Feminist western short film Paradise Valley taps into South West talent

An emerging Manjimup filmmaker is less than a month out from creating her second short film in her hometown which will feature a range of talent from across the South West.

Dingup resident Abby Garratt — who completed a degree in film at ECU last year — will begin the week-long intensive process of filming Paradise Valley on October 31 at several sites across the South West, including the old Springdale farmhouse which was one of the first farmhouses built in the Manjimup region.

In July the 22-year-old talent told the Manjimup-Bridgetown Times the idea for the 19th century feminist western was the result of the many historic and heritage-listed buildings that Manjimup was home to.

“I wrote the film to be shot at the old Springdale farmhouse, there was never a thought in my mind to do it (the film) anywhere but Manjimup,” she said.

A few months on Ms Garratt said she had secured most of the cast members for the film, including Caillin Thompson from Busselton, Fraser Murray from Perth, and several extras from the Manjimup area, two of which are from local high schools.

“It was very important to me to have locals involved in the film, I felt like it was an opportunity for people to be involved in something different that doesn’t usually happen in the area and to make it a more community-minded project,” she said.

Still hoping to get some more members of the community involved in some of the film’s scenes, Ms Garratt said people could inquire through Paradise Valley’s Facebook page.

Ms Garratt said she also secured Lily Gibbs-Hughes, a talented local seamstress who is in the process of creating two of the leading lady’s costumes.

“I heard about Lily’s past dressmaking awards and decided to reach out to her knowing she was local,” she said,

“Supporting a local artist and being able to get the customised pieces was a great opportunity for both her and I.

Ms Garratt said the Next Level Regional Arts program grant she received gave her the opportunity to commission handmade dresses for the film which will be amazing to bring the story to life with custom pieces.

“Being set in the 1800s, costumes are hard to find for women especially, and getting something handmade will bring a more realistic, personalised feel to the film,” she said.

Ms Gibbs-Hughes said this was the first time she had made costumes for a film, usually sticking to designing everyday clothing and ballwear through her business Lily Anne Seamstress.

“It’s very surreal and I’m not sure if I’m fully prepared to see what I have made in a movie on a screen, it just doesn’t feel real,” she said.

“For me, the main thing is it’s a new challenge I haven’t tried yet and a new experience to take part in,” she said, “It was about a new challenge and helping Abby to make her dream come to life and create something for her that is everything she wants and has thought about to make her movie feel more special.

The local seamstress said she has been designing and making clothes since she was 13 when she got her first sewing machine, having discovered her love for it when she was introduced to it by her nanna at eight years old.

“It definitely is a passion of mine,” she said.

“It’s an outlet for me to express and show my talent but also something for me as a way of me time.

“I’m so fortunate to have had this opportunity and am very excited to see the end result and thankful to be a part of Abby’s amazing adventure.”

Paradise Valley’s crowdfunding campaign through the Australian Cultural Fund is now live should you wish to support with post-production costs and help bring this story to film festival level. Ms Garratt is just over halfway to achieving her goal fundraising target.