Private Project

Billy Blue Eyes

A trip to the beach is an Aussie summer tradition. But when a family suffer an unexpected loss, they struggle to stay afloat in waves of grief.

A mother seethes with pain.
A brother lives with guilt.
A sister escapes through melody.
A grandmother yearns for peace.

It is a moving snapshot of a family who must accept the incomprehensible.

  • Tom Rodgers
    Director
  • Tom Rodgers
    Writer
  • Maisie Owens
    Producer
  • Tom Rodgers
    Producer
  • Silas Irwin
    Key Cast
    "Billy "
  • Maisie Owens
    Key Cast
    "Helen "
  • Tom Rodgers
    Key Cast
    "Pete "
  • Jan Hunt
    Key Cast
    "Esther "
  • Nola Wallace
    Key Cast
    "Gloria "
  • Gabby Howlett
    Cinematographer
  • Thomas Howlett
    Cinematographer
  • Maisie Owens
    Music & Original Song
  • Jack Crawley
    Camera Operator
  • Tom Rodgers
    Editor
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama
  • Runtime:
    13 minutes 18 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 25, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    300 AUD
  • Country of Origin:
    Australia
  • Country of Filming:
    Australia
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Tom Rodgers

This is Tom’s debut film as a writer/director. He is a NIDA graduate with a wealth of experience as an actor onstage and screen. He starred in Screen Australia's short film "Shrapnel" and will be appearing alongside Kate McKinnon and John Cameron Mitchell in NBC Universal’s television series “Joe Exotic” in 2022.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

This little film is dedicated to anyone who has ever experienced grief. A visceral, all encompassing feeling that ebbs and flows just like the ocean. The location, my hometown of Newcastle, Australia, is its own special character in the film that permeates the central family’s life with stillness, eruption, isolation and connection.

The story was inspired by the memory, one burnt into my mind, of a funeral I attended for the unexpected death of a young boy. The image of his mother following the coffin out of the church, carrying his bear and wailing in pain is one that will never leave me. It was, and remains, a devastating yet vital reminder of the ephemeral nature of our existence.