STRANGE/FORCE TAKES BEAR IN BERLIN

Aphrodite’s Farm, a short film created and co-written by award winning freelance creative Pete Force has just won a Crystal Bear at the 59th Berlin International Film Festival.

The film, directed and co-written by Adam Strange and produced by Anzak Tindell premiered internationally in the Generation 14 plus youth section along with thirty other short films.

“It is such an honour to be awarded the Crystal Bear at the Berlinale, we are absolutely thrilled,” says New Zealand Film Commission Short Film Manager Juliette Veber. “Competition was really tough; we were up against some brilliant short films so this is an unbelievable outcome.”

Aphrodite’s Farm is a 15 minute fairytale set in Taranaki, New Zealand. The story centres around the family who produce the magical milk on Aphrodite’s Farm. When the family patriarch dies, the future of the farm is thrown into jeopardy. The arrival of young farm hand Friday creates even more chaos before finally bringing the family’s  

destiny full circle.

The six member Youth Jury made the following comments when awarding the top prize to Aphrodite’s Farm: “A phenomenal anecdote about holding tight and letting go, embedded in a fairytale and told with consequent humour – all this inspired our gut-reaction to the film.  The story is accessible but full of surprises and makes it clear the need to let go in order to proceed. These things happen – and they are unstoppable!”