The production team is now busily preparing for the second and final stage of filming, to be carried out in April-May.  The shoot will take place in rural Australia (Tocumwal and Cobram) before the final two weeks of filming in Singapore.  Producer Katrina Fleming, Cinematographer Stefan Duscio and I have just returned from a location recce in Singapore, which is where the opening chapter of the film is set. Pictures from this recce, as well as further information about the production thus far, can be found at the film’s website: www.triplehappiness.com.au [comment]

20 July 2009 /  FEATURE FILM: TRIPLE HAPPINESS
I’m currently developing my debut feature film, TRIPLE HAPPINESS, an intergenerational story about the rural Australian family.

ABOUT ‘TRIPLE HAPPINESS’:
TRIPLE HAPPINESS is the story of a man who returns from war, unable to continue his life from where he left it.  An incident that has forever changed his attitude to humanity will resonate through future generations of his family.

Filming will commence in November of 2009. For further information about this feature film project, visit the film’s website: www.triplehappiness.com.au [comment]

19 July 2009 /  MANDARIN PEEL TO PREMIERE AT LOCARNO
MANDARIN PEEL will have its world premiere screening in August at the Locarno International Film Festival in Switzerland. Anna and I are very excited to be selected for the Leopards Of Tomorrow short film competition, whose mission is the discovery of new talent. This section is reserved for young directors who have not yet made feature films. Anna, director extraordinaire, will be attending the festival to represent the film. [comment]
http://www.pardo.ch/jahia/Jahia/home/Program/lang/en

28 May 2009 / MANDARIN PEELING
A few months ago, two and a half months to be precise, fellow director Anna McGrath and I caught up for coffee and chatted about the need to keep busy and productive. After the shortest pre-production ever, an impromptu shoot, much festival travel, late-night editing sessions, numerous international phone calls and the odd production meeting in a Singapore hotel, Anna and I are very are delighted to announce the completion of our short film project, MANDARIN PEEL - directed and written by Anna McGrath and produced by Aaron Wilson. The latest production to be completed under the banner of The Meantime Collective, a collaborative group of Melbourne directors, MANDARIN PEEL is an evocative, visceral look at the memories and dreams of childhood focusing on the experiences of two girls in the dry Australian summer. [comment]
http://www.annaemcgrath.com/MANDARIN_PEEL.html

5 May 2009 /  NEW SCREENINGS FOR AHMAD’S GARDEN
Seattle International Film Festival (31 May, USA)
www.siff.net/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=28929&FID=123
Falls Creek Film Festival (6 June, AUSTRALIA)
www.fallscreek.com.au/FilmFestival
Kerala International Short Film Festival (20 June, INDIA)
www.keralafilm.com/list_idsffk09.htm
Melbourne Refugee Week (15 June, AUSTRALIA)
www.refugeecouncil.org.au/newsevents/rwevents_vic.html

26 April 2009 / PLATINUM AWARD FOR FENG (WIND)
FENG (WIND) has won a ‘Platinum Award’ at the recent WorldFest Houston International Film Festival in the US. [comment]

2 April 2009 / FAUX PAS SECURES DISTRIBUTION
FAUX PAS has secured distribution with Premium Films (France). Fred Joubaud, from Premium Films, caught our short film at last year’s Palm Springs Shortsfest Market. [comment]
http://www.premium-films.com

12 Mar 2009 / BEST LOCAL FILM AWARD FOR FENG (WIND)
FENG (WIND) has won the ‘Best Local Film’ award at the Shepparton Shorts Film Festival. Aaron Wilson (director & writer) was present at the screening to receive the award. A big thank you to John Head and his fabulous staff for a wonderful festival. [comment]

21 Mar 2009 / AHMAD IN ADELAIDE
AHMAD’S GARDEN recently screened at the Adelaide Film Festival on 24 and 27 February, scheduled with the Mexican documentary, LOS HEREDEROS. Producer Kim Fairbrother, fellow Meantime Collective director Richard Vette and I attended the festival. Notable, firstly, for its strong lineup of Aussie features - VAN DIEMEN’S LAND, MY YEAR WITHOUT SEX, MY TEHRAN FOR SALE and my fav of the fest, SAMSON & DELILAH. PARKING, first feature by Taiwanese director Chung Mong-Hong, was another standout. It was exciting screening our wee short at the fest in a year with such an amazing Australian presence. [comment]
http://aff09.katalyst.com.au/program/show/117

9 Feb 2009 / FENG (WIND) OUT NOW ON DVD
It’s always fabulously exciting to see your film for the first time in a cinema with an audience. But the key word is audience, and now that Objectifs Films in Singapore has released FENG (WIND) on DVD, it opens up the film to a whole new audience. Plus, it’s also just really cool to be able to see your film in stores with a price tag.

