It is with much sadness that we acknowledge the passing of Victorian filmmaker Cris Jones.
An award-winning filmmaker and VCA graduate, Cris wrote and directed the short films The Heisenberg Principle, Excursion and The Funk which went on to screen at over 60 festivals, winning a number of international awards and an IF Award nomination back home. While at VCA he was mentored by Melanie Coombs, who then went on to produce his work.
Cris was a participant in the inaugural 2004 MIFF Accelerator program. His first feature was the highly original The Death and Life of Otto Bloom which enjoyed its world premiere at MIFF in 2016. The film was released in Australia earlier this year and has just released theatrically in Switzerland to rave reviews. To date it has been nominated in the Best Feature category at the Beijing International Film Festival's Tiantian Awards (winning the VFX award), the Cleveland International Film Festival New Directions Award, Imagine Film Festival in the Netherlands and at Cinefest Oz.
A genuine curiosity about love, time, philosophy and human nature drove Cris creatively, and his generous nature made him a much loved collaborator.
Cris’ passing is a tragic loss to the screen community. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.