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The Widow

Melbourne, Australia in 1965, a Sicilian widow fights for her life when members of the local Calabrian mafia murder her husband and try to seize control of his produce business. God forgives...Sicilian women don't!

  • Brendan Young
    Director
    Wild Planet (Redux, 2011); You Only Live Twice - The Incredibly True Story Of The Hughes Family (Documentary, 2010); Love And Anarchy - There Wild Wild World Of Jaimie Leonarder (Documentary, 2002); Three Chords And A Wardrobe (Short Film, 1998); Wild Planet (Short Film, 1989)
  • Brendan Young
    Writer
  • Brendan Young
    Producer
  • Catherine McQuade
    Producer
  • Daniela Farinacci
    Key Cast
    "Luisa"
    Lantana (2001); Josh Jarman (2004); Look Both Ways (2005); Little Fish (2005); My Year Without Sex( 2009); Lou (2010); Glitch ( 2015) Netflix series
  • Steve Bastoni
    Key Cast
    "Antonio"
    The Lighthorsemen (1987); The Magistrate (1989); The Heartbreak Kid (1993); Wanted (1997); 15 Amore (1998); The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course (2002); Matrix Reloaded (2003); Man-Thing (2005); Suburban Mayhem ( 2006); Drift ( 2013); The Water Diviner ( 2014)
  • Joe Petruzzi
    Key Cast
    "Domenico"
    Devil's Playground (TV Mini-Series) (2014); Rush (TV Series) 2008-2011; Big Mamma's Boy (2011); Salem's Lot (TV Series) (2004);Love's Brother (2004);On the Beach (TV Movie) (2000);The Violent Earth (TV Mini-Series) (1998); Love, Honor & Obey: The Last Mafia Marriage (TV Movie) (1993); Citizen Cohn (TV Movie) (1992); The Mambo Kings (1992)
  • Frank Lotito
    Key Cast
    "Mario"
    The Doctor Blake Mysteries (TV Series) (2017); Broken Ghost (2017);The Lookalike (2014); Big Mamma's Boy (2011); Neighbours (TV Series) (2005); Samurai in the Backseat (Short) (2004);Yellow Brick Dreams (Short) (2004); The Secret Life of Us (TV Series) (2003)
  • Nick Caraffa
    Key Cast
    "Nello"
    Neighbours (TV Series) (1985-2016); Winners & Losers (TV Series) (2016); The Shumps (TV Series) (2013); Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (TV Series) (2012); Rush (TV Series) (2008); Blue Heelers (TV Series) (1996-2005); State Coroner (TV Series) (1997-1998); Halifax f.p. (TV Series) ( 1995-1997); Mission: Impossible (TV Series) (1990);Hungry Heart (1987);Prisoner (TV Series) (1986); Burke & Wills (1985)
  • Vincenzo D'Amico (aka Vince D'Amico)
    Key Cast
    "Angelo"
    Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (TV Series) (2015); Big Mamma's Boy (2011) The Kings of Mykonos (2010); The Sleepover Club (TV Series) (2003); Blue Heelers (TV Series) (1996-2003); Stingers (TV Series) 1996-2003); Let's Get Skase (2001); The Wog Boy (2000);
  • Luke Ryan
    Key Cast
    "Ron"
    The Doctor Blake Mysteries (TV Series) (2014); Dave's Dead (Short) (2012); Outland (TV Series) ( 2012); Cop Hard (TV Series) (2011); City Homicide (TV Series) ( 2010-2011); Bed of Roses (TV Series) ( 2011); Numurkah (Short) (2008)
  • Wayne Aistrope
    Cinematography
  • Brendan Young
    Editor
  • Catherine McQuade
    Music Score
  • Frank Lotito
    Executive Producer
    Broken Ghost (producer) (2017); Lean (Short) (producer) (2015); Good Ol' Boy (producer) (2015); The Lookalike (producer) (2014); Big Mamma's Boy (producer) (2011); Stefano's Cooking Paradiso (TV Series) (series producer - 2009) ;
  • Peter Miller
    Sound Designer
    Art in the Twenty-First Century (TV Series documentary) (sound - 1 episode) ( 2016); Walking with Dinosaurs 3D (sound effects editor) (2013); Adore (sound designer) (2013); Rango (sound designer) / (supervising sound editor) (2011); Needle (sound designer) ( 2010); Catch a Fire (sound editor) / (sound effects editor) (2006); Jindabyne (sound effects editor) (2006); In the Cut (sound designer) (2003); The Ring (sound designer) (2002)
