Krista Vendy, Tony Bonner AM and John Orcsik are back to judge 2022. Wow – what an experienced panel we have and Benalla Shorts thanks them all for their time freely given to assist our Festival and support film makers in Australia.
John Orcsik is one of Australia’s high profile actor/writer/directors. In a professional career spanning over thirty years he has performed, written and directed in all mediums. In film & television he has performed in most Australian productions with major sustaining roles in series and has compiled probably more than 1000 hours of television drama. He has also directed television commercials, corporate videos, telemovies and episodic television. On screen probably is best known for his role as Mike Georgiou in the smash success police series – Cop Shop. John recently performed in the Doctor Blake series. He has written, directed, and taught, sharing his insights into the film and television industry with students across Australia for over twenty years. John possesses an enviable wealth of practical experience that he is keen to share with his students.
John Orcsik, started The Australian Film and Television Academy (TAFTA) on the Gold Coast in 1994 and has been sharing his insights into the film and television industry with students across Australia for over twenty years.
Tony Bonner AM
Tony is one of Australia’s most successful working actors with a career spanning over forty years. In recent years Tony has used the skills gained during his career to train and motivate young actors and models through privately held workshops and classes and he regularly teaches film, television and theatre for the actor and has conducted classes in Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast and LA and at the Australian Stunt Academy. Some of his students are now enjoying world wide success on television, in film and on the stage.
Tony’s work can be seen in The Anzacs, The Man From Snowy River, The Lighthorseman, Power Without Glory, Skippy, Cop Shop, Skyways, Home and Away and Neighbors. These are but a few of the award winning roles Tony has played.Tony’s Stage work includes the productions of Love Letters, Only When I Laugh, The Sentimental Bloke, The Cellophane Ceiling, Are your being served and The Three Musketeers, while his last play he directed was ‘One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest’.Tony won the ‘Best Support Actor’ award at the 2019 International Melbourne Film Festival Awards.
Krista Vendy
Krista is well known for playing schoolteacher ‘Tess Bell’ on Neighbours from 1999 to 2001. She was with Good Morning Australia(1993) and Killing the Cure (2017). Krista always had a love for the stage, and many would consider her a triple treat as a successful dancer from the age of 5, model and actress. Krista during school also played the clarinet and says she was always dramatic and had a love for acting.
With Feature Film lead roles in Choir Girl (2017) and 33 Reverse Gunther (2016) and many support roles in Matching Jack, The Incredible Hulk and Fat Pizza to name just a few. Added to this is a long list of Television show appearances, Short Films and also on stage in the USA; and Musical Theatre in the UK.
We welcome again Krista to our Judging Panel and we are sure her background in the industry will assist us with the selections for the 2022 Benalla Shorts.