Sydney, Australia writer/director Anny Slater's comedy animation BARNEY THE WHITE HOUSE TERRIER has been selected to screen at the Oscars qualifying Chicago International Children's Film Festival. Films that win at the festival are automatically short listed for nomination at the 2008 Oscars. The same film is one of only nine short films screened at the Boston Comedy Festival, where comedians Denis Leary and Lewis Black will be performing.
The film is an imagined conversation between President Bush's dog Barney and his secret service agent.
Slater says, "I think this situation raises some serious issues for the Nation. Does the President and Mrs. Bush know their dog Barney is doing stand up comedy in Boston with Denis Leary and Lewis Black? If not, then who's guarding the White House and more importantly, is Barney a Democrat?"
Anny, who was born in Melbourne but resides in Sydney has been a comedy festival regular in recent years, having won a coveted 2005 Christopher Wetzel comedy award at the Chicago Gene Siskel Center for her earlier film THE BALL, that film qualifying for nomination at the 2004 Oscars for best live-action short and nominated for a United Nations Association Media Peace Prize. THE BALL, an homage to Jane Campion's THE PIANO, has a soccer loving character Ada landing in Australia only to meet cricket tragic Australian Prime Minister Howard fast walking on a beach.
Barney The White House Terrier has also been used as the basis for a commercial trailer for the Austin Film Festival. The voice of Barney is provided by Sydney comedian Simon Kennedy and music by Melbourne comedian Stephen Blackburn of "Dodgy Brothers" fame. Slater is a freelance writer for Australian Channel 9's sketch show COMEDY INC. THE LATE SHIFT. COMEDY INC was recently nominated for a Rose D'or TV award in Switzerland.
BARNEY THE WHITE HOUSE TERRIER played at the Boston Comedy Festival Sept. 8-16; and will play at Big Bear Lake Film Festival (California) Sept. 15-17; Bay St. Film Festival (Thunder Bay, Canada) Sept. 15-17; Chicago Childrens Intl Film Festival Oct. 19-29; St. Johns Film Festival (Newfoundland) Oct. 18-22.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
