Paper Planes lifts major film prize

Family film Paper Planes has been named the winner of the inaugural CinéfestOZ $100,000 film prize.

The Robert Connolly-directed movie was presented with accolade on Saturday as part of the film festival’s gala night celebrations in Busselton.

"I am really flattered to receive this, I am really touched," Connolly said.

"We want this film to be a big hit for kids and something like this is a massive, massive help right now for that.”

Connolly said the prize money would help pay for cast members represent paper Planes at overseas film festivals.

CinéfestOZ received more than 20 submissions for the prize, which was voted on by a jury headed by director Bruce Beresford, Marta Dusselorp, Benjamin Illos, Sue Milliken and film critic Margaret Pomeranz.

Beresford said Paper Planes was a “delightful and amusing film with a charming cast of children that achieves its aims of being entertaining and uplifting”.

CinesfestOZ deputy chairwoman Helen Shervington said the film prize recognised great Australian films and the people working to bring them to the screen.

She said they were overwhelmed by the calibre of films this year and the bar had been set high for the 2015 festival.

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