Ladies and gentlemen, guys and gals and non-binary pals, it’s that time again; Davo Hardy is releasing another topical and confronting feature film and we here at Cinema Australia, as always, are ready and eager for it!

Hot on the heels of the formidable auteur’s most recent feature release (the sexually explicit and bitingly hilarious) Public Eye, Davo Hardy’s latest film tackles an array of divisive topics, from radical second-wave feminism (drawing on citations from The Scum Manifesto by Valerie Solanas) to the influence of country music from the same era; especially ‘Stand By Your Man and The Pill from the late, great legends Tammy Wynette and Loretta Lynn, respectively.

When teenager Breanna Coslett (played by British Flower, last seen by Cinema Australia in Public Eye) turns to her father, Martin (played by Seaton Kay-Smith) at a time of grief, the last thing she expects is to meet Lacey (played by newcomer Catherine Tomsen, in her debut role) and Vanessa (played by Rachele Edson) on the doorstep, recounting a tale of deception and sacrifice, to explain the fact that Breanna and Lacey are estranged half-siblings.

What ensues is a coming-of-age tale, with a twist; as both young women respond in polar opposite ways to the jealousy, confusion and perceived betrayals, brought on by their new-found knowledge of the other. Switchblade knives get involved, as does a little adultery, domestic violence, tarot-card reading, intergenerational slut-shaming and petrol sniffing. Strap in, this is guaranteed to be a wild ride!

Rounding out the cast is the drug-addicted Dean (played by artist David Charles Collins), Breanna’s well-to-do love interest, Jonathan (played by Kieran Hudson, also in his first major role) and his pompous, out-of-touch parents, Renee and Greg (played by Karli Evans and Martin Cohen).

The Switchblade Sisterhood is set to premiere in September 2023, ahead of its theatrical release and festival appearances. You can follow its journey here.

Meet the Cast and Crew of The Switchblade Sisterhood

Davo Hardy he/him/his

Writer/Director/Cinematographer

As a middle child, Davo was often lost in the shuffle. He was a natural performer with a love of re-enacting the movies that he raided from his parents’ VHS collection. He picked up a video camera at age eight. Unfortunately, the biggest movie out at that time was Titanic, and that poor video camera never had a chance; promptly meeting the same fate… just in much shallower water.

An avid writer, Davo was submitting to publishers by the time he started high school, where he was encouraged to take Advanced English Extension 1 and 2, as part of his HSC. Among the benefits was the chance to submit a short film as a major work.

From there, he studied at the International Film School of Sydney (now amalgamated into AFTT; Academy of Film, Theatre and Television) in 2008. Majoring in writing and directing, he began producing short films about characters living with disabilities; a direct result of his day job as a support worker and Auslan interpreter. As a teenage, Davo had learned to sign fluently, as a means of combating a stammer which as followed him into adulthood.

In 2013, Davo resigned from disability support to focus full-time on his film career. In 2014, he released Complex, a short comedy about nudism, which immediately garnered attention and praise from festivals around the globe. Only a year later, he produced his first feature with The Lives We Lead, following four characters across fifty years of their turbulent lives.

Shortly after, he met his future partner, Richard Littlehales, at a theatre workshop. They got married on March 20th 2020; effectively the day before the Covid-19 pandemic struck.

Davo is credited with producing the first Australian film to feature Auslan, with 2017’s A Silent Agreement, in which he starred, opposite Paul Mercurio. This film was semi-autobiographical, exploring Davo’s aforementioned stammer as a main plot thread.

The Switchblade Sisterhood is Davo’s sixth feature film and continues his ecclectic style of dramedy fusion, with a confronting and cerebral study of heavy subject matter.

All of Davo Hardy’s films are independently distributed through www.davohardyfilms.com

The Switchblade Sisterhood should not be viewed as a documentary on feminism. The topic merely serves as motivation for the characters, as opposed to driving the plot. The film is set in present day, so gender roles are much less defined than they were, sixty years ago, when the literature on second-wave feminism was published. I also wanted to make all the characters deeply human, which, of course, means making them deeply flawed. While the plot is driven by the characters’ responses to one another, in a chain reaction of rapid-fire one-liners, The Switchblade Sisterhood is a slice-of-life into the moments between these flawed, contemporary characters and how they don’t always say the right things in the right ways.

Kieran Hudson he/him/his

Actor Jonathan Buckley

Originally from Cape Town, South Africa, Kieran knew from a young age that he wanted to be an actor. This film marks his first major role in a motion picture.

Traditionally trained in theatre and writing at the University of Notre Dame, Kieran has studied under some acclaimed directors.

Working in amateur theatre, both on stage and in the tech booth, Kieran has played a range of characters; from the debauchery of Derek in Mary O’Malley’s Once a Catholic to the timidity of Billy Bibbit in Ken Kesey‘s ‘One Who Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest‘. Kieran never strays from a challenge, nor from the trials and triumphs of the actor’s life.

Here, Kieran caught the eye of awarded Australian filmmaker Davo Hardy, who offered Kieran a small role in Public Eye, before continuing on to the male lead in The Switchblade Sisterhood.

You can find out more about Kieran Hudson here.

I look forward to working with many filmmakers and performers in a lifetime of creativity,” says Kieran, “especially along the likes of Mel Gibson and Hugh Jackman. MakingThe Switchblade Sisterhood was an experience of a lifetime! Not only was it a well rounded and great story, but the character of Jonathon Buckley allowed me to explore and experience a gentler side to myself that I’m not really used to seeing, let alone showing!

