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Butterfly

Butterfly is a moving story of courage, acceptance, and the power of the bond between mother and child.

Vivi, a young girl, finds herself alone, injured, and abandoned on a misty seaside cliff.

She must retrace her steps, regain her bearings and overcome the anguish that has left her living with resentment and frustration.

As she works against a dangerous ticking clock, her magical journey helps her realise that accepting her present unlocks the potential of her future.

Through a sense of mystery and ephemeral beauty, Butterfly serves as a poignant metaphor for the transformative power of acceptance, and how even when we feel the world has defeated us, we can find our wings and learn to fly.

  • Stephen de Villiers
    Director
    Stuck in Time, Super Sounds, Commando, Three Cigarettes, Legend, In Hearts Left Behind
  • Chloe Gardner
    Director
    Snapshots
  • Stephen de Villiers
    Writer
    Super Sounds, Three Cigarettes, In Hearts Left Behind
  • Nicky Thanou
    Writer
    Outskirts, Way too Stabby, Avenoir
  • Chloe Gardner
    Producer
    Snapshots, Super Sounds, Grandpa,
  • Isabelle Tate
    Key Cast
    "Vivienne"
  • Alex Schulze
    Key Cast
    "Mother"
    Deadline Gallipoli, Cargo
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    13 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    November 10, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    15,000 AUD
  • Country of Origin:
    Australia
  • Country of Filming:
    Australia
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Arri Alexa
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:35
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Giffoni Film Festival
    Giffoni
    Italy
    July 21, 2021
    Upcoming
    Official Selection
  • Seoul Guru International Kids Film Festival
    Seoul
    Korea, Democratic People's Republic of
    July 1, 2021
    Upcoming
    Official Selection
  • Adelaide Film Festival
    Adelaide
    Australia
    July 26, 2021
    Upcoming
    Official Selection AFF Youth
Director Biography - Stephen de Villiers, Chloe Gardner

Stephen is a producer/director who has made more than 20 narrative films. Throughout his career, he is privileged to have worked with some of South Africa and Australia’s top actors, including Ian Roberts (Tstosi), Sean Cameron Michael (24, Black Sails) and Socrates Otto.

An alumnus of the directing program at AFTRS, his last short, ‘Super Sounds’, screened at over 50 festivals, winning awards and nominations at many, including San Francisco International FF, Giffoni, Flickerfest, and was selected by Virgin for their in-flight entertainment. His most recent broadcast credit, 'Stuck in Time', a documentary about Indigenous Youth Incarceration, was made for SBS/NITV and aired in Jan 2019.

In a commercial capacity, Stephen has been directing full-time for 10 years, with his work taking him to over 20 countries on five continents.

Chloe has been in the film industry since 2000 beginning her career as an actress. She wrote and directed Snapshots in 2008. She has always been attracted to working with children and started the highly successful youth film school, Kids Camera Action in 2010. She subsequently founded the Adelaide International Youth Film Festival so loves stories and films destined for a young audience.

Having produced Super Sounds in 2014, she was excited to make another film with a young protagonist and was excited to direct again, especially with her co-director and husband, Stephen.

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Director Statement

Deciding to co-direct a film together was an easy choice. We both enjoy working with young people and we were determined to make a film about the strength and determination of a young girl facing a life-changing condition.

Vivienne's character faces a change to her life that she isn't ready to accept. She wants to be free, she wants to escape but in doing that, she puts herself in grave danger.

Butterfly is about the bond between a mother and her child and the sixth sense that mothers often have about their children, and what they will do to provide for them and protect them.

Butterfly takes you in and out of Vivienne's reality which will be an exciting journey for the audience. We both hope you enjoy our film.