Blood and ash

Set in late 19th century outback Australia, this richly textured, contemplative short drama traces a young woman’s journey, both literal and metaphorical, into unknown terrain after the death of her mother. On her journey to find the river where she wants to scatter her mother’s ashes, Tilda (Maya Stange), grieving and vulnerable, becomes lost in the bush, where she undergoes a series of transformative encounters. Engaging with visual and thematic styles associated with the Western genre, the film employs archetypal motifs to make connections between the individual and the landscape. Cast also includes Rachel Maza, David Tredinnick and Suzy Cato.