Catherine Tomsen she/her/hers

Actor Lacey McEvoy

Catherine has a background in acting, events and performance. Born in Australia and raised in New Zealand, she returned downunder to pursue her career, recently completing a Bachelor of Arts in Stage and Screen at the Actors Centre Australia and has been both on stage and behind the scenes for many productions.

Catherine has also managed an array of events for children’s entertainment through the Australian Theatre for Young People. She loves working with young actors and being part of a company that encourages them to achieve their creative dreams.

You can find out more about Catherine Tomsen here.

Being a part of The Switchblade Sisterhood was insane, exciting and daring! It was an incredible experience from start to finish. Lacey, in all of her complexities, was thrilling to play and I’m beyond grateful to the team for the opportunity!

Seaton Kay-Smith he/him/his

Actor Martin Coslett

Having graduated with Bachelor of Human Movement Science in 2009, Seaton Kay-Smith threw himself into the arts almost immediately, co-founding an advertising agency in 2011, performing stand-up comedy for over 7 years and writing for television, radio, the web and print.

As an actor, he has appeared in small roles in TV, on the stage and film, and produced numerous award winning webseries and short films—in his relatively short acting career, he has played a cockatoo, an emu, and an ant.

When he’s not acting, he is a writer, a producer, and a model.

You can find out more about Seaton Kay-Smith here.

Having seen Davo’s previous film, Public Eye, and how explicit it was, there was an element of fear signing on. However, that fear was unfounded. It was an absolute pleasure to be a part of The Switchblade Sisterhood. At first I was confused about my role, then shaken by the realisation; yes, I am now technically old enough to be the father of an 18 year old. From meeting Davo through life modelling a year ago, to reading the script and going into production, it all happened so quickly, and I feel very fortunate that it all played out how it did. I’ve never been on such an organised production. We got the call sheets a month before shooting! Davo put together a really good team, it was a pleasure to be a part of it.

David Charles Collins he/him/his

Actor Dean McEvoy

Actor and artist, David Charles Collins was born in Perth, Western Australia. Growing up, he developed a passion for horse riding in the scenic Perth hills. Always up for a challenge, David explores the intersection of acting and performance art, creating unique and captivating experiences for his audience.

After obtaining a BA from Curtin University in Perth, David pursued an MFA at Sydney College of the Arts, specializing in performance, photography and video media. His works have been exhibited across Australia, China, Germany, and the UK, including solo shows in London, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney. Notably, his art has been reviewed in publications such as Art Collector magazine, Art Guide Australia, Scoop magazine, and The Age. His work is held in prestigious collections, including the Art Gallery of Western Australia and the University of Western Australia.

David Charles Collins, with his innovative approach to storytelling, challenges societal norms and sparks meaningful discussions about identity and the human experience. As a queer artist, he embraces diversity and self-expression, using his platform to inspire others.

You can find out more about David Charles Collins here. 

“The comradely on set was inspiring, I felt lucky to work with such a great group of people. I’ve been involved in two of Davo’s projects this year and both have been extremely enjoyable. I am excited for whatever comes next!”

Karli Evans she/her/hers

Actor Renée Buckley

Karli has over 20 years experience in both film and theatre. Most recently, she can be seen in 2022 short film, ‘Touched’ which won 3 awards at international festivals, and Davo Hardy’s 2021 feature, ’Public Eye’, which won 20 awards, including best ensemble cast at the Maverick Movie Awards.

Her favourite theatre roles to perform include Roberta from ‘Danny and the Deep Blue Sea‘ and Marcia Marie from ‘Where’s My Money‘, both plays by John Patrick Shanley. Clearly drawn to great writing with witty dialogue, Karli was very keen to get involved in another Davo Hardy film.

Karli trained at University of Wollongong Theatre Performance and travelled to the UK to train in David Mamet’s Practical Aesthetics technique at ACS. She has also participated in numerous masterclasses with Howard Fine and Alexander technique with Barbara Robertson.

Along with acting, writing is an equal love for Karli and she has written and performed numerous theatre productions which have been staged in Australia, the UK and New York. She has written a podcast for Monash University and is currently working on a three part mini series based on a real story of survival.

Karli balances creative life with playing, wrangling and adventuring with her husband and two young boys. She loves camping and retreating to nature with the family and trail running, bushwalks, weekend sport and aerial acrobatics (silks) are all on the weekly planner.

You can find out more about Karli Evans here.

Working on The Switchblade Sisterhood was joyful. The cast and crew are fabulous and the laughs were real. Playing Renee Buckley combined my loves of witty dialogue and quirky characters with my secret desire to be the kind of person who can casually pronounce fancy French appetisers without using youtube tutorials.

Martin Cohen he/him/his

Actor Greg Buckley

Martin Cohen worked for many years in the corporate sector, however in 2019 he resigned from office life to shift his focus towards his lifelong passion for acting and he subsequently graduated from Screenwise Australia in 2020. Martin furthered his studies with courses at NIDA, Improv Theatre Sydney, Acting Mastery and AMAW.

His life in acting now includes working on innumerable TV series such as ‘Home & Away‘ and ‘Doctor Doctor‘, feature films, short films, web series, opera & theatre productions and television commercials.

Having spent his life in pursuit of creative outlets, Martin has a Bachelor of Music degree from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and is the principal flutist and longest running President of the Woollahra Philharmonic Orchestra.

In 2019 Martin Cohen was acknowledged with a citizen award for his contribution to arts and culture by the Woollahra Council.

You can find out more about Martin Cohen here.

What a delight and privilege it was to be a part of The Switchblade Sisterhood. Davo has the drive and determination to make magic happen, carefully curating an ensemble of talented and committed artists and artisans. A gutsy storyline with gifted contributors, I just know this feature will be phenomenal.