead for Film in 2021 with a special interest in policy. He is a writer in screen media with a long career in educational programs, documentary, and government funding, with a side order in script editing. He values curiosity, humour and objectivity in support of Australian visions and the art of storytelling.