“What I saw through cinema was magic, and to think I could one day do that myself planted the seed for everything I’ve pursued since.”

 

by Matthew Eeles

Benn Wintle’s filmmaking journey began the way it did for most aspiring filmmakers growing up in the early 2000s: by stumbling across the iconic Apple app, iMovie.

Wintle was around 12 years old at the time, and what started as playful filmmaking quickly turned into an obsession with making movies, inspired by films like Jurassic Park and Star Wars.

“I remember spending hours experimenting with effects and music, simply because it felt exciting to create something from the tools at my fingertips,” Benn tells Cinema Australia.

“What I saw through cinema was magic, and to think I could one day do that myself planted the seed for everything I’ve pursued since. It taught me that filmmaking wasn’t just about cameras and software; it was about shaping moments, experimenting, and finding ways to express ideas visually.”

University marked another major turning point for Benn, where his passion transformed from blockbuster entertainment into a moving art form.

“Being exposed to foreign cinema and low-budget works like Breathless (1960) and Ivan’s Childhood (1962) reshaped the way I understood storytelling, image, and emotion,” says Benn.

“I know I’ll always be evolving and gravitating toward different styles and inspirations. But in short, and as of recent, Aftersun (2022) is one of those films that genuinely made me realise, with absolute clarity, that this is what I wanted to do.”

These inspirations have now led the Perth-based filmmaker to his feature film directing debut, Anemoia, an independent drama starring Remi Lane and Callum Miller.

The film follows Casey (Lane), a restless romantic chasing a world that feels just out of reach, and Michael (Miller), her FIFO boyfriend who clings to her as his last thread of wonder.

Bound together by anemoia, we see them slip into vintage clothes, watching old films and wandering at midnight. But as their connection deepens, the real world presses in.

The film also stars Isla Krieser as Sarah, Casey’s manipulative friend with a sharpened smile and a growing fixation on Michael, who begins to wedge herself between them, causing the trio’s bond to fracture.

Prior to taking the leap into his own feature film, Benn worked with fellow Perth filmmaker David Vincent Smith as a production assistant on Vincent Smith’s acclaimed feature film, He Ain’t Heavy, an unsettling drama which follows a desperate sister who kidnaps and enforces rehab on her violent brother in a last-ditch effort to save their lives.

“He Ain’t Heavy was my first experience on a feature film, and it made me realise just how big the leap to feature filmmaking can be. So, I focused on short films for a while and even developed my proof-of-concept for a feature called Hominin,” says Benn.

Despite Benn’s efforts, these projects had limited success within the festival circuit. The transition from 2023 to 2024 was also a difficult period for Benn, both personally and professionally, which led him to genuinely question whether filmmaking was still the path for him.

It wasn’t until another Perth filmmaker, Arnie Carter, reached out to Benn after seeing shots from his short film Black & White and asked him to consider a job as cinematographer on his latest feature film, Dance With Thieves.

That message changed everything for Benn.

“Arnie reminded me that you don’t need to wait your turn to make a feature, and introduced me to the world of independent filmmaking, which is currently experiencing a new wave in Perth,” says Benn.

“After Dance With Thieves wrapped, I felt ready to take the leap myself. Seeing other young filmmakers like Sarah Legg (Cherubhead), Dylan Randall (Sweet Rhythm), Emilie Lowe (The Canary), and Taylor Broadley (Stubbornly Here) doing it gave me the final push of inspiration.”

Not only was Arnie Carter’s career an inspiration for Benn, Carter also helped him land on the title during a conversation about the characters.

Anemoia is described as having nostalgia for a time and place you’ve never lived or experienced; it’s a strange yearning for the past you only know through media, like old films, books, photographs, or music, perfectly capturing what Benn and his two main characters in the story feel.

“My grandma introduced me to classic cinema when I was young, and thanks to her I developed a deep love for Golden Age Hollywood and its actors. Choosing this title became a small tribute to her influence on my creative life,” says Benn.

Benn tells Cinema Australia that he has always been drawn to the past, especially prehistory, and is fascinated by the way our world constantly shifts and reshapes itself.

With Anemoia’s main characters, Benn wanted to explore the tension of two people trying to find their footing socially and economically in a modern world that doesn’t feel like theirs, wishing they lived in a different time. It’s a feeling he knows well.

At its heart, Anemoia is shaped by the stories we see unfolding around us today: modern relationship challenges, the shifting dynamics of friendships, and that very real yearning to pursue a creative career and find success within it.

“Those everyday tensions and hopes became the emotional foundation of Anemoia. It’s less about one defining moment and more about capturing the honest, messy, relatable moments that so many of us navigate,” says Benn.

As is often the case with many micro-budget and independent films, Benn faced numerous challenges while bringing Anemoia to life, including the casting of one of his main characters, Casey.

“Our original actress for Casey fell through. However, once meeting Remi Lane, it felt like an almost unreal match. She shared so many uncanny similarities with Casey, despite the character having been written months before we met,” explains Benn.

“Callum Miller was always destined to be part of my first feature. We’ve been making films together since we were kids, so casting him as Michael was an easy, almost inevitable choice.”

Isla Krieser, who plays Sarah in the film, joined the project a little later, having been recommended by Remi. After watching her self-tapes and having one FaceTime conversation, Benn says his decision was immediate and that Isla is someone he hopes to collaborate with again as both careers continue to grow.

While casting the film, Benn relied heavily on the network he’s built over the years through university, festivals, on-set work, and networking events. He pitched his ideas to see who was interested and kept them updated, always being transparent about the fact that the work is unpaid.

