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“10/10 … An entire film that’s filled with human drama and cinema magic... that’s why Birthday’s the best movie of year. From a pitch perfect performance from Natalie Eleftheriadis … her acting is something to behold … and outstanding direction from James Harkness, this is what people should see when questioning the quality of Australian films and, well, dramas in general... One of the best Australian movies ever made.”  -  Planet Urban [Chris Elena], Best and Worst Movies of 2011. "Birthday" began its life as a small independent stage play which premiered in 2007 and toured Melbourne and Adelaide Australia over four weeks and has been a blessed project; from it’s conception, to its success on stage, to its swift transition to film, thanks in large part to the timely themes of loss of intimacy, social and economic breakdown and of course… the search for love and meaning. Set against the paradoxical landscape of a brothel, these themes marry beautifully with ‘career-best’ performances from some of Australia’s highest profile and international renowned actors embodying exquisitely written and crafted characters. It is a prayer for the extraordinary and the un-extraordinary, a reminder that love is a birthright not a privilege, and that even the smallest of birthday wishes can come true. Our impressive lead cast includes AFI nominee Kestie Morassi (Wolf Creek, Satisfaction); AFI nominee Richard Wilson (The Proposition, The Loved Ones); Travis McMahon (I Love You Too, Cactus); legend of Australian film and television Chantal Contouri (General Hospital, Thirst, Metalskin); Inside Film nominee Ra Chapman (Face To Face, Knowing); and Natalie Eleftheriadis, who received much critical acclaim when playing in the same leading role in the highly successful stage play and took out the prestigious 'Best Actor' award at the 2010 Cannes Independent Film Festival. BIRTHDAY also features stunning cinematography from “Oranges and Sunshine” D.O.P Denson Baker ACS (The Black Balloon, Waiting City), Production Design by the acclaimed Beverley Freeman (Ten Canoes, Dr Plonk) and a haunting original score by Ollie Olsen (Head On, Dogs In Space). BIRTHDAY is writer/director J.Harkness’ second Australian Feature to date, the first of which ‘Shot Of Love’ was selected for The Cannes Film Festival, Critics Week in 2004.

One episode of 'Middle-Aged Run-Aways' has been written. I plan to travel to Phuket in March/Apri 2012 to research and write the remaining 7 episodes of this short series. A second series, featuring the same two main characters, plus others, could be based elsewhere in South East Asia, eg Bali or Vietnam.

Postcards from Nowhere is short film with a dark and sometimes-comic atmosphere, set to shoot in Adelaide in 2012.

"I like to get into bed, with my dressing gown and slippers on, and turn all the lights off and put some nice easy listening tracks on and open a packet of chocolate biscuits. That is when I feel the safest of all. It's a funny thing being one of the survivors of a bungled armed robbery. You’re one of the lucky ones because it wasn’t you shot in the bloody head by ... and that thing they did to that poor old lady was just sickening. But I suppose I’d feel better if they were all dead. The robbers..."

http://unreasonablefilms.com/thepyjamamonologues/

The Pyjama Monologues is a short film produced by the team of Unreasonable Films (Jason Sweeney - Director/Composer) & Fiona Sprott - (Writer). The film will be a series of perversely funny, haunting and provocative vignettes that draw upon Fiona’s darkly comic stories about isolated characters who confess their strange little bedroom secrets. It will follow absurd scenes of off-kilter characters who find themselves in public places in their pyjamas, vulnerable and lost; characters who are trapped by their obsessions of bedroom life, bedroom fantasies...

"I mean most people like to hide their mental illness but I embraced mine. Nobody trusts a woman in her forties wearing Tweety Bird pyjamas for four years in a row and so nobody expects anything from me any more."

Written, Directed, Filmed and Composed by Jason Sweeney Assistant Direction by Harry Whizkid. Edited and Produced by Martin Potter Additional music and photography by Harry Whizkid Co-Produced by Ali Ashdown Unreasonable Films 2006

“I can’t sleep at night in this city anymore. As soon as I close my eyes all I see are these dead bodies. Boys I don’t recognise, but they’re always there. Endlessly falling from tall buildings. Their bodies crushed on the sidewalk. Lifeless… but always with a smile on their faces. Which makes me think: maybe they wanted it to be this way all along?”

DISAPPOINTMENT is a series of Dark Nasty Tales about the City of Light (Colonel Light – Adelaide’s original city town planner).

It is an experimental, nocturnal and disturbingly bent journey through the abandoned streets, rivers and dark parklands of Adelaide – the murder capital of Australia.

Part music video, part mockumentary, part horror postcard of a city you love to hate.

DISAPPOINTMENT … welcomes you into a city that may never want you to leave.

Country of production: Australia Language: English Year of production: 2006 Stock: 16mm, XDCAM HD, Digital Stills, Mini DV, Mobile Phone Aspect Ratio: 16:9 Widescreen Running time: 16 Minutes

Awards & Screenings include: • Winner Best Experimental SA Short Screen Awards • Nominated best direction, best sound design, best composition and best experimental SA Short Screen Awards 2007 • Mardi Gras Film Fest, Sydney • Celluloid Salon, Sydney • Newfest, NY Gay and Lesbian Film Festival • Outrate, online queer festival • Distribution through Queerscreen (Australia) • MIX New York City • Melbourne Underground Film Festival • Mumbai Gay and Lesbian Film Festival