Adrian Ortega on the set of Westgate. Photo by Hannah Brooke.

Welcome to the latest episode of the Cinema Australia Podcast.

In this episode, I’m joined by writer, director and producer Adrian Ortega to discuss the making of his new film, Westgate – a poetic exploration of family, culture, and the weight of past traumas.

Set in 1999 in the shadows of the Westgate Bridge collapse, Westgate follows single mother Netta (Sarah Nicolazzo) and her son Julian (Max Nappo). With her debts mounting, and the threat of eviction, Netta has only 24 hours to turn things around while also attending to her son’s unstable health conditions. 

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Adrian Ortega is a Melbourne-based filmmaker whose debut feature Cerulean Blue premiered to sold-out audiences at the 68th Melbourne International Film Festival in 2019, winning the El Rey Award for Excellence in Film Directing at the Barcelona International Film Festival. Streaming on Stan in Australia, the film marked a pivotal point in a career spanning acclaimed documentaries, festival-selected shorts, and productions under his company Proud Wing Films, championing fresh voices in Australian cinema.

Westgate will screen at the Melbourne International Film Festival on Sunday 17 August and Saturday 23 August. Both sessions are currently sold out, but be sure to keep an eye on cinemaaustralia.com.au for screening updates, and details on where you can see the film soon. 

Anyway… enjoy. 

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