Private Project

Stare Me In The Eye

Two youngsters have a strong impact on each other, the one through questioning her very core beliefs and the other challenging his timely engagement. Is this a story? Yes, but it is certainly away from cliché identifications and closer to the one human soul of today.

  • Athina Chatzigiannaki
    Director
    Music Club, Selfie World
  • Athina Chatzigiannaki
    Writer
    Selfie world, Music club
  • Athina Chatzigiannaki
    Producer
    Selfie world, Music club
  • Ian Reininger
    Key Cast
    "Tim"
  • Yu Liu
    associate producer
  • Project Type:
    Experimental, Short, Student
  • Genres:
    screen film
  • Runtime:
    7 minutes 56 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 14, 2022
  • Production Budget:
    200 AUD
  • Country of Origin:
    Australia
  • Country of Filming:
    Australia
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Camera 35mm
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16.9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - The University of Sydney
Director Biography - Athina Chatzigiannaki

Athina Chatzigiannaki, having lived mostly in Greece where she worked as a multimedia artist and actress /performer,
is now behind the camera. Being taught the art of making movies at the University of Sydney, she is opening herself to a new career, and a new way of telling the stories that she draws from her own self and experience, as well as from the world around her.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

The importance and role of texting in this film:
It must be emphasised that the text in the concept which runs behind this film, is an aesthetic value, it becomes the moving image and turns alive. Then the views of people and landscapes are treated more as stills or can be seen behind the texts. That idea forms the style of the movie. The reason behind this choice is the urgency and reality of the situation of Ukraine now around which the story is evolving, plus the response from the boy in Australia who, in a similar manner, through texting and calling, manages to bridge the distance between countries but also circumstances.
ISSUE OF APPROPRIATION AND PERMISSION: THERE IS A BACKGROUND SOUND IN THE FILM. IT IS THE SOUND OF AN INDIGENOUS INSTRUMENT CALLED YIDAKI (DIDGERIDU)
HAVING THE MAIN CHARACTER REPRESENTING THE NON INDIGENOUS MULTIPLE ETHNICITIES IN TODAY,S AUSTRALIA ENVELOPED IN THE INDIGENOUS SOUND FELT LIKE A STRONG WISH FOR UNITY AONG ALL AUSTRALIANS SENDING A MESSAGE OUTSIDE THIS COUNTRY AS A WHOLE TO UKRAINE NOW, AND TO ALL COUNTRIES LIVING THROUGH UNJUSTIFIABLE CRISIS.
TESTIMONY: THE PARTICULAR INSTRUMENT THAT OUR MUSICIAN PLAYED THE SOUNDS WITH WAS GIVEN TO HIM AS A GIFT FROM THE TRIBAL ELDERS AT MURU MITTIGAR IN PENRITH LAKES , IN 2006. THEY TAUGHT HIM HOW TO PLAY AND GAVE HIM PERMISSION TO USE THE SOUND WHEN HE CONSIDERED APPROPRIATE. HE HEARD AND APPROVED THE EDITING OF THE MUSIC IN THE FILM.
THIS PROJECT STARTED AS A STUDENT FILM AND THEN IT WAS SCREENED WITHOUT THE INSTRUMENT BACKGROUND BUT NOW IT RUNS AS ORIGINALLY CREATED, ONLY WITHOUT THE UNI LOGO, AS AGREED.