RIFF (RMITV Independent Film Festival) is a student film festival that invites students to showcase their short films in one big event! The 2024 theme was "bittersweet," inspiring the curated selection of films that explore complex emotions. The festival encourages filmmakers to approach their work as an art form, using the audiovisual medium to its fullest to create impactful, visually engaging stories.
To make this event happen, RMITV collaborated with The Cinematic Collective Club (TCC) at RMIT.
About the Collaboration
RMITV and TCC share a mission of engaging students through media, film, and television, and this collaboration aims to unify their communities. By combining their unique strengths and networks, RMITV and TCC aim to present a broader range of film genres and styles at the festival, attracting a diverse audience and providing an inclusive platform for filmmakers. This partnership enriches the festival's quality and reach, promoting a sense of community and support within Melbourne/Naarm's emerging audiovisual industry.
2024 RIFF WINNERS
Pilgrims
by Ali Sadek
On an eye-opening trip to his birthplace, Cairo, Ali is subject to an onslaught of cultural dissonance, which unleashes an inner crisis of disjointed identity, caught between the culture he left behind and the one he’s never really belonged to.
Days of Candy
A young boy is confronted by his ex-girlfriend's father following a messy break-up
Director - Gilmer Gil Writer and Producer - Ashok Vasu
Starring - Nick Chua and Ravi Shankar
Story By - Utrraa
Director of Photography - Edmundo Lee Yan Hang
Edited By - Edmundo Lee Yan Hang Sound By - Hans Fuad Shahruddin
Gaffer - Hans Fuad Shahruddin
Assistant Director - Vinod Ramachandran Production Assistant - Isa Narotama
Original Score - Thinesh Additional Photography - Nicholas L.Y.M.
Dear Mum
Interviewing my own Mother, Genevieve Barker, the single mother of two reflects on her life from early childhood to motherhood, and now to her recent diagnosis with Bile Duct Cancer (Cholangiocarcinoma). Exploring the stages of grief that come with expecting a loved one to soon pass, Libby Thomas investigates how their Mother’s own life experiences have influenced their own identity.
Director and Producer- Thomas Libby
Camera and Lighting Operator - Ashley Foot
Location Sound Recordist - Mikaela Ellery
First AD- Ronan Jenkins
Production Assistant - Paul Millican
FOTOAUTOMAT
Love, mystery, and a photo-booth with a secret...
Executive Producer - Emilienne Paul Director and Writer - Rémy Mégard
Cast - Laura Hedley (Elise) and Campbell Jordan (Gabriel) Cinematography - Anthony Bowler
Production Design - Lucia Bidois, Jinyoung Park Unit Production Manager Johnathan Hibberd
First Assistant Director Katarina Tobin-Spall Art Direction- Lucia Bidois, Jinyoung Park
Sound Recordist- Connor Wilson Assistant Camera- Ethan Lee,Nick Owens
Gaffer- Eli Chadwick Production Assistants- Mia Alexander, Tai Paulo
The Student
Archie, a young student, struggles with the idea of academic failure. As his older brother Evan, tries to stop him.
Cast-
Tyler Mansell as Archie
Daniel Sultana as Evan
Crew:
Camera Operator- Eiman Khai
Cinematographer- Daniel Johnsson
Makeup Artist- Laura Caruk
Writer- Sebastian Zinghini
Director, Writer and Editor- Tai Paulo
The roommate
When Julia's friend goes missing after visiting her house, there's only one person to blame; her pale, creepy roommate, who she believes is a vampire.
Louella Breach as JULIA
Cam Summers-Eve as SIMON
Piper Skelton as VANESSA
Alex Saveski as MINA
Nora Dandurand as LUCY
Assistant Director - Bella Rosalie Camera Operator- Alex Gibbs
Sound Operator - Jackie Yang Gaffer - Ethan Boots
Mouth_Wide Open
The monologue of a lone performer on stage reflects the silent struggles of an unknown audience member obscured by the shadows. As memories and reality blurs, the film investigates the suffocating emotions of pain and fight
Director - Andrew Tan
Producer- Ryan James
Writer - Bandong
AD- Spring Li
Production Design- Mira Dowine
Assistant director-Taylor Zenelovski
We Can Do Hard Things
The loving relationship between a mother and son begins to go to ruin. But in the end they make the uncomfortable switch from being bitterly resentful to admitting that they both have demons to face.
Writer and Director - Finn Darlington 1st AD and Cinematography - Mina Thurmasorm
Lighting- Gracie Poole
Sound - Will "Billy" Stanley Music - Tom Godbert
Clapper - Darragh Roach
Unit - Karen Hinds
Catering- Melissa Langfield
Potential
Alice was once hailed as a gifted child, but now that she is turning thirty she feels like she hasn’t lived up to the promise of her former self.
Cast: Dia Taylor - Teacher (voice)
Bridget Morrison Bridget Morrison - Alice
Loraine Fabb Loraine Fabb - Gwen
Faouzi Daghistani Faouzi Daghistani - Uncle Frank
Luna Halo Mendes Luna Halo Mendes - Gwen's Sister
Sue Rosenwax Sue Rosenwax - Aunty Dot
Joshua Plante Joshua Plante - Dad
Thomas Hurley Thomas Hurley - Interviewer
Bridget Morrison Bridget Morrison - Alice
Goldie Genziuk Goldie Genziuk - Young Alice
Lauren Mueller Lauren Mueller - Young Gwen
Zahra Blake Zahra Blake - Cousin (voice)
Jessica Chenhall Jessica Chenhall - Mum
Maple Luella Maple Luella - Audrey
Crew: Directed and Written by Olivia Staffieri
Produced by Danaë Grieef, Olivia Staffieri, Dia Taylor and Jenny Pham Vo
Music by Zimran Dass
Black Dog
By Dylan Evans
After a man unsuccessfully tries to unalive himself by dropping a toaster into his bathtub, he makes it his mission to attempt to return the toaster on account of being faulty.
