If/When

If/When is a surreal, time-bending exploration of love, fate, and what it means to hold on when everything is slipping away.

Ollie Quatch doesn’t experience time like everyone else. Untethered from a linear reality, they drift through moments out of order, glimpsing futures that may or may not come to pass. But when they see a future without Az—the one person who makes them feel grounded—Ollie refuses to accept fate as final.

From a hospital where their very existence is deemed an anomaly, to a fridge shop where their love first sparked, Ollie scrambles through fractured moments, trying to rewrite what feels inevitable.

Ollie’s journey is a kaleidoscope of heartbreak, longing, and resilience. Each shift in time is a gamble, each choice a ripple that could bring them closer to—or further from—the person they love most. And with each shift, Ollie watches Az slip further away—not just from them, but from themself.

With stunning visuals and a deeply emotional core, If/When is a story about defying the universe for love—if and when you can.

  • Courtney Westbrook
    Director
    ARACOURT Studio, CNUT, 2020
  • Richie Black
    Writer
    Achtung, Mein Kunst, 2020, AWGIE award-winner
  • Courtney Westbrook
    Executive Producer
    ARACOURT Studio, CNUT, 2020
  • Chris Shapones
    Producer
    Knuckles Animation Studio, Zoomies, 2020
  • Anna Dvorak
    Producer
    The Choice to Love, 2023, Pinch, 2023,Refined in the Fire, 2019
  • Jasmine Hair
    Producer
    Lockdown Locals, 2023
  • Courtney Westbrook
    Producer
    ARACOURT Studio, CNUT, 2020
  • Emma Vranjes
    Associate Producer
    In Touch, 2021, Fanny Scat Investigates, 2023
  • Ara Nuri Steel
    Production Designer
    ARACOURT Studio, CNUT, Theo & Celeste, The End, The Beginning
  • Courtney Westbrook
    Production Designer
    ARACOURT Studio, CNUT, The Better Man, Sissy, Theo & Celeste, The End, The Beginning
  • Mia Schirmer
    Cinematographer
    With Love, Lottie, 2024, Scenes from a Film, 2024, My Little Cutie, 2024
  • Anna McGirr
    Cinematographer
    The Sax, 2024, Rehabilitating, 2024, Red Spice, 2023
  • Julia Sniatynskyj
    Editor
    Vanishing Point, 2024
  • Susie Shapones
    Editor
    Knuckles Animation Studio, Zoomies, 2020
  • Chrysoulla Markoulli
    Composer
    CNUT, 2020, Mary, 2024, Barnacle Face, 2020
  • Susie Shapones
    Animator
    Knuckles Animation Studio, Zoomies, 2020
  • Luka Yates
    Animator
    The Scratch, 2023, Under The Water, 2023
  • Ren Davies
    Compositor
  • Davida Tal
    Key Cast
    "Ollie"
    The Hauntings at Saint Josephs, 2024, The Invisibles, 2024, Hindi Vindi, 2024, Aphelion, 2024
  • Almitra Mavalvala
    Key Cast
    "Az"
    Red Lantern, 2024, Blacklisted, 2024
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Short
  • Genres:
    Animated Drama, LGBTQIA+, Science Fiction, Philosophical Fiction, Fantasy
  • Runtime:
    9 minutes 40 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    February 12, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    25,000 AUD
  • Country of Origin:
    Australia
  • Country of Filming:
    Australia
  • Language:
    Dutch, English, Urdu
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital, Canon 5D Mark II
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Courtney Westbrook

Founder at Aracourt Studio
Director, Executive Producer, Producer, Script Editor, Production Designer
e: info@aracourt.com | m: +61 488 111 993
w: www.aracourt.com | www.courtneywestbrook.com

Courtney Westbrook is an award-winning director and designer living and working between Narungga and Gadigal land (Australia). With a career spanning film, television, and theatre, she has worked across multiple disciplines, from the art department to direction and editorial.

