by FilmInk Staff
Discovery Award Nominee “best debut feature” Raindance Film Festival
“Rising paranoia and absurdist humour collide to create an entertaining and unashamedly Aussie comedy horror” The Hollywood News
“Great performances and fantastic writing…” Cut to the Take
“This inventive Aussie indie is an entertaining, genre-bending ride, both wickedly funny and unsettling. Snatchers offers a darkly comic cautionary tale about desperation and consequence, proving an indie film can say plenty without taking itself too seriously.” Diego Migliorini
The Australian dark comedy feature film SNATCHERS has arrived! The debut feature film from married duo Craig Alexander and Shelly Higgs had its world premiere at Raindance Film Festival this past June with a nomination for “Best Debut Feature”. Reviews have hailed the film as “unashamedly Aussie”, “entertaining” and “darkly comic” with the film set for an Australian premiere this Spring.
Raindance Film Festival is the largest independent film festival and was held from June 18th in London. SNATCHERS had its world premiere Saturday, the 21st of June at Vue Piccadilly with a Q&A following the screening. The film follows a pair of lifelong friends and hospital orderlies trying to make a quick buck in the organ-selling trade. They’re thrown a curveball when a corpse wakes up on the operating table, with comedic chaos the result.
“It was a great experience to premiere at a film festival that champions bold, unapologetic storytelling – as this is exactly the spirit in which Snatchers was made. Audiences responded to the humour, the social commentary and the theatricality of the storytelling.” Said Shelly Higgs, Producer.
Starring Craig Alexander (THE SILENT SERVICE, MURDER IN THE OUTBACK), Justin Hosking (CRIME & PUNISHMENT, THE BROKEN SHORE) with Hannah McKenzie (LOVE FOREVER), SNATCHERS is a dark comedy film with a deeper message. Co-Directed and produced by husband and wife duo Craig Alexander and Shelly Higgs the film intertwines irreverence, humour, and vibrant characters to deliver a thrilling experience with a distinct social conscience. At its core, the film confronts the issue of exploitation, shedding light on the harsh reality of a late-stage capitalist society where the working class bears the brunt of inequality, whilst examining the inherently toxic structures that perpetuate the class divide.
“It’s been a long journey and a lot of blind faith to get through to this point when pretty much everything says it’s not going to happen.” Said Craig Alexander, Writer, Director, Producer and Editor. “You really just have to see it through and hope for the best – this is a validation of that journey.”
Beyond the socio-political commentary, SNATCHERS is a profound, and often hilarious, examination of friendship, showcasing the secrets we protect, the sacrifices we make, and the fragile bonds that hold us together. Raindance Film Festival is the largest independent film festival in the UK based in the heart of London’s buzzing West End film district. The Festival is officially recognised by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences USA, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts and the British Independent Film Awards, making this a very special selection for this Indie Aussie feature.
The film has been shot with 90% Canberra crew and filmed entirely in the capital city with SNATCHERS delivering (ironically) a wickedly entertaining tale of greed, deception and the raw unpredictability of human. The film is a rollercoaster ride filled with unexpected twists, dark humour and a chilling game of survival. Produced by Canberra-based production company The Horse, SNATCHERS was made on a small budget but packs a big comedy punch and will have its world premiere in London. Screen Inc has recently been appointed as distributor and will release the film in Australia this coming Spring.