Remnants
Neil wakes up one morning feeling unsettled. Unable to shake his emotions, he wanders through the city, consumed by memories of his ex, Julie. As the day unfolds, he surrenders to his past.
Cast:
Eponine Fynmore Green, Rhys Carte
Executive Producer- Shelly Posner Supervising Producer - Carolyn Reid
Writer, Director, Editor- Shaun Nuique Assistant Director- Ronnie Cook
Sound Operator- Luca Haran Lighting Operator- Bailey Cleland
Camera Assistant: Noah Heimann
Scat Jacket
Stuck in the daily rut, a young man rediscovers the joys of everyday life through a new found jacket.
Producer - Aisha Ahmed
DOP - Joshua Busano,Jared Morgan
1st AC - Stefano Valla Dova
Gaffer - Matthew Robertson
Sound - Niall Allen
Post-sound - Daniel Pate
epiphany
By Nishtha Rana
Epiphany is an experimental short film exploring the transformative journey of embracing solitude. Through abstract visuals and a poetic narration, it depicts a character navigating the emotional weight of loneliness, discovering the beauty of solo experiences, and ultimately finding peace in their own company. As the film progresses, it reflects on self-love, inner resilience, and the profound realization that joy begins within oneself
I love you, in the end
by Elizabeth Dorey
Camera and Animation -Ryan wotton
Camera - Hugo della bosco
An experimental piece of filmmaking and poetry, conjoined illicit thought and emotion about who we are in the world and how others fit into and interact with such
If This Conversation Isn’t Over Yet
A mentally ill daughter and her overbearing Asian immigrant mother try to reconcile the cultural conflict of their relationship, through an unconventional family therapy session.
Writer, Director, Producer, Editor - Yan Zi Feng (Rosey)
Assistant Director - Finn Morris
Camera Operator - Lucas Tunley
Sound Recordist - Anastasia Armitage
Gaffer - Jesse Wheeler
Island Girl
A young girl meets an escort and they spend the day together comparing their different lives and worldviews
Director - Clarissa Chan Caymie Writer and Producer - Ashok Vasu Starring - Rhea Raj and Iris Lo Editor- Ashok Vasu
Director of Photography - Isa Narotama Camera Operator - Edmundo Lee Yan Hang and Tan Wei Yong Additional Photography - Hans Fuad Shahruddin and Ashok Vasu Gaffer - Edmundo Lee Yan Hang and Hans Fuad Shahruddin
Assistant Director - Tan Li Xuan Sound - Gilmer Gil Original Score - Thinesh
Cinematography by Scott David Lister and Darby Maxwell
Editing by Jeremy Costa
Production Design by Danaë Grieef and Lauren Wynd
Makeup Department Artists: Teresa Salafranca and Lauren Wynd
1st AD: Dia Taylor Graphic Designer: Daniel Bugeja
Set Dresser: Joshua Grunik. Sound Mixer: Daniel Bucknell Sound Recordist: Max Bursztynski First Assistant Camera: Leo Anderson and Sienna Catterall Best Boy: Oscar Clark
Gaffer: Brodie McMullan-Jones Best Boy: Benji Wragg
Animator: Eloise Large Colorist: Daniel Bugeja
Location Managers: Daniel Bugeja and Crystal Nappo Continuity: Hannah Groenewegen
Unit Manager: Jeremy Costa Production Assistants: Sel Ellett, Aspen Forster and Agnes McDermott Still Photographer: Vee Rodrigues Thanks: Sebastian Bertoli, Jeni Bezuidenhout, David Chan, Frank Nappo and Glenn Parker
Platform 2
Two passengers share a brief connection.
cinematographer, co-editor and producer- Ash Knipler
co-writer- Tina Bartle
Music - Dawson Mansell
Cast - Deyan Pejovic and Alexius Choi Jen
How to Heal a Broken Heart
by Alyssa De Leo
additional crew - Olivia De Leo
actor - Jacob De Leo
A young woman is diagnosed with a broken heart by her doctor. As a result, she is forced to experience all the ups and downs of a breakup, and must work through her symptoms in order to heal
Thought you were different
‘Thought You Were Different’ is a narrative music video, where we follow Ella as she tries to heal from the trauma of her first adult relationship and reflects on how the negative male influences have impacted her.
Writer, Director, producer, editor, singer - Amelie Damiano
1st AD - Roisin Tobin
Gaffer- Bonnie Muhling
PA's- Ally Dickie & Luna Goncalves Teran
Cast: Lilly Betts, Jordan Edwards, Fintan Woods, Nyabana Tut & Jeremy Harlan
Between Petals
When Jini discovers that her new best friend Jo is deeply enmeshed in a mysterious and dangerous cult, she faces a heart-wrenching decision between escaping alone or risking everything to save Jo, ultimately confronting the limits of friendship and self-sacrifice.
Director of Photography - Hannah Meder 1st AC - Nicole Ifurung, Jasmine Young
Sound Recordist/Gaffer- Michael Lay Stills Photographer - Mimi Hernandez Ortiz
Set Designer - Rowan Morris Set Decorator- Celine Yee
Colorist - Jess Ruasol. Composer -Aimann
