by FilmInk Staff
What does it mean to keep going when no-one believes in you?
Eyes Like Diamonds follows passionate conservationist Neil Waters on his relentless mission to prove the Tasmanian Tiger still exists.
Once celebrated, now ridiculed, Neil’s decade-long search through the Tasmanian wilderness becomes as much a story of redemption and belief as it is about science and survival.
Through Neil’s journey, the film explores the ethics of extinction, the limits of evidence, and the enduring human need to find purpose in something greater than ourselves.
Production Team
Shot in beautiful Tasmania on a shoestring budget with a crew of three – director Jonathon Buckland, producer Holly Fraser and Cinematographer Gourav Gandhi, this passion project has been submitted to upcoming film festivals in Australia, and will be touring through Australia from October onwards, with a sneak preview in Adelaide on the 27th of April. This is the debut feature production for Jonathon and Holly (Alchemy Films Australia).
Directors Statement
Eyes Like Diamonds began in 2021, when headlines emerged about Neil Waters and his claim of capturing trail-cam evidence of the Thylacine. What stood out wasn’t the controversy, but Neil himself — his conviction, passion and belief in something larger. His unconventional approach and frustration with academic boundaries revealed a persuasive determination that drew me in.
Meeting Neil in 2022 revealed a more complex person than the headlines suggested — thoughtful, spiritual, and deeply self-aware. As he shared his personal journey, the film shifted beyond the question of whether the Thylacine exists, becoming a meditation on belief, resilience, and the search for meaning.
This film is a true passion project, made possible through the generosity of a network of fellow filmmakers who contributed their time and talents as favours along the way. Without that support, it simply wouldn’t exist. Ultimately, Eyes Like Diamonds is a story about hope and perseverance to keep going when the world tells you to stop.