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama, Crime, Thriller, Film Noir, Romance, Action, Suspense, Foreign Language
  • Runtime:
    28 minutes 30 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 2, 2018
  • Production Budget:
    16,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Australia
  • Country of Filming:
    Australia
  • Language:
    English, Italian
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital Arri Alexa 2K
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Black & White
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Amarcort Film Festival
    Rimini, Emilia-Romagna
    Italy
    November 16, 2018
    World Premiere
    Award: Migliore Interpretazione (Best Performances) A collective cast accolade.
  • LA Crime and Horror Film Festival
    Los Angeles, California
    United States
    November 17, 2018
    North American Premiere
    Award: Best Original Music Score
  • Rome Independent Prisma Awards
    Rome
    Italy
    December 4, 2018
    Semi-Finalist
  • Spello International Short Film Festival
    Spello, Umbria
    Italy
    February 26, 2019
    Regional premiere
    Official Selection
  • Independent Shorts Awards
    Los Angeles, California
    United States
    March 15, 2019
    Awards: Best Crime Film; Best Film Noir; Best Actress; Best Original Film Score
  • Golden State Film Festival
    Los Angeles, California
    United States
    March 26, 2019
    Official Selection
  • Indie Short Fest
    Los Angeles, California
    United States
    March 30, 2019
    Award: Best Film Noir; Nominee: Best Crime Film; Best Thriller, Best Action Film, Best Actress; Best Costume Design
  • WorldFest Houston International Film Festival
    Houston, Texas
    United States
    April 6, 2019
    Awards: Platinum REMI Award Suspense/Thriller - shorts; Platinum REMI Award Music Score - shorts
  • Arizona International Film Festival
    Tuscon, Arizona
    United States
    April 20, 2019
    Official Selection
  • Rochester International Film Festival
    Rochester, New York
    United States
    May 11, 2019
    Award: Shoestring Trophy
  • Georgia Shorts Film Festival
    Atlanta
    United States
    June 15, 2019
    Official Selection
  • Silicon Beach Film Festival
    Los Angeles, California
    United States
    June 17, 2019
    Nominee: Best Short Film
  • River Film Festival
    Padua
    Italy
    June 23, 2019
    Official Selection
  • IndieX Film Fest
    Los Angeles
    United States
    June 28, 2019
    Award: Best Supporting Actor ; Nominee: Best Actress; Best Crime Film
  • Jersey Shore Film Festival
    Deal, New Jersey
    United States
    June 28, 2019
    Award: Best International Short Film
  • Genre Celebration Festival
    Tokyo
    Japan
    June 27, 2019
    Japanese Premiere
    Award: Best Noir Short; Nominee: Best Cinematography, Best Music Score
  • Revelation Perth International Film Festival
    Perth, Western Australia
    Australia
    July 5, 2019
    Australian Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Hollywood South Film Festival
    Springfield, Kentucky
    United States
    July 5, 2019
    Awards: Best Actress - Short Film; Best Foreign Thriller Short Film (tied with Ordinary Everyday)
  • Florence Film Awards
    Florence
    Italy
    July 6, 2019
    Award: Best Director Short Film
  • Hollywood Blood Horror Festival
    Los Angeles, California
    United States
    July 6, 2019
    Awards: Best Actress; Best Crime Short
  • Miami Independent Film Festival
    Miami, Florida
    United States
    July 27, 2019
    Award: Best Short Narrative
  • Hollywood Verge Film Awards
    Los Angeles
    United States
    July 17, 2019
    Nominee: Best Short Film; Best Short Drama; Best Production Design; Best Actress
  • Venus Italian International Film Festival
