THE MOOGAI
Director: Jon Bell
Year: 2024
Rating: M
Run time: 86 mins
Country: Australia
Genre: Horror
Language: English
The Moogai is the story of a family terrorized by a child-stealing spirit.
Sarah (Shari Sebbens, The Sapphires) and Fergus (Meyne Wyatt, We Are Still Here), a hopeful young Aboriginal couple, give birth to their second baby. But what should be a joyous time of their lives becomes sinister when Sarah starts seeing a malevolent spirit she is convinced is trying to take her baby. Fergus, who can’t see it but desperately wants to believe her, grows increasingly worried as she becomes more unbalanced. Is the child-stealing spirit real or is she in fact the biggest threat to the safety of their family?
Director Jon Bell turns his MIFF 2020 Best Australian Short Film into a feature-length horror steeped in the trauma of the Stolen Generations. Known for his writing on TV series such as Redfern Now, Cleverman, and Mystery Road, Bell makes his feature directorial debut with The Moogai, an extension of his award-winning short film. The original garnered accolades at SXSW (Jury Prize – Midnight Shorts) and the AACTA Awards (nominated for Best Short Film). Driven by powerful performances from Sebbens and Wyatt, who reprise their roles, The Moogai is rich with symbolism and steeped in pain
Doors Open: 6.30pm. Films start screening promptly at 7pm.
Screening with the short film MAMU courtesy of PAW Media.
PAW Media are based in Yuendumu NT and for over 40 years, have collaborated with Tanami Desert communities to create Aboriginal media in local languages, preserving culture and history for future generations. https://pawmedia.com.au
Director: Jon Bell
Starring: Bella Heathcote, Toby Leonard Moore, Tessa Rose, Clarence Ryan, Shari Sebbens, Meyne Wyatt