About this submission

In the New South Wales countryside, an immigrant farmhand, seemingly content, plots his escape from forced servitude by leveraging his relationship with a farmer's son. The stark contrast between Matteo's verbal descriptions and the actual state of his life unfolding visually highlights a story of abuse, wage slavery and racism – an unconventional short film exposing modern slavery taking place under the radar on Australian farms. In close consultation with human rights experts, our film seeks to portray some of the troubling stories of internationals who come to Australia through the infamous Working Holiday Maker (WHM) program.

Jack Zimmerman

Creator

Jack Zimmerman is an American-Australian filmmaker primarily based in Gadigal Land / Sydney. His films have screened at numerous Oscar and BAFTA-qualifying festivals, and is the recipient of a Young Directors Award. His upcoming projects included a short documentary about the AIDS Crisis, narrated by Oscar-nominated actor Guy Pearce, and a sci-fi environmental drama short starring Joe Bird (star of Neon's upcoming Leviticus). His films have received widespread national coverage in Australia with features in The Sydney Morning Herald, ABC, and The Age. In addition to filmmaking, Jack also has experience in development, having spent time at Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine. more...