Remedy Blues

Remedy Blues follows the individual stories of two former breast cancer patients- Bel and Tonia - who upon the completion of their treatments have begun to feel depressed rather than celebratory about their second chance at life.

In a time where they are expected to celebrate, the two reveal that since such a large part of their lives has ended, they are unsure of how to move forward and are now finding themselves with feelings of confusion, loneliness and anxiety. With insight from clinical therapist Samantha Clutton, this short documentary shines light on a topic which is little explored. The completion of something which was such a large part of people’s lives is now leaving behind puzzling feelings, and these feelings are the Remedy Blues.

  • Alevtina Chernih
    Director
  • Jake Roseneder
    Writer
  • Ian Adamson
    Producer
  • Bel Ellis
    Key Cast
  • Tonia Chernih
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Documentary, Medical, Intimate, Emotional, Short Film
  • Runtime:
    15 minutes 1 second
  • Completion Date:
    July 29, 2022
  • Production Budget:
    300 AUD
  • Country of Origin:
    Australia
  • Country of Filming:
    Australia
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Sony DSLR
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:35: 1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Queensland University of Technology
  • The ATOM Awards 2020
    Brisbane
    Australia
    December 10, 2020
    Australia
    Best Tertiary Documentary
Director Biography - Alevtina Chernih

Alevtina Chernih is a half Russian, half Nepalese filmmaker born in Australia. She is a QUT film graduate with work recognised by the ATOM Awards, and a passionate creative who loves to work on meaningful projects.

While analysing music videos for YouTube content as a hobby, Alevtina found a true love for symbolism and hidden meaning in film. She believes all elements of film are important to tell a story. She always tries to utilise the skills of all departments involved in a project.

Alevtina has in the past run a successful YouTube channel with over 5.5M collective channel views and 70K subscribers. Alevtina has also won the ATOM Award for '2020 Best Tertiary Documentary' for directing Remedy Blues, accepting the award along side producer, Ian Adamson and writer, Jake Roseneder.
She currently co-owns Roll Or Die Films, a young Brisbane-based video production company. She has continued to work as a Director in current years, and has branched into various other roles including Producer, Writer, Production Designer, Editor, Videographer and Animator.

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Director Statement

I had the pleasure of directing Remedy Blues during my final years of university and it is a project which continues to stay close to my heart. What drew me to the story was the realisation that there were many stories on life during cancer treatment, but not many explored what life was truly like after this. I knew this was a story that needed to be told. I am delighted to have been able to do so at such an early point in my filmmaking career.

The inspiration for this film came from an interesting statement from one of our clients, Bel Elis. We were originally exploring a different story following her successful business, but when she mentioned the empty feelings she felt following her cancer treatment, this statement caught everyone off guard and encouraged us to re-think our project direction. I contacted my auntie, Tonia Chernih, and the conversation with her confirmed that she had her own fears and worries following her treatment. This is something I myself had no knowledge on, despite being with her during her cancer journey. After learning I was guilty of being blissfully unaware of her struggles, and with the crew's collective drive to learn more, the story essentially developed itself.

The story Bel and Tonia tell along with the expert insight from our specialist, Samantha, creates a unique look into a world many are not aware of.
I knew that I needed to bring people into this world, not just tell them about it. This is why I decided to add studio visuals to this documentary, in order for people to become lost in the experience.

Remedy Blues will forever be described as a collaborative project. Developing the story alongside the writer Jake Roseneder was one of the most enjoyable creative processes I’ve experienced. This, along with the support from the producer Ian Adamson, the editor Adam Chandrasekhar and the entire crew who I would name entirely if I could, is why this film turned out to be so beautiful. It is an example the pure art and talent that can come from young student filmmakers.

In the short years following the first completion of Remedy Blues, I was devastated to learn that my auntie’s cancer had returned. This is the toughest experience I have ever faced in my life, and I will be honest and state, it has tainted my fond memories of the film. However, I know creating this film allowed me to grow as a person and support my auntie better than I ever could have before. I hope this film can help others the same way it has helped my family and I.

Remedy Blues will bring the audience on a journey of remembering, realisation and reality. The world they will enter will be one like no other, and when they leave, they will hopefully treasure their new perspective on this important topic.