Beef

Fun take on the genre! Well done

I think pavlova western as a genre very much made up by the organisers this year is kind of a gift for teams, because it tells them to abide by western genre tropes, and yet hands them on a plate the ability to subvert expectations by throwing a kiwi twist in there. That is exactly what Cinema in Italics did here with a charming sendup of exactly what it takes to be a cowboy.

And even more than just what it takes to be a cowboy, but a meta commentary on personality and visual representation, as 2 leads waiting in line for an audition bickered about whether eating beef or wearing stubbies on a real farm and knowing how to milk Daisy qualified them for the part.

Script here was really fantastic, with steadfast dedication to a Texas rancher contrasted with a swandry wearing bearded vegan. Edit really smooth, a well paced film and whilst not laugh out loud funny I found the dialogue very relatable. Ending was a winner and so far in this comp I am very much all for non literal gatekeepers because it very much stands out from the crowd.

Story: 3.5/5
Technical: 3.5/5
Elements: 4.5/5
Overall: 4/5