Grayton Hevern

Late at night, illuminated by their computer screens, young men are being radicalised into a misogynistic, hateful and ultimately violent community. Pitch Black takes us inside the claustrophobic worlds of three young men who fell down the ‘incel’ rabbit hole at an early age and are at various stages of recovery. Mark and Luke now claim to be ex-incels and are trying to shed their destructive mindset – but have their beliefs really changed, or are echoes of a hateful ideology still ringing out? Aaron is on the opposite path: full of self-loathing and rage, he lives in a bleak reality that revolves around filming self-destructive ‘blackpill’ vlogs in his car.

All Andrew wants is a change of scenery, but his grimy new St Kilda apartment has other ideas.

In a used-car yard lives Tony, a wacky, waving inflatable-tube man, who dreams of being more than just an advertising gimmick. Spending his days flapping in the wind and peeking in the office window, Tony is mesmerised by a commercial for an all-new, shiny red convertible. Whisked away by his imagination, he dreams of a world beyond his own and a life behind the wheel. As time moves on, Tony becomes as tired and worn as the used-car yard. But when the car he’s longed for finally arrives in the dealership, Tony is forced to break his limits to protect his dream from a group of thieves.

Film student Patrick Atallah has a problem on his hands: his graduation documentary was cancelled at the last moment, so he has just one day in a studio to make an entire, fully realised film. What’s the film going to be about now? He doesn’t know, but he’s hoping to find it along the way. To do this, he invites five of his closest friends to the studio to help him come up with some interesting ideas.

Ruby has started a business baking cakes from home. At the last minute, she has been tasked with creating the centrepiece cake at a friend’s wedding. Now, along with her aloof partner Tom, she must navigate a broken-down car, dismissive parents, unhelpful friends and other obstacles in order to make it to the wedding on time.

When Jade’s oldest and dearest friend begins to prioritise the needs of someone new at their weekly social netball game, her deepest fear of losing the friendship begins to consume her. While the teams wait for the harsh winter rain to ease so they can resume their game, Jade aggressively attempts to win back her status during a seemingly friendly, low-stakes card game.

A headstrong trans teenager is propelled into their hangover when a reckless decision to have sex without a condom triggers an urgent need for the ‘morning after’ pill.

Inside a den fortified to keep people out, Josh finds himself trapped with four unstable drug dealers and a possessed bag of meth. An ancient evil with a proclivity for gratuitous acts of violence makes its way through the whacked-out inhabitants, one by one. As eyeballs are pulled out and throats are slit around him, Josh realises that, to survive, he must claw, cut and burn his way out.

976 lives in a cube: three sides concrete, one side glass. Every day, two scientists test on and torture him, physically and mentally. 976’s capabilities steadily improve, to the point that he desires freedom and acquires the means to achieve it. He devises an escape from this sinister facility, but when he acts on his grand plan, he discovers the truth behind the experiment he is part of.

A man trying to propose to his girlfriend is blindsided by the telepathic accusations of a childhood teddy bear.

Follows Yo, Siyuan and Mia, three young women who, using the mobile application Replika, have formed romantic relationships with virtual partners. This short documentary captures the richness of these bonds, from philosophical questions to intimate moments to the real sense of security and companionship afforded by these artificially intelligent lovers.

Follows a group of young Australians who stutter as they take part in a 10-week performing arts program to create a unique theatre piece, which they’ll perform for family and friends.

Arguably Russia’s most famous folk song, Dark Eyes has captured hearts around the world for the past 100 years. This portrait explores the song’s somewhat controversial history, its musical versatility and its cultural relevance. Performances by Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Liberace, a 13-piece orchestra and a Russian folk group make it clear why Dark Eyes has stood the test of time.

A 17 minute portrait documentary film that explores one woman’s lived experiences as a survivor of domestic violence and homelessness, told with humour and heart.

Sally leads ‘Woodend Community Bags’ - a group of unlikely activists fighting against single-use plastics by sewing reusable bags. Faced with a global pandemic, how will the group confront the new challenges that brings with it?

With a career spanning well over a decade in the bloodiest, most violent subgenre of pro wrestling, David "Gweedo" Brown reflects on his time as a deathmatch wrestler.

Frankie and Charlie have moved to a tiny house. They regret it. It’s Christmas Eve. Frankie is miserable. Charlie’s organised a festive family lunch. Then Charlie finds a disoriented cockatiel by the river. She tucks him into a box and brings him inside. Little do they know – this bird has its own agenda. Nobody seems to notice something strange has started falling from the sky.