Micro Short
Gut Instinct
Directed by 
Stuart Edgeworth
AFIN 2022 Finalist
- 2022
- 9m
-
Australia - English
Stills
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Credits
Written by
Produced by
Starring
Synopsis
Cold, alone and time is running out...A young woman wakes to find herself waist deep in ice and cuffed in place. She doesn't know how she got there, but she knows she needs to get out. Fast.
Struggling to break free, it becomes clear that the situation she's in is more complicated than first appears, but escape might be just within reach…
Director's Statement
I find urban myths fascinating. There’s something about these modern ghost stories that tap into our collective subconscious fears. The urban legend of the person waking to find their kidney missing is a classic. The captive wakes to discover a note informing them of their predicament. The ultimate violation. But what next? I’d always imagined this situation to be somewhat less benign than the typical retelling and I wanted to explore the visceral reaction to such a stupefying situation; tracking the path out of bewilderment towards clarity and resolve. Gut Instinct fuses this existential fear with classic escapist plotting. Our protagonist has all of the tools required to escape just within reach- but the steps required to escape may ultimately seal her fate. The classic catch 22. The journey of our protagonist is unfair. As a viewer you may feel angry or cheated. If Gut Instinct provokes a gut reaction, then we as filmmakers have done our job.
Director's Biography
Stuart Edgeworth Director
An award-winning filmmaker and content creator, Stuart has had a varied career in media production. Already teaching filmmaking in New York by the age of 18, Stuart found his initial niche as a cinematographer and director having early success with a Tropfest nominated film starring Dan Wyllie. As a regular contributor to The Guardian and a 60 Minutes DOP, his love of documentary grew and his attention switched to factual content. In 2012, he founded CHUCK, and has produced award winning content for brands like Rugby Australia, Westfield and Pfizer, perfecting the art of delivering factual content using a dramatic filmmaking skillset. He currently has a feature length documentary in development with Good Thing Productions. GUT INSTINCT represents Stuart’s return to scripted cinema. As writer/director, Stuart brings his unique and varied skillset to the piece, delving into this suspenseful thriller with as much grit and determination as its protagonist.
