An Australian comedy short film The Ball that recently screened on Network Ten as part of the “Just for Laughs” comedy series has been nominated by the United Nations for a Media Peace prize.

The short stars veteran actor Max Gillies (“Gillies Report”) as a cricket loving Prime Minister Howard and comedienne Gabby Millgate (“Babe Pig in the City”, “Muriel’s Wedding”) as a soccer loving boat person who washes ashore in Australia. The nomination is reportedly the first time a short film, and additionally a comedy short film, has been nominated for the award.

The film is the brainchild of Anny Slater, a Melbourne raised Sydney lawyer who wrote and directed the film, and who with fellow producers Lily Hamdan and Serafina Froio, has steered the film to success at more that 60 international film festivals since its release in April 2003 including the short listing at the 2004 Oscars as best live action short film and screening at the Berlin and San Francisco Film Festivals. At San Francisco, the film was a finalist for best short film selected by a panel headed by international director Milos Foreman (“Amadeus”). It also played at the Santa Fe Film Festival alongside such films as Niciole Kidman’s “The Human Stain” and at the Montreal Comedy “Just for Laughs” Festival with Carl Reiner’s film “The Man with Two Brains”.

The St Johns Film Festival, Canada said of the film "…a sign of artistic maturity is the ability to look at the world with razor-sharp wit….The Ball is a hilarious homage to and critique of Jane Campion's The Piano, ….In a few brilliantly crafted images, The Ball manages to score major laughs of recognition, as the mute heroine, Ada, travels to New Zealand to meet her new husband with her Scottish terrier and her soccer ball. Mistaking refugee-challenged Australian Prime Minister John Howard for her husband, Ada must deal with his strange demands and the loss of her precious ball. Need we say more?"



Ms Slater said “The Ball is a kind of ‘natural response’ for me to the distressing national and international events of the last 2 years. “Comedy is most often the most effective method of highlighting serious issues. I’m just glad it translates to audiences locally and in other countries so they can laugh today and think about the underlying issues tomorrow”.

The Media Peace Awards will be announced in October 2004