Private Project

Green Tree Frog

When 10-year old Maggie’s mother decides to sell her father’s green tree frog, Maggie decides to sabotage the sale by scaring off the potential buyers.

  • Madison Murphy
    Director
    Mute
  • Madison Murphy
    Writer
  • Madison Murphy
    Producer
  • Sheena Reyes
    Key Cast
    "Shiella"
  • Mara Diaz
    Key Cast
    "Maggie"
  • Tyeli Hannah
    Key Cast
    "Barry"
  • Don Bridges
    Key Cast
    "Peter"
  • Rudie Chapman
    Key Cast
    "Debra"
  • Adam Sutardy
    Director of Photography
  • Stephanie Crowe
    Production Designer
  • Natalie Petrellis
    Costume Designer
  • Alexander Nesic
    Editor
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama, Comedy, Multicultural
  • Runtime:
    9 minutes 37 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 23, 2025
  • Country of Origin:
    Australia
  • Country of Filming:
    Australia
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    RED
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Madison Murphy

Madison Murphy is a graduate of the Masters of Film and Television from the Victorian College of the Arts. Having studied a Bachelor of Science, she is interested in the intersection between art, science, and technology.

Their graduate film, Mute, debuted on MIFF Play in 2022 which went on to win Best Cinematography at the Coming of Age Film Festival in Canberra (2023). In 2024 she was the recipient of the Cinespace Winter Residency for which she made the short film Green Tree Frog.

Dedicated to putting Filipino women living in Australia at the forefront of story, all of Madison's films to date star and showcase Filipino talent and characters. Madison is heavily inspired by familial relationships, history, and culture. She uses filmmaking as a way to look inwards, keeping introspection as the basis of her story telling and world building.

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Director Statement

This story is inspired by the true life event of my own mother selling my father's green tree frogs during their divorce. I remember the event not as an active participant but as a bystander. The film then came about through asking the question: what if I had been an active participant, no- a driving force in this story?

That thought process is what created Maggie- a Bart Simpson, Kevin McCallister like character that represents the impulsive, reactionary psyche of a young girl that is often suppressed through socialisation, conditioning, and the want /need to be a 'good kid'.

What's produced is a mix of weird, funny, and morbid. Our film is 'Home Alone' and 'Tom & Jerry', with an ending so out-of-left-field the tonal shift is reminiscent of Boon Joon Ho's 'Parasite'.

Some audiences will be left confused by the film's tone but will still walk away with the striking images and story fused to their brains. For those who get it- well, they'll feel it on a transdimensional level only the visceral experience of film can provide.