Private Project

Grace

17-year-old Grace, who suffers from generalised anxiety and panic disorder, experiences a soul-crushing interaction with her GP and must find the strength to look for help again elsewhere.

  • James Page
    Director
    Bro, You Are So Loved
  • James Page
    Writer
    Bro, You Are So Loved
  • Bridgie Mathieson
    Producer
    Bro, You Are So Loved
  • Phoebe-Rey Subritzky
    Key Cast
    "Grace"
  • Kerynn Walsh
    Key Cast
    "Mary"
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    10 minutes 30 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 17, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    2,500 NZD
  • Country of Origin:
    New Zealand
  • Country of Filming:
    New Zealand
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.40
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes
  • Independent Shorts Awards
    Los Angeles
    United States
    December 14, 2019
    Best Student Director (Gold) , Best Actress (Bronze) , Best Original Score (Bronze)
Director Biography - James Page

Originally from Hamilton, New Zealand, James Page moved to Auckland to pursue communications studies at the Auckland University of Technology. It was here that he co-wrote and co-directed Bro, You Are So Loved, which premiered at FICSAM film festival in Portugal. In his final year, James majored in Screen Production, where he wrote and directed his graduate film, Grace.

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Director Statement

I wrote Grace intending to shed light on anxiety and panic disorders amongst teenagers. The film draws from my own experiences with people who are closest to me, and people who have lived the scenes in Grace. Mental illness is often depicted in films these days which is great to see. However, a huge incentive to write Grace was the fact that I had rarely seen anxiety and panic disorders authentically represented on screen. These are both unfortunately incredibly common, and what you see on screen is just one perspective of something that affects so many. With Grace, I hope to bring an accurate, authentic and honest portrayal of what it’s like to live with anxiety and panic disorder and to normalise depictions of mental illness on screen. I think filmmaking is a wonderful tool to create art that can educate as well as act as something that can resonate with people across the world. This film was created with the help of people who were honest and truthful in the telling of their stories. Without them, we never would have been able to make this. As a result, I hope we have created an honest depiction that audiences will not only learn from but enjoy. Most of all, I want anyone who has gone through this struggle to be able to see parts of their own stories in Grace.