The Six Dollar Fifty Man

The Six Dollar Fifty Man is the third short film that Mark Albiston & Louis Sutherland have collaborated on as a writer/director team. It continues a body of work built on tales exploring the depths of the human spirit. In 2010, The Six Dollar Fifty Man won four Academy qualifying awards at US and International film festivals; the Jury Prize in International Short Filmmaking at Sundance Film Festival, the Coopers Award for Best Short Film at Flickerfest, Best Narrative Short at the 20th Annual Cinequest Film Festival, and Best Drama at Aspen Shortsfest. The Six Dollar Fifty Man also received a Special Distinction at 62nd Festival De Cannes in France in 2009 and a Special Mention at 60th Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin–Generation Kplus in Germany in 2010. Run, Mark and Louis’ second short film, was awarded an Honourable Mention at Festival de Cannes Shorts Competition in 2007 and First Place at Best of Shorts Film Festival, Marseille. The film also received a Golden Horseman Audience Award at the Filmfest Dresden International Short Film Festival 2008. Mark and Louis grew up together in a small west coast village in New Zealand called Raumati Beach. There they both began working together for a cable TV network that began its early trials in their home town. Louis then went to Drama school and Mark went on to start up a multi award winning production company called Sticky Pictures where he directed a number of documentaries and TV shows. Developing their skills in production and performance. The two have now worked together in the industry for over 15 years creating a strong language through their many shared experiences, breathing an authenticity into their films. Mark and Louis are currently writing their feature screenplay Shopping, a story of a young Samoan boy who escapes from home only to become trapped in a shoplifting gang masterminded by a 50 year old man set in Wellington during the eighties.