    Las Vegas, Nevada
    United States
    July 30, 2019
    Awards: Best Actress- Short Film; Special Jury Award - Best Film Noir; Nominee: Best Director - International Short film
  • Moscow Shorts
    Moscow
    Russian Federation
    July 30, 2019
    Official Selection
  • San Antonio Film Festival
    San Antonio
    United States
    August 1, 2019
    Official Selection
  • South Film and Arts Academy Festival
    Rancagua, O'Higgins
    Chile
    August 18, 2019
    Awards: Best Crime Short Film; Best Lead Actress in A Short Film; Best Cinematography In A Short Film; Supporting Actor In A Short Film - Honorable Mention; Team Performance In A Short Film - Honorable Mention; Production In A Short Film - Honorable Mention; Costume Design In A Short Film - Honorable Mention;
  • GenreBlast IV - Film Fest & Script Contest
    Winchester, Virginia
    United States
    August 31, 2019
    Official Selection - Nominee: Best Actress - Short Film; Best Director Short Film; Best Short Film
  • Two Roads International Film Festival
    Brooklyn, New York
    United States
    September 7, 2019
    Awards: Best Short Film (Inspiration Competition); Best Actress; Best Writing; Best Period Piece; Best International Film - Nominations: Best Supporting Actor; Best Director (Inspiration Competition); Best Cinematography.
  • Oniros Film Awards
    Saint-Vincent, Valle d'Aosta
    Italy
    October 9, 2019
    Awards: Best Actress; Best Director; Best Noir Film, Best Thriller. Nomination: Best Short film
  • Apocalypse Later International Fantastic Film Festival
    Phoenix, Arizona
    United States
    October 13, 2019
    Official Selection
  • The Cutting Room International Short Film Festival NYC
    New York, New York
    United States
    October 20, 2019
    Awards: Best International Short Drama; Best International Actress - Nominations: Best International Actor; Best International Cinematography; Best International Director
  • Cardiff International Film Festival
    Cardiff, Wales
    United Kingdom
    October 26, 2019
    Official Selection
  • Short Film Factory
    Bucharest
    Romania
    November 1, 2019
    Award: Short Film Factory Festival Award
  • Weyauwega International Film Festival
    Weyauwega, Wisconsin
    United States
    November 15, 2019
    Official Selection
  • Reel East Texas Film Festival
    Kilgore, Texas
    United States
    November 15, 2019
    Nominee: Best Foreign Short Film
  • Creation International Film Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
    November 30, 2019
    Awards: Best In Show; Best Crime Drama- Short; Best Cinematography - Short; Best Lighting - Short; Best Sound Design - Short; Best Supporting Actor - Short.
  • Sound & Image Challenge International Festival
    Macau
    China
    December 9, 2019
    Nominee: Best Fiction.
  • X World Short Film Festival
    Rome
    Italy
    December 28, 2019
    Awards: Best Actress - Thriller; Best Actor - Thriller; Best Director Excellence - Thriller; Best Cinematography - Thriller; Best Poster - Thriller -- Nominations: Best Short - Thriller; Best Trailer
  • Feel The Reel International Film Festival
    Iasi
    Romania
    January 15, 2020
    Awards: (awarded on October 26th (Best Of The Fest ( Best Film); Best Screenplay; Best Actress; Nominations: Best Director; Best Cinematography; Best Music Score.
  • Flickerfest International Short Film Festival
    Sydney
    Australia
    January 15, 2020
    New South Wales premiere
    Official Selection
  • International Short Awards
    Cesena, Emilia-Romagna
    Italy
    January 29, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Dumbo Film Festival
    New York
    United States
    February 9, 2020
    Semi-Finalist
  • BEST ACTOR AWARD
    Aosta
    Italy
    February 22, 2020
    Award: Outstanding Performance - Daniela Farinacci (overall top honour)
