by FilmInk Staff
The emerging filmmaker discusses her short film Run, Baby, which recently premiered at Monster Fest.
This is a very bold and ambitious short film, especially for a debut! What inspired you to write this story?
“The inspiration for Run, Baby came from wanting to explore the complexities of motherhood and family dynamics. I’ve been exposed to many women struggling with perinatal depression, including my own mother. I wanted to examine what happens when a woman feels trapped in her role as a mother, without support, and contemplates leaving.
“I was influenced by ‘70s films like Rosemary’s Baby, particularly in not having a typical happy ending. I wanted to explore the grey areas of motherhood—the idea that you can’t always be perfect.
“The handyman character was inspired by a personal experience with a persistent handyman who wouldn’t leave our house. I thought this would create an interesting obstacle for a woman seeking escape.
“The film also reflects my observations of young couples navigating parenthood and cultural expectations. Coming from an Italian immigrant background, I wanted to explore the pressure to achieve stability through homeownership and traditional family roles.
“The house in the film is almost a character itself, representing the facade of perfection that often hides the reality of struggling relationships. Through this story, I wanted to dissect how people can lose themselves in roles they may not have truly chosen, much like I observed in my own parents.”
What was the process from script to screen? How did you assemble the crew, raise funds, and get it finished?
“Once I presented the script to our producer Rachael Marrow, the process was quite seamless. She connected me with Amy Dellar, our cinematographer [left], and we instantly clicked. The crew grew from there, and I feel incredibly grateful for the team we were able to assemble. Everyone had such a supportive energy on set. Even in post-production, we had Crayon jump on board to do our colouring as well as Dead On Sound to do our sound mixing.
“We did raise funds via The Australian Cultural Fund, which definitely raised awareness for the film and helped with our post-production costs, but this project was predominantly self-funded.”
Was there anything that changed from the script to the finished film? Anything that changed on set or during the edit?
“Yes, notably what I now refer to as the rotations. When the handyman begins to demand certain items to nourish himself (e.g., a drink, food), I had initially written it in a much more comedic style with quick cuts and a fast pace. However, during pre-production, while working with Amy, our cinematographer, we decided to create a sense of being on a merry-go-round, with a slow, eerie progression to depict the passage of time and the dizziness and spiralling nature of what is happening to the protagonist, Elena.
“It’s interesting to note that with Run, Baby, both Amy and I agreed the film had a mind of its own. In post-production, my editor and I discovered that within the rotations and that feeling of losing control, we glimpse flashbacks of the moment that propelled Elena to make the decision to escape, to not settle for a marriage and role that drains her. The effect is as though she is being haunted by the life she lived, and the armour she wore to survive is stripped away; she burns it to the ground as soon as the rotations end.
“Our sound design and composer were imperative in enhancing this very expressionistic element of the film.
“The viewer is presented with this enigmatic woman who’s trying to escape, yet this handyman appears as a huge roadblock and obstacle that begins to grate on Elena’s nerves. There is an element of questioning whether he is a manifestation of Elena’s deepest anxieties and nightmares.”
How has your experience as an actor influenced your style of directing?
“Being an actor allows me to have the capacity to hold space for the actors I work with. I find that any potential barrier disappears from the get-go. Communication is vital as a director, as is language, and this is something I understand on a cellular level. When collaborating with actors, my background is such an asset. I have a deep understanding of how to interpret an actor’s needs, even if they are non-verbal, reading their behaviours and finding ways to support their individual requirements.
“For example, in Run, Baby, both Alessandra and Adam, who have theatre backgrounds, executed the 360-degree continuous shot seamlessly due to embracing the rehearsal process and exploration. Having trained in improvisation as well, there is a level of play that I embrace. That’s why “rehearsal” is so important to me and probably a defining factor of my process as a director and my style. I love to provide space for spontaneity and discovery, moment to moment, and this is something I do as an actor as well.”
What was the greatest lesson you learned from making your debut short film?
“The greatest lesson I learned was to ensure everyone on set is valued and knows how essential they are. Collaboration is key. Every day on set, no matter what, my producer Rachael Marrow and I would welcome everyone, and I would ensure I knew everyone’s name. It takes a village and a community to create something magical on screen, and I truly felt that way. I’m also completely open to ideas and suggestions, and I found that by creating an environment where people felt supported and safe, there was no need for egos or holding back. I’m not precious, and I learned that about myself and how energising it is to be on set with such gifted and talented individuals in service of one main goal: to visually create this living, breathing story.”
What’s next for you in writing, directing or acting?
“I’m currently working on two short films, one specifically explores family dynamics and the lies we tell one another, it’s definitely a dark comedy and builds upon stylistic things I discovered while filming Run, Baby. The other one explores the relationship between a woman and child from differing worlds and the importance of connection when life seems to be going nowhere. I have a feature in development that is inspired by a traumatic event I experienced at an International Airport. Also, I just wrapped on Adrian Ortega’s sophomore feature film, Westgate, where I play the lead character Netta!”
