The 2024 WA Screen Culture Awards (WASCA) has announced this year’s winners
Runt, the WA-made Australian film about a girl and her dog who tries to save their farm, has dominated this year’s WA Screen Culture Awards (WASCA) taking home all four of its nominations. The film won in key categories including Innovation in Narrative Feature Film with a budget over $1m and Outstanding Achievement in Writing, Production Design and Original Music.
Living up to the saying, “Never underestimate the power of an underdog,” Runt has also impressively surpassed $5.5M at the Australian box office, making it the third highest-grossing locally made film of 2024, after Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and Force of Nature: The Dry 2.
Meanwhile, the hard-hitting 59-minute documentary Genocide in the Wildflower State, which explores the brutal history of state-run eugenics and racial assimilation in 20th century Western Australia, also took home multiple awards, including Outstanding Achievement in Directing and Performance.
The short film Esperance to Fremantle, which follows a troubled teenager on a journey to reconnect with the father he hasn’t seen since infancy, was another major winner, receiving accolades for Innovation in Student Film and Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography.
As is tradition, the WASCAs also celebrated industry excellence with two prestigious Special Industry Awards. The Independent Spirit Award was presented to Matthew Eeles, Editor of Cinema Australia and Founder of the WA Made Film Festival, while the Contribution to Industry Award went to renowned casting director Annie Murtagh-Monks and the Perth Actors Collective.
Each winner, representing 21 Award Categories and two Special Industry Awards, was presented with a beautifully crafted trophy made from responsibly sourced WA Blackbutt. Designed by filmmaker and screen industry advocate Ryan Hodgson, in collaboration with Geographik, Squarepeg Home, and Artcom Fabrication, these handmade timber trophies symbolise the fusion of artistry and sustainability.
The winners were selected by an esteemed panel of industry experts, including cinematographer Frank Mobilio, creative director Ken Leung, and actors Martin Casella and Nicholas Hope, among others.
The 5th annual WA Screen Culture Awards was hosted by comedian Emma Krause and speaking of the event, director of the Revelation Perth International Film Festival, Richard Sowada says, “it’s been a cracking year for the WA screen sector across the board and it’s reflected in brilliant diversity of films platformed during the WASCAs. We received a record number of entries in all categories and the buzz is just brilliant. It gives all of us at Rev great pride to be able play a small role in acknowledging the achievements, work and heart of the WA screen sector.”
See the 2024 WASCA winners below:
Innovation Awards
Narrative Feature Film with budget under $1m presented by Limitless Studios
• Stubbornly Here
Narrative Feature Film with budget over $1m presented by Spinifex Brewing
• Runt
Feature Documentary / Non Fiction presented by Zarephath Wines
• Renee Gracie: Fireproof
Short Film presented by AFTRS and Edith Cowan University
• Re-Imagining Our Futures: Birthing
Student Film presented by SAE University College
• Esperance to Fremantle
Television
• Our Medicine
Web Series or Online Content presented by RevStream
• Yhonnie Scarce: The Light of Day
Animation
• Bird Drone
Music Video
• Psycho by Alyssa Dalao, featuring Wiz – Joshua Black
Game Design presented by Nostalgia Box
• Courier Tale
Commercial Content presented by Broadcast Gurus
• Drive The Dream with Daniel Ricciardo
Alternative Content (including Moving Image, Installation Art, Virtual Reality, 360°, Augmented Reality etc) presented by PAV
• 3SDC to the Power of 4 Screens
Outstanding Achievement Awards
Directing presented by City of Vincent
• Genocide in the Wildflower State – Franko Rijavec
Cinematography or Visualisation presented by Camera Electronic
• Esperance to Fremantle – Joe Henderson
Writing presented by Scoop Digital
• Runt – Craig Silvey
Performance presented by PAC Screen Workshops
• Genocide in the Wildflower State – Kelton Pell
Performance Under 18s presented by Filmbites
• Shed – Mani Shanks
Production Design (incl. costume, set design, hair and makeup etc) presented by Perth Property Co
• Runt – Clayton Jauncey, Terri Lamera
Editing presented by Sandbox
• The Recipe for Jam – Ryan Silvey
Sound or Sound Design
• Before Dawn – Brad Habib, Colin Graham, Cate Cahill, John Simpson, Alexander Blocher, Tam Glover, Holly Miller, Joanne Carwardine, Sean Tinnion
Original Music presented by Soundbyte
• Runt – Iain Grandage
Two Special Industry Awards were also issued – the Independent Spirit Award, presented by the Revelation Perth International Film Festival went to Matthew Eeles, editor of Cinema Australia and founder of the WA Made Film Festival, and the Contribution to the Industry, presented by Feisty Dame Productions, went to Annie Murtagh-Monks and Perth Actors Collective.
A passionate advocate for the Australian film industry, renowned for his dedication to fostering local talent and promoting homegrown cinema, Matthew Eeles has edited Cinema Australia for over a decade. A key local voice in championing Australian filmmakers, providing in-depth reviews, interviews and critical analysis, he is also the founder of the WA Made Film Festival, an initiative he established to celebrate and elevate Western Australia’s rich filmmaking community. His unwavering commitment to supporting local creatives and highlighting the diverse voices of our filmmaking community has earned him a well-deserved reputation as a key figure in the state’s (and nation’s) screen culture.
An esteemed casting director whose influential work has been instrumental in shaping the careers of many actors across Western Australia, Annie Murtagh-Monks has decades of experience in the film and television industry. She is the co-founder of the Perth Actors Collective, a vital initiative that provides a supportive community for local actors, fostering professional development and creating opportunities for WA talent to thrive. Through the Collective, Annie has worked tirelessly to bridge the gap between local performers and the broader Australian screen industry, ensuring that Perth’s actors have the tools, training and visibility they need to succeed. Her contribution to the industry, both as a casting director and as a mentor, has made a lasting impact on Western Australia’s creative landscape.
The WASCAs are proudly presented and produced by the Revelation Perth International Film Festival in collaboration with the WA screen industry and thanks to the support of the City of Vincent.
Find out more online at www.wascreencultureawards.com.au