She co-founded Aracourt Studio, a creative space fostering innovative storytelling. Her directorial debut, CNUT, showcased her bold artistic vision, blending live-action and stop-motion animation. Passionate about pushing creative boundaries, she continues to develop projects that merge traditional and experimental filmmaking techniques.

Starting in the art department, Courtney has contributed to high-profile productions such as Shang-Chi, Thor: Love and Thunder, Heartbreak High, and Prosper. She served as Art Director for the feature film Sissy and Production Designer for The Better Man, Theo & Celeste, and The End, The Beginning.

Beyond production, Courtney is deeply invested in education and mentorship, regularly sharing her expertise with emerging artists and creatives. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Design) from NIDA and has studied business, interior architecture, graphic design, illustration, directing, screenwriting, and animation.

She values growth, authenticity, knowledge-sharing, and curiosity, striving to make a meaningful impact through observation, advocacy, and fostering inclusiveness.

Her passions include lists, 60s/70s/80s tunes, game nights, stargazing, miniatures, going to the cinema, history, learning, reading, and getting her hands dirty!

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Director Statement

If/When is a deeply personal film for me—a journey into the complexities of being separated from loved ones, the appreciation of the time we do get with them, the struggles we face watching those closest to us suffer, and the immense joy and sadness we can feel simultaneously in this journey we call life.

When Aracourt Studio first began developing If/When, I wanted to explore how the fleeting nature of time can shape our understanding of connection (one of Aracourt’s core values). It’s something I think we all face at some point: the fear of losing someone, or perhaps, the realisation that the moments we share together are slipping through our fingers as they are unfolding, way too fast.

The central relationship between Ollie and Az speaks to this universal truth, but with a surreal twist. I wanted to capture the feeling of time being both a comfort and a source of instability. For Ollie, time is their greatest adversary—and yet it’s through their relationship with Az that they discover what truly matters: the bravery to alter their path and the hope that love can stand strong amidst life's uncertainties.

The duality of valuing connection and growth has always been at the heart of my experiences. I grew up in rural South Australia on a crop farm, living next door to my grandparents and surrounded by my parents, siblings, nieces, and nephews - separated only by fields of wheat. While my family continued to live their lives on Narungga land (Yorke Peninsula, South Australia), I left home to pursue my filmmaking career on Gadigal land (Sydney, Australia).

Valuing both connection and growth can often feel at odds, especially when homesickness strikes, but it is through storytelling that I aim to bridge that gap—connecting with others and sharing stories that bring people of all backgrounds together. I am committed to championing equity and diversity both on and off-screen. My vision for If/When included assembling a majority female-identifying and non-binary cast and crew to ensure new voices and perspectives were brought to the forefront.

Through If/When, I want viewers to feel the uncertainty of life and reflect on who or what matters most in their own journeys. Perhaps the film will inspire someone to reach out to a lost connection, rekindle an old friendship, or create new bonds that enrich their lives. They may even move back closer to their family after 10 years away, as I have recently done.

I’ve always been fascinated by the way time is a thread woven through every emotion and relationship we experience. The beauty of If/When lies in the tension between longing and loss, where every moment holds the weight of what could slip away. It’s the constant battle between holding on and letting go. Ollie faces the agonising choice of either fighting to stay by Az’s side, offering support through their darkest moments, or walking away, knowing that their inability to remain—due to their condition—may only deepen Az’s despair.

The process of making this film has been a labour of love. From the stunning visuals, to the intimate performances from our cast and animators that breathe life into the puppets, the production has been a journey of collaboration, resilience, and most importantly, vulnerability. Every detail—from the disorienting non-linear storytelling to the haunting score—has been crafted to pull the audience into the raw emotional struggle that Ollie must navigate.

I want people to walk away from If/When with a deeper appreciation for the connections we have and the fleeting, beautiful choices that define us. Can universal love withstand the chaos of time and space? I hope this film sparks that question, inviting audiences to reflect on what it means to hold on to what matters most.