Feature Film AFIN 202

Violett

Directed by Steven Mihaljevich

AFIN 2023 Nominee

  • 2023
  • 1h 43m
  • Australia
  • English
  • Psychological Thriller
  • Mystery
  • Horror
Australian
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Stills

2 frames

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Credits

Synopsis

A series of strange child disappearances have left the rural town of Miles in a state of disbelief. Shadows of grief reverberate through the streets and into a silenced home, where a sick Mother Sonya, fears unspeakable evil will soon snatch her 11 year old daughter Violett, from her sight. Disconnected from her husband, Sonya's paranoia forms the dregs of a once troubled childhood which threatens her sanity and the things she loves most. As bizarre visions and disturbing characters from the neighborhood emerge, Sonya is about to discover more than just one grisly truth.

Director's Statement

Steven Mihaljevich, filmmaker portrait provided to AFIN.

Violett was never meant to be an intentionally "frightening" film. It is a story about grief and how we see the world from a different colour when experiecing mental trauma or suffering deeply. We all have the capacity to see things from a different perspective when clinically depressed or broken. This is what the movie is about. I wanted to create a story whereby the viewer bakes in the mind of a Mother, suffering from the loss of her child who has gone missing, who is trying desperatley to regain her memory. We live in her fantasy, in her imaginations and in her delusions. It is my hope that viewers find value from this film as it warns us that instead of finding a monster to blame, one should look to themselves for the biggest answers. It is also my hope that viewers enjoy its visual and metaphorical style. Thank you for reading this and I hope to see you at the festival. Steven Writer/Director/Editor/Co-Composer

What makes this one special

Also selected at

1 official selection across 1 other festival

  1. SelectionPortland International Horror FestivalPortland, United States · 2023

Recorded by the filmmaker on their entry.

Director's Biography

Steven Mihaljevich, filmmaker portrait provided to AFIN. Steven Mihaljevich Director

Steven J Mihaljevich is a West Australian director, writer, editor, teacher and composer. His first film, the coming of age crime drama "The Xrossing" was a no budget feature film which earned "best feature film" at Toronto & London Indie festivals. Violett is his first feature film with a modest budget which was made entirely in his home city of Perth. Stevens experience ranges from acting teaching, music video producing, editing and musical score in which he brings together in his filmmaking.

Fuller cast & crew

  • Valentina Blagojevic Violett
  • Simon Lockwood The Candy Man
  • Mani Shanks Young Sonya
  • Jay Jay Jegathesan Victor
  • Kingsley Judd The Handy Man

Writer

  • Steven J. Mihaljevich

Music

  • Steven J. Mihaljevich
  • Ben Chase

Editor

  • Steven J. Mihaljevich

Director

  • Steven J. Mihaljevich

Details and imagery from The Movie Database This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.

Placings

Recognised in this category at AFIN 2023, as announced that season.

  • Best Australian Film Honorable Mention

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Violett was an official Nominee for Best Feature Film at the AFIN International Film Festival 2023, a Top 100 Best Reviewed and IMDb-qualifying festival.

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