Bridie Carter, the Logie-nominated star of much-loved Australian television series McLeod’s Daughters, will play the leading role in a short film written and to be directed by Griffith University student Jordan Thwaites.
Carter will play the character of Carolyn in Nostalgia, an independent project produced by Gold Coast company Evolve Film Productions.
Dominic Deutscher, from Network Ten’s Mako: Island of Secrets,will play the leading male character of Dave.
Nostalgia explores the complicated relationship between a mother affected by mental illness and her son, Dave, who takes on the responsibility of caring for her.
“Dave must make the decision to get his mother some help but is conflicted by his own needs,” said debut film-maker Jordan, who is doing a Bachelor of Communication at Griffith.
“He struggles with the fact that if his deteriorating mother leaves him, he will be left alone.”
The 20-year-old from Brisbane said the story was told from Dave’s perspective and identified emotional trials affecting more than half of Australia’s population.
“These are people who have experienced some form of mental illness, directly or indirectly, including depression, anxiety or substance abuse.”
Bridie Carter played feisty Tess McLeod in 135 episodes of McLeod’s Daughters from 2001-06. She said she was drawn to the bravery and rawness in Thwaites’ script.
“I look forward to playing the role of Carolyn, a woman way beyond the two-dimensional type often put forward in our female characters. Carolyn is a woman who has great conflict and tension but is also completelyfuelled by love.”
In an effort to increase the budget for Nostalgia, the film-makers are running a crowd funding campaign on Indiegogo.com.
“This is a great opportunity for anyone who has ever wanted to be a part of a film and the film-making process,” Jordan said.
“People can support the campaign by offering as little as a dollar but, depending on how much people donate, they can be eligible for rewards including a copy of the short film, exclusive access to the behind-the-scenes production log, portraits signed by cast members and a first look at the trailer upon release. For $US750, you’ll get an Associate Producer credit.”
The campaign must reach its goal of $14,000 — just a portion of the budget – by the end of December. With successful funding, shooting will take place in January at locations throughout Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
To donate or for more information, go to www.indiegogo.com/projects/nostalgia-short-film
Twitter:@NostalgiaSF
www.facebook.com/NostalgiaShort
