Matthew Richards

First Contact

Matthew Richards

Ian Harry, Isabel Macmaster

Living on the edge of a giant, remote salt lake, a father and daughter eke out a frugal existence in self-imposed exile. Their calm yet monotonous world is shattered with the discovery of a mysterious stranger. On the verge of death, the mans' arrival throws them into conflict, stirring up fears and forcing them to confront the very things they've been hiding from. First Contact not only tells a story of family but also raises questions to do with the fear of change and Australia's attitudes of race, origin and immigration.

Hombres Hablando

Matthew Richards

Dan Purdey, Matthew Rainey

Two men, Jackson and Pollack, meet at a bar, the purpose unclear.

The Disappearance of Willie Bingham

Matthew Richards

Kevin Dee, Gregory J. Fryer

Progressive Amputation is introduced as a new form of punishment for particularly heinous crimes, in this pitch-black social satire by Matt Richards.

Rabbit

Matthew Richards

Emily Wheaton, Nicholas Denton

Abandoned by his parents and harboring a grim family secret a damaged young teen is faced with a difficult choice when he brings his foreign girlfriend into the family home.

Automata

Matthew Richards

Christina Clar, Tom McCathie

Automata is the eerie, black-humoured story of Henry, the last in a long line of duck hunters. The film examines the connection between hunter and prey and obsession in the face of extinction. It posits the question 'what would happen to someone at the tipping point; the moment where they are directly responsible for the extinction of an entire species' Duck hunting in Australia is a very contentious issue and every year hunters and protesters clash. The experimental side is evidenced with the lack of dialog, non-linear narrative and a 'score' by Belgian sound designer Christina Clar. The majority of the sound tracking and design was completed before the edit in Australia, thus reversing the usual process. The sound post production was completed in Brussels and includes recordings from deep within remote caves.

Beginner's Luck

Matthew Richards

Stuart Amos, Max Collins

Dwarfed by the dusty wheat fields of a remote farm, two mischievous boys barrel down the dirt driveway with a sticky accelerator, leaving a trail of destruction as they head towards the farmhouse where an unsuspecting Dad bakes a birthday cake. Furiously giving chase in a giant tractor is Mum.

A Night of Horror: Nightmare Radio

Joshua Long, Matthew Richards

Clara Kovacic, James Wright

Rod leads a radio show dedicated to horror. Until suddenly the announcer begins to receive strange calls from a child who desperately asks for help. At first thinks that it is a bad joke until he discovers that this is not the case. These calls hide a dark secret…

Grave Intentions

Matthew Richards, Jaime Snyder

Astarte Abraham, Johanah Basanta

In this anthology of chills, thrills, and kills, a practitioner of the magical arts teaches the basics of her craft. The most important lesson? You must be mindful of your intention. Five of her customers are about to learn this the hard way: A woman looking to change her luck gets ensnared in a dangerous game; In the quest for justice, a man is transformed into a monster; In an attempt to right a wrong, a woman rescues a stray cat; A father and son are torn apart when a joke goes too far; A young girl needs protection from the demons in her life.

Shackle

Matthew Richards

Shackle is the tale of Robert, recently separated and about to begin the journey of sobering up during a long night of self observation in the local lock-up.