  • New York Movie Awards
    New York
    United States
    February 23, 2020
    Awards: Best Short Film; Best Actress, Best Original Score and Honorable Mention- Production Design
  • Creation International Film Festival 2019-2020 Annual Gala Event
    Los Angeles
    United States
    February 26, 2020
    Screenings postponed - but awards given
    The Year Grand Champion. (overall winner Annual round up)
  • Prague International Indie Film Festival
    Prague
    Czech Republic
    March 10, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Manchester Film Festival
    Manchester
    United Kingdom
    March 12, 2020
    Manchester Premiere
    Offical Selection
  • Blast Off
    Los Angeles
    United States
    March 14, 2020
    Award: InkTip Award; Nominations: Best Lead Performance Short Film; Best Original Score
  • Capital City Film Festival
    Lansing, Michigan
    United States
    March 27, 2020
    (FESTIVAL POSTPONED! due to COVID-19)
    Official Selection
  • Five Continnents International Film Festival
    Lechería, Anzoategui
    Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
    May 3, 2020
    Best Thriller Short Film; Best Supporting Actor Short Film; Special Mention Director Short Film; Special Mention Lead Actress Short Film; Special Mention Production Short Film; Special Mention Costume Design Short Film; Special Mention Team Performance Short Film
  • Gold Movie Awards
    London
    United Kingdom
    May 21, 2020
    Awards: Best Short (April); Best Production Design (April)
  • St. Kilda Film Festival
    Melbourne
    Australia
    June 12, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Hollywood Gold Awards
    Los Angeles, California
    United States
    July 5, 2020
    Award: Best Director Short film - GOLD Award
  • CKF International Film Festival
    Swindon
    United Kingdom
    July 10, 2020
    Awards: Best Short Film of the Month; Best Actor ( Female Foreign); Best Director Short Film
  • Mindfield Film Festival - Albuquerque
    Albuquerque, New Mexico
    United States
    August 29, 2020
    Awards: Best Short Film - Diamond Award; Best Director - Diamond Award; Best Actor - Platinum Award; Best Actress - Diamond Award; Best Original Score - Diamond Award
  • Reale Film Festival
    Milan
    Italy
    July 25, 2020
    Award: Best Thriller
  • Kosice International Monthly Film Festival
    Košice
    Slovakia
    July 28, 2020
    Awards: Best Thriller Short Film; Best Actor Short Film; 2nd Best Director Short Film
  • Istanbul Film Awards
    Istanbul
    Turkey
    July 30, 2020
    Turkish Premiere - online only
    Awards: Best Thriller - Short Film; Best Actress - Short Film; Best Costume Design - Short Film
  • Bridge Fest
    Vancouver
    Canada
    July 29, 2020
    Award: Best Narrative Short Film - July
  • ConZealand Film Festival
    Wellington
    New Zealand
    August 1, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Venice Film Awards
    Venice
    Italy
    August 5, 2020
    Awards: Honourable Mention - Thriller Short Film; Honourable Mention - Costume Design
  • Vegas Movie Awards
    Las Vegas, Nevavda
    United States
    August 14, 2020
    Awards: Award of Excellence - Best Costume Design; Award of Excellence - Best Sound Design; Award of Prestige - Best Actress; Award of Merit - Best Director
  • Oniros Film Festival - ANNUAL COMPETITION 2020
    Saint-Vincent
    Italy
    August 22, 2020
    Awards: Best Short Film; Best Director - Short Film; Best Actress.
  • Mindfield Film Festival - Albuquerque - Annual Live Festival Event
    Albuquerque, New Mexico
    United States
    August 28, 2020
    Award: Best Foreign Short Film
  • TOP SHORTS
    Los Angeles
    United States
    August 30, 2020
    Awards: Best Film Noir; Honourable Mention: Director; Honourable Mention: Actress.