FENG (WIND) is released as part of a collection of three films, entitled WORLDS APART COLLECTION. You can order the DVD through the Objectifs Films website (link below). [comment]
http://www.objectifsfilms.com/biz/product_info.php?cPath=3&products_id=59

23 Nov 2008 / FESTIVAL PRIZE FOR LEAP YEAR
LEAP YEAR has just won the prize for ‘Best Cinematography’ at the Jordan Short Film Festival. Congratulations to cinematographer Colin Bell. [comment]

20 Nov 2008 / KUALA LUMPUR AGAIN, THIS TIME LEAP YEAR
LEAP YEAR has been selected for official competition at next week’s Kuala Lumpur International Film Festival. Even more awesome is that I’ve been invited to attend the festival, along with fellow Australian director, Sotiris Dounoukos, whose film PUNCH has also been selected. FENG (WIND), won the award for ‘Best Short Film’ at the 2007 edition of the festival. [comment]

21 Sept 2008 / LEAP YEAR GOES TO SAO PAULO
LEAP YEAR has been selected to screen at the Saulo Paulo International International Film Festival. I‘m very excited to have the film’s second screening at this prestigious festival. [comment]
http://www2.uol.com.br/mostra/32/p_exib_filme_254_en.shtml

3 Sept 2008 / UPCOMING SCREENINGS FOR FENG (WIND)
Int/l Festival of Short Films Bilbao - EX Is Comp (26 Nov, SPAIN)
www.anteriores.zinebi.com/eng/ediciones_anteriores/49
World Film Festival of Bangkok (25 Nov, THAILAND)
www.worldfilmbkk.com/archives2008.php#shortfilm
NY South Asian International Film Festival (26 Oct, USA)
www.viff.vl.ru/en/archive/?theme,6,22http://www.saiff.org/2008
Valdivia International Film Festival (3 Oct, CHILE)
www.ficv.cl/f15/index.php
Vladivostok International Film Festival ( (21 Sept, RUSSIA)
www.viff.vl.ru/en/archive/?theme,6,22
Int/l Best of Short Films Festival La Ciotat (12 - 14 Sept, FRANCE)
www.bestoffestival.com/competition2008_fr.htm

14 Aug 2008 / PALM SPRING SHORTFEST’09
Hot, sweaty nights and copious jugs of iced margaritas sum up this year’s Palm Springs Shortsfest. A big thank you to Film Victoria for providing my producer, Katrina Fleming, and I with travel grants to attend the festival with our short film, LEAP YEAR. Alas, there was more to this week-long festival in the desert, including an extensive short film market that afforded Katrina and I a great deal of face time with several international distributors. The selection of shorts was strong, extensive (including attendance by 15 or so Aussies) and incredibly diverse. Fav film was Hanne Larsen’s CAIRN (Norway). A big Congrats to Anna McGrath for the ‘2nd Prize - Best Live Action Short Under 15 Minutes’ win for her short, SMALL CHANGE. [comment]
www.psfilmfest.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=19993&FID=37

1 Jul 2008 / AHMAD’S GARDEN SPROUTS AT MIFF’08
Kim and I are very excited to announce that our short, AHMAD’S GARDEN, will have its world premiere at the Melbourne International Film Festival on 27 July. I can’t tell you just how fabulous it is to screen - and premiere, no less - a film at your hometown festival. I’ve also been selected to participate in the Accelerator programme as part of the festival. Now I’m looking forward to MIFF a little more than usual. [comment]
www.melbournefilmfestival.com.au/films?film_id=10663
www.melbournefilmfestival.com.au/2008_program_accelerator

8 Jun 2008 / POST-FUNDING FOR AHMAD’S GARDEN
Wow, I’m amazed to be so close to completing AHMAD’S GARDEN … and now, breathing a sigh of relief that we’ve just secured post-production funding from The Australian Film Commission. When you spend years making short films on the smell of an oily rag, it’s very satisfying to be able to properly pay all of those companies and individuals who’ve been supporting me film after film. Just weeks to go now, so close. [comment]

30 May 2008 / FENG (WIND) GOES REGIONAL
FENG (WIND), has been selected to screen as part of the St Kilda Film Festival’s ‘National Tour’, which will travel to several destinations across regional Australia. This includes a Deniliquin screening (close enough to my home town of Tocumwal) on 26 July at the Peppin Heritage Centre. [comment]
http://stkff2008.aplinx.com/touring_program

17 Jan 2009 / AHMAD’S GARDEN SHOOT
Filming commences today on my new short film, AHMAD’S GARDEN, produced by Kim Fairbrother and developed over the past three months with Ahmad Raza, an Afghan refugee whose story has inspired me to create this film. AHMAD’S GARDEN is the latest production made under the banner of The Meantime Collective - a collaborative group of Melbourne directors. [comment]