Young PNG actor recognised

Australia’s St. Kilda Film Festival recently held its 2021 Closing Night Awards for Best Young Actor.

The award went to young Papua New Guinean Catherine Saun, who uses the stage name Catherine Lillian.

Presenter Richard Sowada said via zoom, it was a difficult decision as all nominees were found to be wonderful and great actors.

“DRY FIRE” is a gripping, post-apocalyptic thriller that’s a tale of survival between a weathered hunter and his young protégé.

Known as the confident, independent, resilient one, these are the characters they found in one special young lady that won her the Best Young Actor award. Catherine Lillian’s award was announced as “…an amazing achievement, fantastic performance and a really, really fantastic young person.”

The award was sponsored by Award Creative along with a $500 prize in cash. Sowada said, “…a part of the prize you cannot put money onto, is its ongoing agency representation for the winner which is just fantastic.”

With the help of a translator, Catherine, who was born deaf, conveyed her thanks via zoom, to everyone involved in the making of DRY FIRE and to the St. Kilda Film Festival for making the film festival year a success.

Her mother Joyce Saun said because of Catherine’s hearing impairment, they went to Australia to seek medical help. While there, Ms Saun was fortunate to land a job and she and her daughter moved to Melbourne, in 2016.

Ms Saun said Catherine always wanted to be an actor and fortunately landed the role in Dry Fire.

Photo credit: St. Kilda Film Festival

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Press Release