Novocastrian Filmmaker Jye Currie is unmasking the many faces of domestic violence through creative film, with his latest short film ‘Victim’ already winning nine international awards.
The psychological thriller follows the story of a mother, wife, and victim of domestic violence, who after years of abuse, must come to terms with her missing son, and why he disappeared.
“Victim shows a raw inside look into a house that suffers from domestic violence,” Currie said.
“The mother must retrace her steps to find out where her son is, where she discovers that the violence in the household is what forced his disappearance.
“The Father is a theatre actor who takes on this character that embodies his violence.”
Currie said the film portrayed the two sides of the father’s character, the successful role he displayed to society and the cruel side he wore behind closed doors.
“Domestic violence can affect so many people, anyone can be suffering from it silently,” Currie said.
“No one can know what’s happening behind closed doors; it’s one of those things that people don’t always feel safe talking about.
“My film creates a place where people can relate to this kind of story, let them know they aren’t alone, and raise awareness of the issue.”
Portraying societal issues through creative film is something that Currie is passionate about with Covid-19 restrictions inciting his inspiration for Victim.
“I heard that through the pandemic and with everyone being locked down, domestic violence skyrocketed, so I felt that now was the perfect time to portray that with my film,” he said.
“I don’t get the opportunity to stand up and talk about social issues, so the films are the voice for me.”
Already pre-released to film festivals, the film has racked up nine international awards, including two awards for best director, two awards for best actress, and one award for best makeup.
Currie said he was waiting to hear from three more film festivals, and if accepted would make the film eligible for the Academy Awards and Oscar for Best Short Film.
The film was shot and produced in Newcastle with an all Newcastle-based casting crew including Jan Hunt, Sebastian Szeszeran, Jessica Farchione, Patrick Campbell, Jordan Bunder, Annie Wilson and Bianca Kristen.
Currie said he was drawn to photography and film making from a young age, which turned into a passion as he grew up.
“I have made small skits and stuff since I was a kid, I would shoot random footage and then edit it together, so I initially started in photography, but filmmaking is where my heart is,” Currie said.
“I have always had a passion for film making, and Victim is the first film I have made, where I invested my own money and got actors.
“I don’t want to make films where it’s just a movie; I want there to be a strong message in my films, I think that’s really important to whatever I make in the future.”
Speaking of the future, Currie is dreaming big with a new story and script for a full-length feature film underway.
“It’s really exciting going from a short film to a feature film, so many resources will have to come into play,” Currie said.
“I want to see this go through the cinemas in Australia and try to sell it to Netflix and really start making proper feature movies.
“Whether it’s addressing social issues or inspirational stories, I just really want my films to impact and influence people around the world, I want my stories and films to speak for me.”
Hayley McMahon
Creative Genius!