  • PARIS Play Film Festival
    Paris
    France
    September 10, 2020
    Finalist: Best Thriller
  • The Monthly Film Festival
    Glasgow, Scotland
    United Kingdom
    September 1, 2020
    Awards Best Film of the Month; Best Director of The Month; Best Actress of The Month; Best Editor of The Month; Nominations: Set Cinematographer of the Month; Best Original Score of the Month.
  • Los Angeles Motion Picture Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
    September 1, 2020
    Awards: Short Film: Best Actress - Gold Award; Short Film: Best Director - Silver Award; Short Film Best Picture - Gold Award;Best Film Score - Silver Award
  • New York International Film Awards
    New York, N.Y.
    United States
    September 6, 2020
    Awards: Best Director - Short; Best Thriller; Best Film Noir; Best Actress
  • Actors Awards
    Los Angeles, California
    United States
    September 9, 2020
    Awards: Best Actress; Best Actress in a Crime Film
  • Prague International Monthly Film Festival
    Pargue
    Czech Republic
    September 9, 2020
    Awards: Best Thriller; Best Actor Short Film; Best Trailer; Honorable Mention: Director Short Film
  • Royal Wolf Film Awards
    Los Angeles, California
    United States
    September 14, 2020
    Awards: Best Foreign Short - Platinum; Best Drama Short - Platinum; Best Action/Thriller - Platinum; Best Actress - Platinum; Best Actor - Platinum; Best Director - Short - Platinum; Best Original Music Score
  • Sicily Independent Film Awards
    Sicily
    Italy
    September 15, 2020
    Awards: Best Film; Best Directing; Best Actress; Best Actor; Best Cinematography; Best Edit
  • Flicks Monthly Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    September 18, 2020
    Awards: Best Short Film; Best Actor in A Short Film; Best Actress in A Short Film; Best Supporting Actor; Best Thriller Film; Best Crime Film; Best Costumes; Best Art Design
  • The Vision Splendid - Outback Film Festival
    Winton, Queensland
    Australia
    September 27, 2020
    Offical Selection
  • UK Monthly Film Festival
    Norwich, Norfolk
    United States
    October 1, 2020
    Offical Selection
  • Los Angeles Film Awards
    Los Angeles, California
    United States
    October 2, 2020
    Awards: Best Crime Film; Best Film Noir; Honorable Mention: Actress.
  • Amercian Golden Picture International Film Festival
    Jacksonville, Florida
    United States
    October 2, 2020
    Awards: Bet Short Fiction; Best Lead Actress; Best Lead Actor
  • Crystal Palace International Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    October 5, 2020
    Re-scheduled screenings - due to Covid-19 - London Premiere.
    Offical Selection
  • The Fargo Fantastic Film Festival
    Fargo, ND
    United States
    October 17, 2020
    Official Selection
  • South Eastern International Film Festival
    Nashville, Tennessee
    United States
    October 31, 2020
    Official Selection
  • L.A. Neo Noir Novel, Film, & Script Festival
    Los Angeles, California
    United States
    October 31, 2020
    Award: Best Film
  • Rome International Movie Awards
    Rome, Lazio
    Italy
    November 3, 2020
    Awards: Best Action Film; Best Actress; Best Sound Design; Best Original Score; Best Costume Design; Best Trailer
  • Pinnacle Film Awards
    Hollywood, California
    United States
    November 6, 2020
    Awards Best Short Narrative - Diamond Award; Best Director - Diamond Award; Best Actor - Diamond Award; Best Supporting Actor - Diamond Award; Best Actress - Diamond Award; Best Editing - Diamond Award; Best Cinematography - Diamond Award; Best Original Score - Diamond Award.
  • Hollywood International Golden Age Festival
    New York, N.Y.
    United States
    November 20, 2020
    Award: Honorable Mention.
  • Short Cine Fest

