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A new short film aims to shine a light on domestic violence, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), its Queensland writer and director, Angie Fleming, has said.
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The 15-minute drama, Jade, filmed west of Brisbane, tells the fictional story of a 12-year-old girl trapped in a world of abuse at the hands of her adoptive father.
Fleming said she began writing the script four years ago as a way to escape her own clutches of psychological abuse, depression and PTSD.
"I lost a lot of who I was, and in that I didn't know who to reach out to and I felt like I was all alone," she said.
"It was very hard to get out of it and I felt like I wasn't, in a way, even worthy to get out of it.
"It's [domestic violence] not always physical — it can also be very emotional and psychological and that's where I really wanted to go with Jade and play on the silences of abuse."
The 32-year-old budding movie director hopes to expand Jade into a feature film, but for now wants the story to encourage other domestic violence survivors to speak out and seek help.
"Doing Jade has been the biggest healer. Even during Jade it was very hard, and it kind of hit into my PTSD a little bit — the anxiety," Fleming said.
"I found it very difficult on set, but through it now, looking back, I feel stronger."
In the film, the character Jade found hope when she discovered she had a sister, Fleming said.
"It was a turning point for her and she was able to fight and stand up and say no more," she said.
"That was very much what it was like in my life — I had to get to that point where it was like: 'Is this going to be it? I know I won't survive much longer or am I going to fight for a life I want.'
"You can say: 'No — that's not how to treat me, and that's not OK'."
Already the project has attracted worldwide interest, with domestic violence survivors sending in their own stories to Fleming.
Producer Demi Bird said bringing Jade to life had been a powerful experience.
"We really just wanted to give people a voice through this film and say if this young girl could stand up and be who she is and stand up to her attacker, then anybody can," Bird said.
Jade is currently in post-production and will premiere next year.
If you or someone you know is in need of support, please contact is 1800 RESPECT or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Topics: domestic-violence, film-movies, community-and-society, government-and-politics, activism-and-lobbying, family-and-children, family, family-law, law-crime-and-justice, brisbane-4000, ipswich-4305, qld, australia