A woman finds an unwanted passenger and grapples with her next move.

Interview with Writer/Director Catherine Mack

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

Thank you so much! It’s very exciting! The idea came when I stumbled across the abandoned forest setting and really wanted to shoot something utilising that amazing natural landscape. Visually I wanted to create a short film in which the land was a character of its own and was the heartbeat of a story. The main reason for making it was to fuel my own creativity and create something as a collaborative.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

I'd say my favourite thing, personally, about Passenger is the stunning cinematography of the natural landscape by Alex Glucina. As for the story - if you like a psychological thriller it might just be for you. It’s a little film that just (hopefully) provokes a bit of thought.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

There are universal themes presented within the main premise of the film (I won’t give it away!). It deals with a dark universal fear that most of us have had in one form or another.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development and production?

The finished product is extremely different to the final draft of the script mainly due to some of the shots not working in the edit and also having to loose two scenes on the day due to the production van getting bogged in the forest! The course of script development was super quick, written in a week and shot in one day. The edit was the time consuming part for sure.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

I haven't really shown it to many people yet so not much feedback - can’t wait to hear some!

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

It's a great platform to explore new voices in the industry and a wonderful read. Personally I would love to see an increase in the percentage of female filmmakers in our industry so I support We Are Moving Stories who encourage 50% women’s participation on the platform.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

Being a Tropfest finalist, that’s now mostly out of my hands with this project. For future projects that are in development all of the above are always welcomed.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

To entertain and to provoke thought.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

"What would you do if…" (And I can’t finish the sentence without giving it away)

Would you like to add anything else?

It’s heartening to see the rise in female filmmakers this year at Tropfest, being the most gender diverse in its history. I hope this translates over into the wider industry as a whole. The initiatives to help drive this are very encouraging, it feels like we are headed in the right direction slowly but still have a long way to go.

What are the key creatives developing or working on now?

I’m working on a short format (comedy) series which will be available late 2017, a completely different vibe to Passenger. Rick Donald (Producer/editor) is main cast on 800 Words and is developing his own projects and Alex Glucina our DOP is doing amazing things in NZ.

Thanks for having me!

Interview: January 2017

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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series and music video. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela

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Passenger

A woman finds an unwanted passenger and grapples with her next move.

Length:

7:00 minutes

Director:

Catherine Mack

Producer:

Rick Donald

Writer:

Catherine Mack

About the writer, director and producer:

Catherine Mack (writer/producer) Catherine is an Australian actress with ‘Passenger' being her writing/directing debut.

Rick Donald (producer): Writer/Producer of 'The ATM’ Tropfest 3rd place 2016, Australian actor best known for 800 Words, A Place to Call Home, Blake’s Murder Mysteries and Friend with Better Lives.

Key cast:

Catherine Mack

Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists):

Always!

Funders:

Untamed Pictures & Burnt Sage Productions.

Made in association with:

Untamed Pictures & Burnt Sage Productions.

Where can I see it in the next month?

At Tropfest