by Dov Kornits
What’s your story?
“I was born and raised in Melbourne, where I predominantly worked as a singer. I sang with a few electro/house bands including Digital Raccoons and Dirty Laundry before leaving for the UK in 2008. I was interested in pursuing work on screen, but wasn’t finding the opportunities I hoped for in Oz. We hadn’t seen the push for diversity that we are seeing now and I felt like there would be more opportunity for me in the UK. I didn’t last very long in the UK. I am not a beanie and scarf kinda gal. After 6 months, I hopped on a plane to LA to thaw out and never left.
“I started out in a coupe of different bands, but I pretty quickly found myself enrolling at an acting studio and seeking representation. My coach was a huge advocate of indie film and encouraged all their students to create their own projects. I wrote my first short film in 2010 and haven’t stopped writing since. I started Thornbyrd Films in 2021 and Healed is our first feature film.”
What’s the style of the film, what’s the message?
“I wrote Healed in 2020-2021 and we filmed it at the tail end of the pandemic. I wrote and performed all of the songs that are featured in the film, and I also play Jazz, who is essentially our protagonist. I had something to do with most departments, including catering. Catering was more of a necessity than a choice but every person that worked on this film can attest that I cook a mean meal! We lost our production manager and our caterer while we were filming overnights in a secluded area. It was a mess and there were a couple of nights where I cooked dinner while running my lines. But, a producer’s gotta do what a producer’s gotta do. My crew had to eat!
“Healed is what some might call a “social thriller”. It’s a queer themed psychological thriller that uses genre to address two key issues affecting our socio-political climate, which is the pervasive nature of Tech and the question of free will.
“I’m interested in writing films that pull from the zeitgeist and prod at people’s emotions and hopefully sparks conversation.”
What’s happening in the future, in terms of creating projects/acting, etc?
“2023 has been a bit of a wash, I’m afraid [due to the actors’ and writers’ strikes]. As far as producing is concerned, Thornbyrd has partnered with Thaumatrope Films to develop a collection of 5 horror films (Features) that we plan to shoot in 2024. I’m also developing a few different television concepts for both Australia and the US.”
Healed is screening at the Melbourne Queer Film Festival on 12 November 2023
