by FilmInk Staff
An intimate and hopeful portrait of healing, identity and the transformative power of tattoo art
Cover Up, a powerful new short documentary directed by Western Australian filmmaker Catherine Young, has been announced as an Official Selection of the Revelation Perth International Film Festival 2026.
The film follows Fernando, a Sydney-based tattoo artist specialising in tattooing over self-harm scars, as he works with Caitlin, a young queer woman seeking to reclaim ownership of her body and future. Through a deeply personal tattoo session, both confront painful truths about mental health, survival and hope.
Set within the intimacy of Fernando’s tattoo studio, Cover Up unfolds through compassionate and emotionally honest conversations. As Caitlin shares the story behind her scars, Fernando reveals his own ongoing mental-health struggles, creating a moving portrait of vulnerability, empathy and resilience.
Fernando’s work goes beyond tattooing, offering care, understanding and a pathway toward healing for people carrying visible reminders of difficult periods in their lives.
“You’re not by yourself. Everybody makes mistakes. Everybody has terrible days but you should always go looking for help,” says Fernando in the film.
Caitlin reflects on her own recovery with hope and honesty:
“There’s always hope at the other end, even when you don’t think that there is.”
The documentary arrives amid growing awareness of self-harm and youth mental health in Australia, where more than 24,000 intentional self-harm hospitalisations occur each year, with young people disproportionately affected.
By centring compassion, connection and recovery, Cover Up aims to challenge stigma surrounding self-harm and mental illness while highlighting the importance of seeking support.
Blending intimate vérité filmmaking with emotionally resonant storytelling, the documentary offers audiences a deeply human reminder that healing is possible.
Logline
Fernando, a tattoo artist specialising in covering up self-harm scars, confronts his own mental health challenges while helping Caitlin, a young queer woman wearing the scars of her past, reclaim her body through the transformative power of a single tattoo.
Synopsis
In this deeply human and hopeful story, Brazilian tattoo artist Fernando opens his doors to Caitlin, a young woman haunted by the self-harm scars on her body.
As Fernando gently works to transform her scars into art, Caitlin begins to share the pain of her past. Through tender, empathetic conversations, both confront their own wounds: Caitlin seeks to reclaim and heal her body, while Fernando wrestles with his own mental-health struggles.
Festival Selection
Official Selection Revelation Perth International Film Festival 2026
Screening
Luna Palace Cinemas
Sunday 12th July; 11am
Saturday 18th July; 10am
