by FilmInk Staff
At just 15 years old, Indigenous Australian filmmaker Charli Fletcher is making waves on the national stage. Her supernatural horror short Don’t Ignore Me is officially in contention for the AACTA Award for Best Short Film, positioning her among the youngest filmmakers ever considered.
Shot entirely on an iPhone, Don’t Ignore Me tells the story of a young girl’s dangerous descent into digital obsession, where the line between screen and reality begins to collapse. The film is as unsettling as it is timely, reflecting anxieties at the heart of modern life.
What sets the project apart is the team behind it. Over 85% of the cast and crew are female, Indigenous, neurodivergent, or culturally diverse. The lead actor is on the autism spectrum, and several crew members are also neurodivergent. Their lived experiences contributing to the storytelling, ensuring representation wasn’t tokenistic but truly embedded in the creative process.
“This film is about the fears we carry quietly and our attachment to our phones and how it shapes us,” says director Charli Fletcher. “I wanted to make a horror story that feels uncomfortably real, while proving that young people, especially Indigenous and neurodivergent creatives, belong at the centre of Australian cinema.”
Producer Raymond Mendez adds, “Charli is part of a new generation of filmmakers redefining what’s possible. Don’t Ignore Me shows that you don’t need big budgets to make award winning work, you need vision, courage, and diverse voices driving the story.”
The film has already achieved significant recognition, winning Best Film at SF3, Inner West Film Festival, Tuesday of Horror (Germany) and Inner West Youth Film Festival, alongside awards for Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Editing. It screened at Flickerfest (an Oscar and BAFTA qualifying festival), Peninsula Film Festival, and internationally in Japan, Israel, New York and San Diego.
The film is a chance to witness the rise of a remarkable new voice in genre cinema. One that is proudly youth led, inclusive, and already leaving its mark on the global stage.
Now available for viewing on AACTA TV, Don’t Ignore Me is building momentum as voting season approaches.
