Experiencing Interruptions?

The Olive Tree

An olive branch is meant to offer peace—but what if it’s wrapped around a ticking bomb?

Eighteen years after being abandoned, Joseph enters a church, not to repent, but to confront the man who left him behind. Inside the confessional, Father Eli is forced into a reckoning he can no longer escape. As old wounds resurface and the line between justice and vengeance blurs, a single question remains: when the dust settles, will anything be left standing?

Starring Will Rodriguez (Bird Eater, AACTA Award-winning film), The Olive Tree is a visually striking black-and-white psychological thriller that transforms faith into a weapon and confession into a battlefield. Tense, provocative, and unrelenting—this is no ordinary act of forgiveness.

  • Hazel Tadiwa Chidzanja
    Director
  • Hazel Tadiwa Chidzanja
    Writer
  • Charlotte McLaverty
    Producer
  • Hazel Tadiwa Chidzanja
    Producer
  • Will Rodriguez
    Key Cast
    "Father Eli"
  • Xavier Hubbard
    Key Cast
    "Joseph"
  • Eden Ballantyne
    Associate Producer
  • Ronak Suthar
    Cinematographer
  • Charlotte Mclaverty
    First Assistant Director
  • Tin Win Hlaing
    Editor
  • Robert Hislop
    Original Score
  • Pico Dos Santos-Lee
    Original Score
  • Pranav Chandra
    Camera Operator
  • Gabriel Pamintuan
    Gaffer
  • Emillio Broodryk
    Sound Design and Assistant Editor
  • Hazel Tadiwa Chidzanja
    Grading
  • Ollie Etheridge
    Sound Recordists
  • Ben Robles
    Sound Recordists
  • Luan Harvison Ribeiro
    Continuity Supervisor
  • Sophie Serisier
    Production and Costume Design
  • Erisin Chains
    Runner
  • Project Type:
    Experimental, Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    10 minutes 22 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    February 17, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    250 AUD
  • Country of Origin:
    Australia
  • Country of Filming:
    Australia
  • Language:
    English, Spanish
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Black & White
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - AFTRS
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Hazel Tadiwa Chidzanja

I am a Zimbabwean-Australian filmmaker who has studied at AFTRS. I am driven by a passion for stories that explore the grey areas of morality. My films challenge the idea of absolute good and evil, asking: Is there such a thing as good and bad people? I create characters who are flawed, conflicted, and shaped by their pasts, protagonists who may not be entirely right and antagonists who, despite their actions, have a point.

Through my work, I aim to examine how trauma and lived experiences shape people, sometimes pushing them toward choices that seem unforgivable. Rather than offering clear-cut resolutions, I want to immerse audiences in psychological thrillers and morally complex dramas that force them to sit with uncomfortable questions.

My short film, The Olive Tree, reflects this philosophy. Set inside a confessional booth, it unravels a tense reckoning between a priest and the son he abandoned, where faith, justice, and revenge blur into one.

As I continue my journey in filmmaking, I am committed to telling stories that challenge perspectives and push audiences to confront the uncomfortable truths about human nature.

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Director Statement

The Olive Tree explores morality, faith, and the blurred lines between justice and vengeance. The title carries deep symbolism named after Olivia, the sister who fell from a tree, it reflects both personal loss and the biblical olive branch, a symbol of peace. Yet, Joseph’s visit is anything but peaceful.

I chose a priest as the central figure because religious leaders are often held to impossible standards, expected to be perfect and condemned for any failure. Father Eli is neither a saint nor a villain; he is human. Joseph, too, believes his actions are righteous, yet his motivations are complex. I wanted to humanise both characters, making their moral positions difficult to define.

Visually, black and white serves as a metaphors for how society views morality in absolutes, when in truth, grey areas exist. A gritty, textured grade was also done to enhance the film’s rawness.

Language plays a role in exploring generational conflict. Eli speaks English to reason with Joseph, but reverts to his native tongue when emotional, mirroring first-generation immigrant experiences.

I also sought to redefine the confessional booth, making it a battleground where faith and betrayal collide.

Finally, a decision that is very personal to me was the intentional choice to incorporate subtitles throughout the entire film. I personally struggle with watching films without subtitles, and this has to do with my hearing ability. Additionally, I know many people who are hard of hearing or who speak different languages often struggle to keep up without them. I see subtitles as an essential tool for accessibility, and I wanted to use them in a stylistic and intentional way. It's where I believe the future of filmmaking is heading, and I wanted to make sure the film was inclusive, engaging, and modern, allowing the audience to experience the story in its fullest form.