An indie filmmaker and a Clemenger suit, both from Melbourne, have created the winning Tropfest film this year. Sydney rained on their parade – literally. Here is that film:

Granny Smith was written by independent writer/director, Julian Lucas, and Clemenger BBDO Melbourne senior account director, Jack White. That is written separately by Lucas and White, at around the same time. It was produced by Nicholas Cox. Its synopsis is: The Grandmother of all excuses.

“Jack, who’s one of my really good mates who I write with, he called me up, and he goes ‘mate I’ve got this idea’ and he actually told me that he rocked up to work and gave that exact same sort of lie about why he was late. It’s awful, but it’s like yeah, this could go somewhere.”

Lucas has already notched up some powerful wins in a short career to date (since 2009) been a Tropfest finalist previously for his comedy Charades in 2013, which he co-wrote and directed. Earlier this year, he co-directed a fashion film for Finnigan Swimwear, which was a winner at the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival. His collaborative short for Telstra and Bruny Island Cheese, which he also co-directed, was awarded best film by MOFILM, and was screened in New York during September.

Second place was awarded to Red Nuts, another comedy about dying. It was directed by Jackson Mullane and produced by Tyson Mullane & Michelle Nagy. Its synopsis is: What would change about your life if you found out that you only had days left to live?

Third prize went to Twisted, a story about a balloon animal battle at a school reunion. It was directed by Stuart Bowen and produced by Jodi Matterson & Ilana Lazar. Its synopsis is: The good, the bad and the inflatable.

All finalists and winners detailed here.