Setting Sun Short Film Festival - Goodnight Sweetheart
Anything is possible when there’s nothing left to lose...
Interview with Director Bec Peniston-Bird
Main photo: Gillian Jones as Barb
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I wanted to portray two characters in their later years dealing with isolation and their impending mortality with tenderness, complexity and dark humour. Thematically I”m interested in vulnerability, taking emotional risks and characters relinquishing long held internal barriers to truth and happiness.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
We’ve tried to create a story which entertains and keeps the audience guessing.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
I’m interested in headstrong, independent characters, especially women, whose journey towards truth is spurred by the dubious choices and actions of those around them.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
The writer, Beth, and I worked closely on the script for over a year, then when producer Jim came on board we continued to develop the script with his involvement.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
The film has had a great festival run, including Palm Springs, Santa Barbara, Sydney and Melbourne International Film Festivals. It’s also won a few awards.
Would you like to add anything else?
Sky Davies did a beautiful job shooting this film - we were after a neo noir sensibility. Sky collected several awards for her work, including a Golden Tripod from the ACS. She and I have worked together on a number of shorts as well as TVCs and documentaries.
What are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I’m currently finishing up a 4 month Director’s Attachment on the Spierig brothers’ period thriller, WINCHESTER (with Helen Mirren, Jason Clarke and Sarah Snooks). I have written my first feature, PETROVA, which is a Cold War thriller based on actual events in and around the Soviet Embassy in Canberra Australia in the 1950s.
Interview: April 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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GOODNIGHT SWEETHEART
Anything is possible when there’s nothing left to lose...
Length: 12 minutes
Director: BEC PENISTON-BIRD
Producer: JIM M. WRIGHT
Writer: BETH KING
About the writer, director and producer:
Director Bec Peniston-Bird's short films have screened In Competition at Berlin, Palm Springs, Santa Barbara,, London, Sydney and Melbourne International Film Festivals. She has made documentaries on artists such as Nick Cave, Dame Edna Everage and New York street artist Keith Haring for ABC Television. She directs commercials through Melbourne’s Renegade Films.
Screenwriter Beth King was selected for Open Channel’s Scriptstart development program and Film Victoria’s New Feature Writer’s fund. She has written an episode of Southern Star’s TV drama, Rush.
Producer Jim Wright’s short films include the Tropfest winning WE’VE ALL BEEN THERE and the award winning comedy SLINGSHOT. In 2016 he undertook at Producer’s Attachment with NYC Production Company Likely Story.
Key cast: GILLIAN JONES, JACK CHARLES, DAMIAN WALSHE-HOWLING
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists):
Social media handles: www.goodnightsweetheart.com.au
Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/goodnightsweetheartfilm/
Funders: SCREEN AUSTRALIA
Made in association with: ELEPHANT STAMP FILMS
Where can I see it in the next month? SETTING SUN FILM FESTIVAL