    India
    December 20, 2020
    Awards: Best Crime Film; Best Noir Film.
  • Berlin Flash Film Festival
    Berlin
    Germany
    December 1, 2020
    Award: Outstanding Achievement Award.
  • Golden Earth Film Award

    United Kingdom
    December 20, 2020
    Awards: Best Short Film; Best Female Actor.
  • Europe Film Festival U.K.
    London
    United Kingdom
    December 21, 2020
    Award: Best Horror/Mystery/Crime Short.
  • Queen Palm International Film Festival
    Palm Springs, California
    United States
    January 4, 2021
    Awards: Best Original Score - Silver Award; Best Costume Design - Silver Award; Best Supporting Actor - Short Film - Bronze Award; Best Short Film - Mystery/Thriller - Bronze Award.
  • Crown Wood International Film Festival
    Kolkata
    India
    January 17, 2021
    Awards: Best ShortFilm; Best Director; Best Actor (Male); Best Actor (Female); Best Music Score
  • Venice Shorts Film Awards
    Venice, CA
    United States
    January 31, 2021
    Awards: Best International Narrative; Best Script
  • The Indie Fest Film Awards
    La Jolla, CA
    United States
    February 2, 2021
    Awards: Outstanding Achievement Short Film; Award of Excellence - Actor - Leading; Award Of Excellence - Actress - Leading.
  • Cult Critic Movie Awards
    Kolkata
    India
    February 4, 2021
    Awards: Best Actor; Best Actress; Best Director; Best Film Score - Soundtrack; Best Supporting Actor; Best Crime Short, Outstanding Achievement award - Short Film.
  • Eastern Europe International Movie Awards
    Izmir
    Turkey
    February 28, 2021
    Awards: Best Actress - Platinum Award; Best Crime Short Film - Gold Award; Best Actor - Silver Award; Best Director - Silver Award
  • Virgin Spring CineFest
    Kolkata
    India
    March 10, 2021
    Awards: Best Director - Gold Award; Best Film Score - Gold Award; Best Actress - Silver Award; Best Actor - Silver Award; Best Cinematography - Silver Award; Best Sound Design - Silver Award; Best Crime Film - Silver Award; Best Short - Silver Award.
  • The Indie Gathering International Film Festival
    Cleveland, Ohio
    United States
    March 13, 2021
    Awards: Best Short Film; Best lead Actress - Short film; Best Supporting Actor - Short Film; Best Director - Short Film; Best Short Drama - Crime.
  • Latitude Film Awards
    London
    United Kingdom
    March 21, 2021
    Awards: Best Narrative Short - Silver Award; Best Directing - Silver Award; Best Lead Actress - Silver Award; Best Lead Actor - Silver Award; Best Supporting Actor - Silver Award; Best Costume Design - Silver Award.
  • London International Monthly Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    March 31, 2021
    Award: Best Production Design
  • Global Indie Film Festival
    Glasgow
    United Kingdom
    April 16, 2021
    Awards: Best Thriller; Best Actress.
  • Top Shorts Film Festival 7th Annual Awards 2021
    Los Angeles, C.A.
    United States
    June 15, 2021
    Award: Best Film Noir of the Year.
  • The Setting Sun Film Festival
    Yarraville, Victoria
    Australia
    June 18, 2021
    Awards: Best Film; Best West; Best Performance
  • American Golden Picture Internation Film Festival Annual Event 2021
    Jacksonville, FL
    United States
    June 26, 2021
    Official Selection
  • X World Film Short Film Festival - AOF Action On Film International Film Festival
    Las Vegas, Nevada
    United States
    July 27, 2021
    Official Selection
Distribution Information
  • BRENDAN YOUNG
    Country: Australia
    Rights: Internet, Theatrical
Director Biography - Brendan Young

