The Beach

Dorthe Scheffmann
(New Zealand, 1995), 8 minutes, 35 mm, color

Principal production credits and cast

Director, co-producer Screenplay Cinematographer Editor Sound PArt director Co-producer Anne Margie David Jeff Simon

Dorthe Scheffmann Frances Edmonds Stuart Dryburgh David Coulson Myk Farmer, Steve Kennedy Barbra Baird Richard Evans Elisabeth Hawthorne Donogh Rees Bruce Hopkins Richard Evans Charlie Baird

Award won for The Beach

Françoise Ode Prize, Hamburg Short Film Festival, 1996

Festivals

Cannes Film Festival, in competition, May 1996
Côté Court, en Seine, Paris, June 1996
Sydney Film Festival, June 1996
Hamburg Short Film Festival, June 1996
Telluride Film Festival, August 1996
Mill Valley Film Festival, October 1996
London Film Festival, November 1996
Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival, November/December 1996
Göteborg Film Festival, January/February 1997
Dublin Film Festival, March 1997

Synopsis

The story of two families who spend a day at the beach. The women's friendship is confirmed by a revealing incident. The Beach captures the drama and poignancy of a single event wherein reality shifts, and people are changed forever in a fundamental way.

Dorthe Scheffmann, director

Dorthe Scheffmann grew up with the emerging New Zealand film industry in the 1970's and 1980's, earning credits in a multiplicity of positions from continuity to production supervisor-and working along the way on many of the better known New Zealand films from that time. She founded a commercial film company, "This is it," in partnership with New Zealand director, Gregor Nicholas. In 1995, she directed two short films: The Beach and The Bar. The Beach was selected for the 1996 Cannes Film Festival and won the François Ode Prize at the Hamburg Short Film Festival.

Filmography

1. As Director

1995:

The Beach Fiction, 8 min. The Bar Fiction, 8 min.

2. As Production Manager, Production Supervisor, Continuity, Props, Assistant Director

1976: 1978: 1979: 1980: 1981: 1982: 1983: 1984: 1988:

Sleeping Dogs Middle Age Spread Good Bye Pork Pie Pictures Smash Palace Carry Me Back Constance Pallet on the Floor Came a Hot Friday "This is it" Television Commercial Production Company in partnership with Gregor Nicholas

Frances Edmond, screenwriter

Born in 1950, Frances Edmond earned a degree in English at Auckland University, then went on to study acting at the New Zealand Drama School, after which she worked full-time as a professional actress in theater, film and TV, both in New Zealand and Australia. She has been writing since 1992. A committed feminist, she believes that we still don't tell enough women's stories-that women's stories remain to far too great an extent mere appendages to male stories.