by FilmInk Staff
Gold Coast actor-writer-producer Sarah Huston and award-winning director Cameron Zayec celebrated the completion of their evocative new short film The Brutal Alchemy of Water at a special cast and crew screening this week.
The film, which explores themes of grief, trauma, and guilt, is a mind-bending cinematic journey into the psyche of Quinn, an inmate struggling to navigate the suffocating confines of prison while coping with the loss of her girlfriend.
Huston, who plays Quinn in the lead role of the film, is joined by an ensemble cast including acclaimed Australian actor Bryan Probets (Furiosa, Pirates of the Caribbean, Boy Swallows Universe), alongside rising talents, Shonee Samia, Allyson Henson, Lucy London, Shanay De Marco, and Chloe Botha who also composed the film’s original score.
The cast and crew screening — which included a Q&A panel hosted by Queensland director Mairi Cameron — took place at HOTA, Home of the Arts on the Gold Coast. The venue is also gearing up to host the 2025 AACTA Awards and Festival in February.
Zayec is no stranger to an awards ceremony, having recently won at the Sony Catchlight Film Festival 2024 for his Queen of Sin music video, which also earned him a nomination for an Australian Directors Guild Award. His first short film Rainbow also took home the Golden Tripod in the short film category at the ACS National Awards.
“We’re excited to attend this years AACTA Awards and Festival,” says Zayec. “It’s a great opportunity to connect with other filmmakers and celebrate the booming film industry right here in South East Queensland. There is so much local talent in this industry both in front and behind the camera and I think our film really highlights that.”
Thanks to a partnership with Australian clean energy supplier, Jungle Power, the production was able to shoot in a remote location while also minimising its environmental footprint. “We wanted to show that sustainable and conscious filmmaking is possible even on a small budget,” says Huston. “We were very ambitious with our vision for The Brutal Alchemy of Water and thanks to partnerships like this we were able to realise that vision while also looking out for the environment.”
The production was supported by the Regional Arts Development Fund through the City of Gold Coast and received additional funding through the Australian Cultural Fund, with generous support from donors who shared the filmmakers’ passion for bringing the story to life.
The Brutal Alchemy of Water will join the film festival circuit this year with premiere dates to be announced.