Brendan began his filmmaking career armed with a Super 8 camera and a burning desire to shoot and make films. He also had a brief stint as a child actor, which included a small role in the Aussie movie grind-house classic “Mad Max”. Ultimately his real passion lay behind the camera.

Brendan graduated from the Australian Film Television and Radio School majoring in cinematography and film direction. His graduation film, the comedy sci-fi thriller, “Wild Planet” went on to win a number of local and international awards including the Gold Jury Prize at the Houston International Film Festival, The Red Ribbon at the American Film and Video Festival - San Francisco and Best Student Film at the Hof Film Festival in Germany.

Brendan was launched into a diverse filmmaking career which saw him working as cinematographer and editor on an array of award winning films, music videos, tvcs and promos, which then evolved into a successful career as a director working in film, television and commercials.

His relationship comedy short film, “Three Chords And A Wardrobe” was a hit on the international festival circuit including being voted “Best Australian short film” at the 1998 Sydney Film Festival as well as being theatrically distributed in the U.S. in select theatres and broadcast on the Sundance Channel along with a slew of international cable channel and broadcasters.
Brendan often combines his work as a TVC director with various filmmaking projects and television documentaries including directing episodes of the Southern Pictures/ABC TV series "Family Confidential" (2014). Writing and directing the AFI/ACTAA award-winning documentary for ABC TV Arts & Entertainment, “You Only Live Twice – The Incredibly True Story of The Hughes Family” (2010) His other broadcast documentary credits include: “The Two Donnies" – The Two Of Us” (SBS Independent, 2006); ”Love and Anarchy - The Wild World Of Jaime Leonarder” (SBS, 2002) And "Conspiracy" for the 10 Network/ Mystery Clock Cinema (1999).
Recently Brendan has been focusing on developing a slate of dramatic film projects including the noir crime-action- thriller, “The Widow” set in Melbourne in the early 1960s. Towards the end of 2018, a 30-minute short “proof of concept” version of the film was launched on to the international festival circuit and to date has collected more than 215 awards. "The Widow" is currently being developed into a 6-part limited drama series for streaming while Brendan continues to develop other feature and limited series TV projects. He's just pitched a 6 part crime-espionage-thriller set In Saigon, Vietnam in the volatile year of 1963 to HBO Asia called "Saigon '63: Violent City".

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

“The Widow” is the first step in creating a compelling, character-based crime film with a powerful emotional core. It’s a distillation of a planned feature version of the same material. The main intent in making the film is to help bolster interest and support for the feature version of “The Widow”. The film, however, is more than just a demo calling card; it’s an emotionally intense self-contained narrative. I still wanted to engage and captivate an audience, drawing them into the intimate and layered time-shifting drama of the film.

The film is set against a backdrop of real-life events taking place in Melbourne in the 1960s. The press labeled these events “The Market Murders” — a bloody and violent battle of opposing factions within the Calabrian ‘Ndrangheta (Mafia) to seize control of the lucrative produce industry. The group at the centre of this battle was known as “L’Onorata Societa" (The Honoured Society), an organisation with direct roots to crime gangs long established in villages scattered across Calabria in Italy.

The main character, Luisa, is based on an enigmatic woman who lived at the end of my street in the inner city Melbourne suburb, Brunswick. From the 50s to the mid-70s, Brunswick was mainly a working class, Southern European migrant enclave. The woman’s husband, a fruit and vegetable wholesaler, was allegedly gunned down at the Queen Victoria Markets (or so my parents told me). In a sense, the film is a kind of fever-dream imagining of what may have happened to her.

I was keen to make a film with a lead female character. Having a woman in her mid-40s in the lead role allows for a very different take on this almost exclusively male-centric crime genre. The focus is more on intimate relationships than criminality.

Luisa is beautifully realised by actor Daniela Farinacci in a very challenging role. Besides the obvious physical demands of the part - participating in the various stunts and on-camera action - Daniela learned to fluently speak regional Sicilian dialect, a language she’d never spoken before.

The use of language was part of an important goal in creating an authentic atmosphere. Besides recreating a period setting - dressing locations, sourcing wardrobe and motor vehicles, I wanted to faithfully recreate the language used within the Italian migrant community of the time. Though Luisa speaks Sicilian, the other characters speak to her in Calabrian. The dialogue employs 1960s, Melbourne-centric Siciliano and Calabrese dialects - often incorporating appropriated Aussie English words into the patois.

Shot in black and white, the monochrome palette and shooting style was inspired by 1960s French & Italian New Wave films with a crime theme: “Breathless”; “Don’t Shoot The Piano Player” and “Un Uomo Da Bruciare”; "L'assassino" to name a few. The other key influence is the revenge-fuelled, baroque style of '60s and '70s Spaghetti Westerns.

In spite of the ludicrously tight crowd-funded budget, I feel we were still able to create an evocative genre film blessed with nuanced performances, and offering an authentic window into a rarely explored aspect of Australian true crime history.