Short Film

Nineteen Ninety Nine

Name: Nineteen Ninety Nine
Genre: Short Film

Directed by Grace Uther

AFIN 2020 Semi-Finalist

2020
12m
Australia
English
Thriller
Comedy

Australian

View My AFIN →

Stills

2 frames

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Credits

Written by

Grace Uther

Produced by

Starring

Synopsis

A young woman senses something sinister is happening at a party on New Years’ Eve 1999. Should she stay and hope she's wrong, or risk trying to get home at midnight? Amongst the hype of the new millennium and fear of the Y2K apocalypse, getting through the night is not going to be easy.

Director's Statement

Grace Uther, filmmaker portrait provided to AFIN.

Nineteen Ninety Nine is a dark comedic thriller following a young woman as she finds herself in a disturbing situation at a party: should she leave before the danger escalates? Or is she being paranoid? What would be the safest decision anyway? How can she know there's not another threat lurking around the corner? Based on a time I was followed 20 years ago, I wrote this film in response to frustration that still today 'victim blaming' is so frequently thrown around in response to violence against women. These terrifying situations are so commonly central to scary movies, particularly those I consumed growing up in the 1990s-2000s. Using an unbroken 4 minute take and endearing characters, I wanted to hold the audience in the female perspective, to show the thought processes and decision making a real woman might go through to make sense of a situation, and attempt to 'stay safe' ...and the humour often used to dismiss fear. In this system, women are pressured to sacrifice their freedom and participation in life events, when, of course, a woman's safety is compromised by the decisions of her attacker - and society's response to violent and threatening behaviour. Set in suburban Australia, at the turn of the millennium, when Y2K and the return of Christ threatened to end the world - a time before mobile phones, #metoo or discussion of male sexual responsibility - this film is a throw back to the teen movies of my youth, and a reminder of how the world has, and has not, changed in the last two decades. Little did I know how our lives would change in 2020 with the Covid19 Pandemic. Being trapped in a house with the threat of a virus outside has become our reality once more - and sadly for many there may be monster in the house. And so, like Poppy and Squish, we hope it's not the end of the world. "Loved this, so much fun and such a clever concept" Megan Riakos, Director of 'Dark Whispers' Anthology For still images, Poster file & further credits information, please see attachments on this FilmFreeway project file.

Grace Uther Director

What makes this one special

5 awards at other festivalsIndie X Film Fest · Austin After Dark Film Festival Fall 2020 · Freshflix and 2 more
Programmed at 25 other festivalsAcross 4 countries

Also selected at

5 awards, 2 nominations, 5 finalist placings, 13 official selections across 25 other festivals

WinnerIndie X Film FestOutstanding Achievement (Women Short) · Los Angeles, United States · 2020
WinnerAustin After Dark Film Festival Fall 2020Best International Director Winner & Best Dark Comedy Film Finalist · Austin, Texas, United States
WinnerFreshflixHonourable Mention · Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
WinnerSpotlight Short Film AwardsSpotlight Gold Award · Atlanta, Georgia, United States
WinnerWreak Havoc Horror Film FestivalHonourable Mention
NomineeMelbourne Indie Film FestivalBest Horror Nominee · Melbourne, Victoria, Australia · 2020
NomineePortland Comedy Film FestivalBest Horror Comedy Nominee · Portland, Oregon, Australia
FinalistAustin Comedy Short Film FestivalBest International Film Finalist · Austin, Texas, United States · 2020
FinalistAustin Comedy Short Film FestivalBest Horror Comedy Finalist · Austin, Texas, United States · 2020
FinalistAustralia Independent Film Festival 2020Semi finalist · Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
FinalistThe Continental Film FestivalSemi-Finalist · New York, New York, United States
FinalistWomen In Horror Film FestivalSemi-Finalist · Los Angeles, California, United States
SelectionBrisbane Backyard Film FestivalOfficial Selection · Brisbane, Queensland, Australia · 2021
SelectionA Night of HorrorOfficial Selection · Sydney, Australia · 2020
SelectionAnother Hole in the HeadOfficial Selection · 2020
SelectionLA Femme International Film FestivalOfficial Selection · Los Angeles, California, United States · 2020
SelectionSydney Underground Film FestivalAlso selected for Special International Women's Day Female Director's Showcase · Sydney, New South Wales, Australia · 2020
SelectionMonsterfestOfficial Selection · Melbourne, Victoria, Australia · 2019
SelectionNightmares Film FestivalOfficial Selection · Columbus, Ohio, United States · 2019
SelectionReading Film FestivalFemale Filmmakers Shorts Showcase · Reading, Pennsylvania, United States · 2019
SelectionSanctuary CoveOfficial Selection · Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia · 2019
SelectionAnatomy Film FestivalOfficial Selection · Greece
SelectionBlow-Up International Arthouse Filmfest ChicagoOfficial Selection · Chicago, Illanois, United States
SelectionOregan Scream WeekOfficial Selection · Portland, Oregon, United States

The remaining 1 festivals

SelectionPanama Horror Film FestivalOfficial Selection

Recorded by the filmmaker on their entry.

Director's Biography

Grace Uther, filmmaker portrait provided to AFIN. Grace Uther Director

Grace Uther is the writer and director of 'Nineteen Ninety Nine.' Grace has written & produced three short films which have screened at festivals internationally. Originally from Sydney, Grace studied film production in beautiful Byron Bay, and works professionally in film and television production in Queensland, Australia. “Grace Uther is an exciting new talented director to watch out for - women directing horror - the best!” - Lisa Shaunessy, Producer of The Furies