by FilmInk Staff
A sellout crowd including the 40+ special guests of the NT Screen and Cinematic Craft Summit, local filmmakers, industry professionals and members of the public came together to roar with laughter at the World Premiere of Penelope McDonald’s The Long Drop, announced as winner of the Spark Short Film Initiative 2026.
Officially opening the summit with a Red Carpet event at VMAX Event Cinemas Palmerston, in partnership with the Darwin International Film Festival, the four Spark short films showcased talent and locations from across the Territory at the Red Carpet Event, with work from collaborative teams in Darwin (Laurens Goud’s With You), Alice Springs (The Long Drop and Bridget May’s Latch), and for the first and very memorable time, Katherine (Ethan Grahek’s Hardcase).
Leaning very far into the nation’s mildly uncomfortable relationship with long drop toilets, Penelope McDonald’s winning film tells a story celebrating female friendship and Australian rangers set against the vast, indifferent beauty of the Central Australian outback.
Starring Emily Taheny (Kangaroo, Sean Micallef’s Mad As Hell, Wendy in Bluey) and globally rising star Madeleine Madden (The Wheel of Time, Picnic at Hanging Rock, the upcoming Chasing Millions), The Long Drop is written and directed by Penelope McDonald, lensed by AACTA Award winning Cinematographer and Penny’s son Dylan River, and produced by McDonald andSamantha Alexis Naughton.
The Long Drop was filmed in Atherrke/Jessie Gap in the East MacDonnell Ranges on the lands of the Eastern Arrernte people, with permission from the Traditional Owners.
The Spark winner is determined by Screen Producers Australia, with the Jury remarking of the film: “Penny McDonald’s film is anchored by two wonderful performances by two fantastically talented women. The ever-present comic potential of a long drop is cleverly used to establish and explore this cross-generational connection.”
Screen Territory Senior Director Jennie Hughes said: “Congratulations to all the Spark Filmmakers for their hugely successful World Premieres, and to Penelope McDonald and Samantha Alexis Laugton for their wonderful and hilarious 2026 Spark winning film The Long Drop. The NT Screen and Cinematic Craft Summit guests from around the country and globe and the huge audience were both entertained and impressed with this showcase of the Territory and its talents, which opened the Summit. I think it speaks volumes to the standard of the films produced that they continued to feature in conversations both on and off the stage throughout the weekend’s events. While the Territory has been delivering hugely successful top line screen content, it is equally as important that new and emerging talent is strongly supported to develop into leading practitioners delivering the screen stories of the future.”
Writer, director, producer Penelope McDonald said: “I don’t have a big love for long drops, however I do have a real love for rangers and that’s where this story began. The genesis of this film was inspired by a true event involving rangers that got into my head and refused to leave. Thank you to Screen Territory, support from the Spark Short Film Initiative enabled us to make The Long Drop a reality. From the initial selection through to the sold-out Premiere event, it has been incredible to receive such backing to do something new, to write and direct a made up story based on truth. Thank you to SPA for this award, and congratulations to all the incredible Spark films.”
In further support of the winning filmmakers, producers Penelope McDonald and Samantha Alexis Laughton receive 2 full passes to attend Screen Forever 41 on the Gold Coast in May 2027.
All Spark cinematographers receive an annual membership to the Australian Cinematographers Society (ACS), thanks to additional support from Screen Territory.
The Spark Short Film initiative is designed to elevate early and mid-career filmmakers through hands-on development, industry mentorship, and a funded short film production. This year’s SPARK filmmakers were challenged to respond to the theme “In A Pickle”, with each of the four selected projects receiving $30,000 in production finance from Screen Territory, alongside bespoke support from Panavision Australia, KOJO and Trackdown. All four films were Executive Produced by Rachel Clements of Brindle Films (Kangaroo, MaveriX), with Greg Haddrick of Broadstory as Development Mentor, and through expert mentorship from faculty at the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS).
PENELOPE MCDONALD BIO
Penelope McDonald is an award-winning storyteller of screen stories living in Mbantua (Alice Springs) in the middle of Australia. A Directing and Producing graduate of AFTRS, she works across documentaries and narrative drama, focussing on stories stimulate reflection and change.
Her filmmaking career spans more than 35 years and includes as producer Audey Napanangka, Robbie Hood (Digital Original),Buckskin, SFF Foxtel Award 2013, My Mother India, Sff Dendy Award 2002, My Mother My Son, My Bed Your Bed SFF 1992, Night Cries Cannes in Competition 1990, and as director Audrey Napanangka, Too Many Captain Cooks, Travelling Warlpiris, Kamira: Pina Yanirlipa Ngurrarkurra, and the shorts Life On Earth As I Know It and for television Safe Home.
From 2004 to 2016, she was the inaugural director of Screen Territory. During her tenure, she ensured support for feature films Sweet County, Rogue, Ten Canoes, Australia, Samson & Delilah, Balibo, Charlie’s Country and Last Cab To Darwin, the television series Double Trouble, 8MMM Aboriginal Radio, and the documentaries Blown Away, Croker Island Exodus, Big Name No Blanket, and the series Yarning Up.
She is passionate about telling female-led stories and collaboration and skill sharing with emerging generations of creatives in the centre of Australia.
SPARK FILMS 2026
Director, writer, producer Bridget May’s LATCH stars Pedrea Jackson as a hit man out of his depth in the outback with body in the boot and his sleeve caught in the latch when along comes a park ranger, played by Trisha Morton-Thomas, who stops to help. The slow-burn dark comedy has cinematography by Dylan River.
Director, writer, producer Laurens Goud’s WITH YOU stars NT newcomer Claudia Wyles alongside Georgina Haig and Josh Mapleston, as a teenage girl, unseen by her overwhelmed parents in the moment she most needs them. Coming apart on a remote Northern Territory road she must find her own way back, alone, from deep in the bush. Co-written and produced by Phil Tarl Denson with cinematography by Jayden Moyle.
Director, writer, producer Ethan Grahek’s HARDCASE stars and Amelia Aberasturi as a young ex-scientist fleeing her own invention jumps who into a taxi with a very reluctant, sharp-witted indigenous driver, Kamahi King, hiding a deadly secret. Produced by Grahek with Bridget May and Connor Manzie with cinematography by Tor Burns.
Director, writer, producer Penelope McDonald’s THE LONG DROP stars Madeleine Madden and Emily Taheny in a grounded comedy about dignity, friendship, the strange situations life drops us into and the unexpected insight that can emerge when we find ourselves stuck at rock bottom. Produced by Penelope McDonald and Samantha Alexis Laughton with cinematography by Dylan River.
