2025 Projects
SAHSSI – Art Therapy Program
We want our project to give women the opportunity to express themselves creatively and empower them to share their stories of healing with the community. This is exciting because when women are given a voice, we can shine a light on the darkness of family and domestic violence in a way that ripples through the community to create long lasting healing and social change.
An art exhibition at the end of an 8-week program will be the platform that connects a women’s self-expression with the community. As a fund-raising opportunity it will encourage others to connect and contribute to this shared healing journey.
This is the beginning of SAHSSI’s connection to the creative arts as a healing practice for the many women we support in the Illawarra community. We are so excited to implement creative ways of connecting our clients with the community, and enriching the community with the voices of women who are too often forced into silence and isolation.
Revolutionary Minds Manuscript
Revolutionary Minds is about the story of the radical spirit of a group of bohemian creatives and intellectuals who met in Melbourne in the 1910’s: unionist William Paisley Earsman, industrial lawyer Christian Jollie Smith, author Katherine Susannah Prichard and her husband, Gallipoli war hero, Hugo Throssell.
This historical work follows the rise and fall of their hopes for a utopian global revolution, their loves, their creatives successes, their thwarted ambitions and their devastating losses and failures.
Despite the tragedies and bitter disappointments in the lives of these Communist activists, their passion, hard work and determination to leave the world a better place than they had found it, created a profound social legacy. The seeds they planted in their campaigns for workers’ rights, for recognition of Australia’s First Nations people, for free education, and against racism and military conscription continued on and bore the fruit of wins by progressive campaigns in subsequent decades.
Breaking The Map
Breaking the Map is Eliza and my attempt to challenge at the local scale the capitalist empiricist logic of the cartesian representation of land - lines on the page which continue to constrict reciprocal relations with land all over the world - from Dharawal to Gaza - a violent regime overwhelmingly falling on First Nations and colonised people to articulate and fight. As non-Indigenous Illawarra designers, Eliza and I are exploring how to play our part.
Breaking the Map | understorey.com.au
Spirals the Film
Spirals is a transformative short film shot entirely on Wadi Wadi, Dharawal Country, Australia. The majority of cast, crew and collaborators will be based here. We’re currently in pre-production.
Following the sudden death of her father, a grieving teenager spirals down into self-destruction until she reconnects with the bush and her ancestors, spirals up and heals.
https://www.facebook.com/Spiralslocalfilm
Linda – Eye Candy Productions
Linda is a heartfelt Australian short drama that explores the growing housing affordability crisis through the eyes of a woman in her fifties forced to start over. After losing her home, Linda moves into her daughter Lucy's share house, where two generations with very different lifestyles are suddenly under the same roof. As Linda struggles to find her place in an unfamiliar environment, she confronts loneliness, pride, and the changing realities faced by older women in today's housing market.
Blending warmth, humour and emotional honesty, 'Linda' shines a light on one of Australia's most pressing social issues while celebrating resilience, family and the courage it takes to begin again.
'Linda' is the second film in Eye Candy's housing crisis anthology, following 'Frances' and preceding 'Tracey', a series of interconnected stories exploring the impact of housing insecurity on women over 50.
The Fig Tree
The short film is in post production, getting mentorship from a production company to finish editing the film.
Happy Birthday Miss Tinka.
A children's picture book which explores heavy emotions, giving children a safe space to reflect on their feelings.
It is due to be printed in mid 2026 with a book launch to be held within the September school holidays.
Crescendo - Clifton School of Arts
Crescendo25 Artist Book Award brings together works by leading and emerging artist book makers from across Australia.
Crescendo25 Artist Book Award — Clifton School of Arts
RAD dad - Gabe McCarthy & Nick Bolton:
RAD DAD is a short film on family trauma cycles and redemption, as a man confronts his father’s memory to break patterns for his own son.
The film addresses universal themes of family, memory, and healing—issues that many in our area can relate to. Set in familiar local locations and built around a relatable storyline, "RAD DAD" reflects the challenges families face with cycles of addiction and trauma. By presenting these raw and vulnerable narratives, the film aims to foster empathy, encouraging audiences to reflect on their own familial histories and consider the possibility of breaking cycles through resilience and understanding. We believe that by sharing such authentic stories, "RAD DAD" will inspire conversations around hope, change, and support in our community.
Rad Dad - Teaser Trailer.mp4 - Google Drive
GIA
Idea is for funny web series about Italian girl, family chaos and life in Vollongong that make everyone laugh and say, ‘This is us!’
My name Baba Vesna and I am make application because my granddaughter, Nicole (instead to learn cook and make baby) has waste time write comedy series about Italian and Macedonian peoples of Vollongong. Grandaughter half-Italian, and good side is half-Macedonian like Baba, so she know very well the people she write series about. She partner with local production company (TEN ALPHAS) for bring script from page to screen.
Series is called ‘Gia’ and is set in Vollongong, which is city full of people just like Baba. People here come from everyvhere – Italy, Macedonia, Greece, and even some people born here who listen to Jimmy Barnes and go to Bunnings for Sausage sizzle when can stay home cook Macedonian sausage instead.