Sit Down, Shutup and Watch (SDSW) Film & New Media Festival

The first learning disability led film and new media festival in the Southern
Hemisphere. Find out what you don’t know!

The program for the first Sit Down, Shutup and Watch (SDSW) Film & New Media Festival has been announced, with tickets on sale from today. Taking place in Angaston, Barossa Valley, South Australia on Friday 31 October the learning disability led festival is designed to ‘showcase the filmmaking talents of artists with a learning disability to a global audience’.

The SDSW Festival Steering Committee has selected films from a total of 43 entries received from around the world, including entrants from England, Ireland, Israel and Germany. The program includes short dramas, animation, music videos, comedy and video art. Several sessions will be held throughout the day, including a panel session where filmmakers will discuss some of the challenges they faced in making their films. The winners, who were selected from finalists across nine award categories, will be announced at the Red Carpet Awards Presentation that night.

The program presents films written, directed and/or filmed and edited by artists with a learning disability. Filmmakers were able to be assisted by non-disabled filmmakers. Sessions include Films About Relationships, Films That Make Us Think, Spooky Stuff, Films That Make Us Smile, Films That Make Us Dance & Sing, two animation sessions and an international showcase of films from the Oska Bright Film Festival from Brighton in the UK, from which SDSW was inspired.

On Saturday 8th November a ‘Best of the Fest’ screening will take place at Adelaide Studios, where the People’s Choice Award will be announced. SDSW aims to promote cultural change; creating an inclusive community, breaking down barriers and challenging society’s preconceptions surrounding people with a learning disability.

“Sit Down, Shutup and Watch is designed to give people with a learning disability a sense of independence and an outlet to showcase their creativity; raising awareness and providing a greater understanding within the wider community of their talents and capabilities,” said Lee Witczak, Chair of the SDSW Festival Steering Committee.

“We’re very excited to think that after three years in the planning our first festival is going ahead this October. The highly original work of the film makers is both inspiring and very entertaining.” The SDSW Festival is produced by Tutti Arts Incorporated with in-kind support from long term partners The Barossa Council, Yorke & Northern Rural Region, Country Health SA and more recently, the South Australian Film Corporation. SDSW began in 2011 with funding from Country Arts SA and Newman’s Own Foundation. This first festival has received funds from Arts SA, Bank SA and the Sunshine Foundation.

For more information on the Sit Down, Shutup and Watch (SDSW) Film & New Media Festival, visit their website: sitdownshutupandwatch.com

You can book tickets to the event here: www.trybooking.com/FULB