Peter Skinner.

Welcome to the latest episode of the Cinema Australia Podcast.

In this episode, I’m joined by the inspiring Peter Skinner to discuss his debut feature film, Two Ugly People.

There’s not much point in me gushing here about how much I love this film, because I do enough of that throughout this interview. But I will say that it’s only August, and Two Ugly People is already not only one of my favourite Australian films this year, but one of my favourite films of the year in general. 

Two Ugly People follows two strangers (Michael Sheasby and Cato Ayyar) who meet by chance in a highway-side motel, but as their stay goes on, we begin to wonder if their meeting was by chance at all. What follows is truly hypnotic filmmaking from Skinner. 

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Peter Skinner is an Academy Award-qualifying, St Kilda Best Film-winning, and Australian Directors Guild-nominated filmmaker. Beginning as a sculptor with a Bachelor of Visual Arts (First Class Honours), he later earned a Master of Film Studies from the University of Sydney and a Master’s in Directing from AFTRS.

His work blends visual arts with narrative storytelling, earning critical acclaim. As co-founder of Seymour Pictures, he wrote, directed, produced, and edited Two Ugly People, shortlisted for the 2024 Venice Film Festival. Growing up in working-class Sydney, his films explore love, identity, and the beauty within everyday lives.

Two Ugly People will celebrate its World Premiere at this year’s CinefestOZ in Western Australia. Details here. If you can’t make it to that festival then be sure to keep an eye on cinemaaustralia.com.au for screening updates. 

Anyway… enjoy. 

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