For low-budget projects, students are often ideal for below-the-line roles because they’re eager to gain that essential on-set experience.

“I make sure everyone is well fed, which does wonders for morale, and thankfully my mum is a famously great cook,” laughs Benn.

“I also look for emerging actors who are keen to build their portfolios and are willing to work for free at this stage. If I had the budget, I’d pay everyone proper rates. That’s the goal. Hopefully, by my next feature, I’ll be able to do exactly that.”

While Benn is credited as Anemoia’s director, the three leads are jointly credited as the film’s writers, with Benn taking the interesting approach of encouraging mostly improvised dialogue throughout the making of the film.

“Writing has always been one of the weaker areas in my filmmaking process,” Benn admits.

“I generate ideas easily, but translating them into a screenplay has often been a challenge.

“When I discovered directors such as Jean-Luc Godard and Terrence Malick, who have created impactful films without conventional scripts, I realised there were unconventional processes I could adopt to strategically step around this obstacle.”

Benn tells Cinema Australia that he understands script formatting, having written several 10–40-page short film scripts, but after several attempts at a standard script, his desire to make Anemoia feel grounded and natural wasn’t coming through. He then saw this as the perfect opportunity to adopt an improvisational approach.

“To still provide clarity for the cast and crew, I created a detailed 10-page outline containing 80 scenes and their key beats, inspired by a process David Lynch once described,” says Benn.

“In the weeks leading up to shooting, I held collaborative workshops with the actors where we created the dialogue and actions within the scenes.”

This method helped produce organic character moments and gave the actors creative freedom, while still maintaining a clear narrative direction. All actors have received a writer’s credit for their contributions.

“While writing is still an area I’m trying to actively improve, opting for a framework that felt natural to me still resulted in innovative, effective storytelling. It’s an approach I look forward to experimenting with and refining further in future projects.”

As an experienced director of photography himself, I was curious to know why Benn made the decision to employ the cinematography skills of Alexander Tatsiy for Anemoia instead of taking on the duties himself.

“First and foremost, I always wanted to be a director. That’s the path I felt naturally drawn to; the idea of shaping the entire vision of a film, working closely with actors, and being involved in every department,” Benn explains.

“But during my time at Murdoch University, my lecturers started encouraging me to pursue cinematography. They recognised a strong visual instinct in my work and the craft I’d developed over the years, and they genuinely believed I had something special in that space.”

In 2022, Benn was diagnosed with keratoconus, an eye disorder that required extensive treatment, but it never stopped him from performing at a high level. In fact, he still achieved a High Distinction for his work as the Director of Photography on his final-year short film Lovers, which screened publicly at the WA Made Film Festival in 2023.

That experience reassured Benn that he’s fully capable in that role, but it also made him reflect on what he genuinely wanted from his career.

“With a few years outside tertiary study, I’ve gained clarity. I want to return to my true passion, which is directing. I want to be the overarching architect of a project to guide performance, shape story, and collaborate across all departments,” says Benn.

“While cinematography is something I value, and something I’ll continue to practise, for me, directing is where I feel most energised and where I believe I can create the greatest impact.”

Benn tells Cinema Australia that maintaining those skills keeps him versatile, allows him to jump in when needed, and opens doors to collaborate with other filmmakers.

“Staying active in multiple areas helps me stay connected to sets, to storytellers, and to the craft as a whole,” says Benn.

Benn first met Alexander at university, where they quickly built a strong working dynamic and an even stronger friendship. They’ve collaborated before, most notably on Hominin, where Alexander served as cinematographer while Benn directed.

Alexander has now become Benn’s go-to for both cinematography and camera assistance because of his impressive depth of knowledge from his film and television experience on projects like The Twelve, Reckless, and Miley Tunnecliff’s recent psychological horror, Proclivitas.

“Alexander’s technical skill is exceptional,” Benn says excitedly.

“Initially, I planned to shoot Anemoia myself if Alexander wasn’t available. Thankfully, his schedule opened up right when I needed him. I’m incredibly grateful it worked out; the film would have looked entirely different without his eye, and taking on both roles would have been a fast track to burnout for me.”

While most of his experiences on his first feature film have been positive, Anemoia’s production has faced its fair share of challenges, mostly in securing a producer.

Benn initially had a producer on board, but they unexpectedly had to step away from the project. Benn tells Cinema Australia that historically, he and producers seem to have a fleeting relationship.

“I sometimes joke that I must be a natural producer repellent,” Benn laughs.

“Ultimately, I’m looking for someone who shares my vision and is willing to help me carry the project, with the same commitment I bring in return.”

Benn also had trouble locking in a theatre for a pivotal scene in the film. Fortunately, the teams at Windsor, Don Russell, and the Regal were incredibly supportive and made the process far smoother than it might have been.

Coordinating schedules also proved tricky, particularly with his lead actor, Callum, who works as a support worker. His availability shaped much of Anemoia’s shooting timeline, so the crew essentially built the schedule around his commitments.

Despite the ups and downs of bringing Anemoia to life, the project has been a huge success, with principal photography now complete. Benn is currently in the picture-editing phase and is aiming to have the film completed by November this year.

Faced with a very tight budget, Benn’s release strategy is to begin submitting to festivals for the 2027–2028 circuit while trying to secure big-screen festivals to give the film its strongest possible launch.

“Following the festival run, our goal is to make the film available on a streaming platform such as Prime Video, where it can have a long life and reach wider audiences,” says Benn.

Keep an eye on cinemaaustralia.com.au for updates. 

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