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Thomas's Existential Crisis

A beloved tank engine questions his place in the world.

A surprisingly touching 'Thomas & Friends' parody by Australian comedy duo Cheeky Moon.

"Brilliantly clever comedy writing" - Brisbane Stage

  • Claire Coe
    Key Cast
    "Percy"
  • Alastair Craig
    Key Cast
    "Thomas"
  • Jim Reynolds
    Key Cast
    "Narrator"
  • Sarah Petrasiunas
    Key Cast
  • Brian Loewe
    Director of Photography
  • Zander Hulme
    Music
  • Claire Coe
    Director
  • Alastair Craig
    Director
  • Claire Coe
    Writer
  • Alastair Craig
    Writer
  • Project Type:
    Short, Web / New Media
  • Genres:
    Comedy, Sketch Comedy, Parody, Dark Comedy
  • Runtime:
    4 minutes 25 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 21, 2016
  • Country of Origin:
    Australia
  • Country of Filming:
    Australia
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Simply Shorts (Comedy Edition)
    Brisbane
    Australia
    September 12, 2016
    Runner-Up Audience Choice
  • Funny or Die

    August 17, 2018
    Featured Short
  • AltFF Alternative Film Festival
    Toronto
    Canada
    September 17, 2018
    Finalist - Best Writer, Finalist - Best Comedy
  • London International Motion Pictures Awards - LIMPA
    London
    United Kingdom
    May 22, 2019
    Official Selection
  • New York International Films Infest Festival
    New York
    United States
    October 28, 2018
    Official Selection, Best Fiction Short Film
Director Biography - Claire Coe, Alastair Craig

Claire Coe & Alastair Craig are a writing and filmmaking duo in Brisbane, Australia, best known for their work as sketch comedy group Cheeky Moon.

Their stories celebrate the "giddy, imaginative and surprisingly touching", from Thomas the Tank Engine’s existential fears to the complex temporal physics of '90s pop lyrics.

They can also be found regularly on Brisbane stages, with their live Metro Arts shows "Shore Whimsy" (2017) and "Lickety Split" (2018) both playing to sell-out audiences and rave reviews. They are currently developing their third hourlong stage show alongside several unannounced long-form projects.

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Director Statement

This short was originally written for the stage for Big Fork Theatre, and has been a huge audience favourite since its debut in 2015. Its earliest video incarnation remains our most-viewed work to date, with 25,000+ views across YouTube, Facebook and Funny or Die (where it was chosen as a featured short in 2018).

This new edit, created especially for the film festival circuit, includes new original music by Brisbane composer Zander Hulme.