Daughter YouTube Release

Sometime between 2012 and 2014, and inspired by current real-life crimes and news reporting on gender-based violence in Melbourne, Australia, Sarah Jayne began writing a story about gender based violence across the country.

In particular, SJ was interested in the murder cases of two women of varying social classes and status. Her story was fluid; new cases unfolded, and she kept writing. In 2013, while SJ resided in St Kilda, a local woman, Tracey Connelly, was found slain in her van outside the St Kilda Gatehouse. Intrigued by the nature of the case, SJ incorporated Tracey's story into what was shaping up to be a screenplay. 

SJ focused on the women's lives. Their demise and how the media spoke about them as women were used as a garish spectacle. The aim to educate, never glorify the crimes, remained at the forefront of SJ's role as the director and storyteller. This screenplay would become her second short film, Daughter, and, accidentally, SJ's first real foray into producing. 

Shot in 2015, two years after Tracey's death shook the St Kilda community, Daughter was released in 2016. 

At the premiere, 180 people filled St Kilda Town Hall to watch and listen to speakers discuss ways to diminish violence against women. All proceeds from ticket sales were donated to the St Kilda Gatehouse. SJ and Ivan toured locally with Daughter in Victoria, showing the film in different schools and events.

Director SJ behind the camera on the streets of St Kilda filming Daughter, with her team close by

Honestly, we've lost track of the film's many achievements since 2016. The positive reception has been surprising. The discussions, even unexpected ones with victims and families of victims, have been very rewarding and touching. 

The film could not have been made possible without the solid financial support we received from the local council and freebies from the independent local businesses who believed in the project and supported the production behind the scenes. 

Of course, a crowdfunding campaign also helped us to build the film's audience and secure finishing funds for post-production. Our co-producer Dinushi Dias was a force, helping SJ secure numerous press engagements to bring light to the film's important issues. 

Miraculously, we've managed to keep Daughter safe from online piracy, which has assisted us in using the film as a tool for many important public screenings from educational institutions, libraries, and beyond. 

It has been a decade since the ice-cold October in 2015 when we filmed Daughter on the sketchy streets of St Kilda. Now you can comfortably watch Daughter for the first time on our YouTube channel here. 

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