Next Gen Shorts

Saturday 22nd March, 4pm
101 mins, Cinema 2, ACMI

Full: $18
Concession: $14
ACMI Member: $12

This session is Unclassified 15+.

The Melbourne Women in Film Festival is proud to showcase the work of women and gender diverse filmmakers and storytellers. This means that we sometimes include films or panel topics that may explore difficult subjects and be confronting for some audiences. Our aim is to ensure our audience has a safe and enjoyable experience when coming along to our festival and so we have included content warnings, classification and cultural information throughout the program.

Please take the time to read the film synopses below to determine whether the session is suitable for you.

Next Gen Shorts shines a spotlight on the creativity and talent of Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand’s next generation of filmmakers. With explorations of the messiness of womanhood, inspirational profiles from suburban Melbourne, stories that examine the complexities of mother/daughter relationships, and the all too relatable impulse to 'spill the tea' with friends, these diverse films show that the future of women's and gender diverse filmmaking looks bright!

  • Reel Equality

    Victorian Premiere

    An emerging female filmmaker reflects on the lack of female representation in the film industry she had growing up. By using her own family archives, she poetically leads us into present day, where she interviews industry leaders on the importance of representation, diversity and allyship.

    Australia, 2024, 5 minutes
    English
    Director: Meisha Lowe
    Writer: Meisha Lowe
    Producer: Jasmine Russell

  • Bottleneck

    World Premiere

    A fight rampages through a quaint cocktail bar leaving three bartenders to process their shock and navigate newly raw relationships. Bottleneck explores vulnerability, masculinity and connection. It is a sharp and honest look at the ingrained, addictive and often problematic nature of late night bar culture.

    Australia, 2023, 9 minutes
    English
    Director: Lotte Sweeney
    Writer: Lotte Sweeney
    Producer: Lucinda Halls

  • Crème Brûlée

    World Premiere

    Four siblings make a crème brûlée together, while listening to the story of the day their father died. Trying to find joy in grief can be a tricky process, and they have to bake it just right, sifting through time and memory hoping for a way back to the
    man they lost too early.

    Australia, 2024, 14 minutes
    English
    Director: Lec Hunter
    Writer: Lec Hunter
    Producer: Sapphira Maisy Rolfe

  • Little Hiccups

    "In our everyday lives, some things happen that we cannot really explain...or can we?" A silly story about the little monsters scampering around the hidden corner of our life.


    Australia, 2023, 2 minutes
    Director: Fitriani Revanda
    Writer: Fitriani Revanda
    Producer: Kate Cawley

  • Beyond the Curl

    World Premiere

    When Ella Rowe decided to curl her dreams into a reality, she fully expected things would spiral. After observing a lack of education and knowledge about Afro-textured hair in Australia, Ella decided to open Elvies Studios in 2019. As a biracial woman, Ella now understands the importance of embracing her natural hair.

    Australia, 2023, 7 minutes
    English
    Director: Larissa Hass, Clair Seoud, Georgia Di Paola
    Producer: Larissa Hass, Clair Seoud, Georgia Di Paola

  • The Muse

    Victorian Premiere

    Through the lens of longing, a voyeuristic photographer doesn't just capture images, but unknowingly immerses herself in an intricate tapestry of interconnected lives. As her unknowing muse discovers the photographer’s images, both fear and intrigue consume her. She must weigh the allure of the unrequited yet gratifying gaze against the potential risks it poses. In this complex narrative, the boundaries between hunter and hunted become hazy, propelling both characters into a mesmerising dance of intimacy and intrigue.

    Australia, 2023, 10 minutes
    English
    Director: Jessica Sherlock
    Writer: Jessica Sherlock
    Producer: Jessica Sherlock

  • Tabbeh (طبّة)

    World Premiere

    Best friends Farha and Rosa catch up on the latest gossip in town, with a round of Tabbeh and two cups of chai.

    Australia, 2024, 9 minutes
    Arabic
    Director: Sarah Ghassali
    Writer: Sarah Ghassali
    Producer: Grace Hird

  • Homi

    World Premiere

    Homi is the inspirational story of an Afghan refugee who dedicates her life to giving back to her community. From donating 60% of her business profits towards Afghan women get an education to housing new refugees within her own home, Homi does it all. Our story focuses on the incredible personality behind this giving humanitarian and showcases not only her kindness and compassion but also her strength, sass and warmth.

    Australia, 2024, 9 minutes
    English
    Director: Francesca Di Paolo
    Producer: Rachael Phillips

  • Alba

    An aspiring Peruvian-Australian performer must decide whether she's dancing for others, or for herself. Alba is a story of diaspora and coming of age, illustrated through the traditional Marinera dance.

    Australia, 2021, 10 minutes
    English, Spanish
    Director: Mariella Solano
    Writer: Mariella Solano
    Producer: Taylor Venter

  • Stonewall

    Australian Premiere

    A young woman returns to her regional hometown to make peace with the death of her estranged mother.

    Australia, 2024, 5 minutes
    English
    Directors: Lily Lunder, Koko Crozier
    Writers: Lily Lunder, Koko Crozier
    Producers: Lily Lunder, Koko Crozier

  • Period Party

    Content Warning: contains themes relating to eating disorders.

    With the help of her family, Bee puts on a period party to celebrate the return of her period after a battle with anorexia.

    Mum's neurotic, Dad's embarrassing and Gran doesn't quite get it. Plus little sibling Lou is a wee bit scarred. While the vagina cake melts and the uterus piñata awaits a beating, Bee comes to terms with the messiness of family and womanhood.

    Australia, 2024, 9 minutes
    English
    Director: Georgia Brogan
    Writer: Georgia Brogan
    Producers: Georgia Brogan, Gus McHue

  • Lucky Peach

    On the isolated outskirts of suburbia, 20-year-old Lu navigates a domestic life caring for her mentally unwell mother, Mei. When Lu announces she's moving to France to take up a career opportunity, their fractious relationship grows more tense. With impressive visual detail and dramatic precision, Grace Tan's tender, personal story explores the sacrifices made by first-generation immigrant parents.

    Australia, 2022, 15 minutes
    English, Cantonese
    Director: Grace Tan
    Writer: Grace Tan
    Producers: Sophia O’Rourke, Andrew McMartin