Australia remains in the grip of a family, domestic and sexual violence crisis.

I won’t go too deeply into the statistics here, but they’re confronting, and as a society, we simply must do better.

Considering storytelling has always been one of the most powerful ways to reflect the realities of our society, these issues are seldom explored in Australian film and television. 

With Aphelion, writer and director Steve Willems is brave enough to do exactly that. 

The film is a confronting exploration of domestic violence, coercive control, addiction, and the harsh reality that, in many situations, no one is coming to help.

Aphelion follows Zinaida, played conscientiously by an excellent Tal Davida, an anxious young woman struggling with drug dependency while trapped in a co-dependent relationship with her increasingly abusive partner, Caleb, played chillingly by Nick Drummond.

Set entirely within a grimy Marrickville apartment hidden away from the outside world, Zinaida desperately tries to escape this narcissistic and trashy excuse for a man, as well as her own demons.

While the news often reports only the tragic aftermath of these situations, Aphelion illuminates the abuse that happens behind closed doors every day across Australia. Drawing on experiences from his own life, Willems has created a timely, heartbreaking, gut-wrenching and uncompromising story of survival that confronts one of the country’s greatest ongoing failures.

In this interview, Willems and Davida discuss the psychological and technical development of the film, the challenges of making such an ambitious feature on a tiny budget, and why experienced intimacy coordinator Trish Spears became such an essential part of the production.

Interview by Matthew Eeles

How did you two come to know each other?

Tal Davida: My first-ever lead role, which I was super excited about, was The Hauntings at St. Joseph’s (Ed: Also known as The Hanged Girl), which we filmed in 2022. Steve was attached as the cinematographer. We connected on that set, built a great relationship, and bonded through our stories. After we wrapped that project, we stayed in touch and continued talking about the work we wanted to make as artists. Aphelion was something exciting that Steve had been sitting on for quite some time.

Steve Williams: We definitely wanted to work together and were looking for something that we could shoot ourselves, something low budget. The only script I had that was low budget enough for us to make was Aphelion, but I thought the subject matter might be too heavy. I said to Tal, “I don’t know if you’ll like this, but have a read of the script and see what you think.” Tal came back and said, “I love it. Let’s make it.” So that made it easy.

Tal: Steve really wanted to take on that challenge, and we went from there.

Steve, Jon Cohen seems to be making a film a year at the moment. You’ve worked with Jon in various capacities over the years, and he’s also a producer on Aphelion. How do you find working with Jon on his films, and what did he bring to Aphelion?

Steve: Jon’s very experienced in managing low budgets while creating high-concept films and really squeezing the most out of every dollar. I’ve helped him in different capacities as a camera operator, which is my specialty, and as a first AD because I also have a managerial background. Because we help each other out, he was very keen to see what I could do myself because I’d been writing and wanting to make a film for years. He was keen to jump on board and help because he had the experience in producing, finding locations, and bringing together a particular crew. His production background was critical to helping make Aphelion because I didn’t have that specific experience.

And Tal, what did you take away from working with Jon on Aphelion?

Tal: I absolutely love Jon, and I think it’s really special to get to work with the same people on different projects. It’s beautiful to keep those relationships, to be able to work together again and again, and just be grateful for each other. Jon directed The Hauntings at St. Joseph’s, and he was very involved in a different capacity on this film, which was special. For me, getting to go to set and see the same faces brings a real sense of trust, which is really important, especially in the industry we’re in. I think Jon is absolutely incredible at what he does. He’s a great person, and I love working with him.

It really does show how tight the Australian film industry is.

Steve: It does. I just want to make a note that I think it’s symbolic that so many people want to come back and work with Jon again and again. I think that’s definitely a reflection of his work and his approach within the film industry. He attracts people who genuinely want to work on his films.

Steve, Aphelion explores a range of themes, including domestic violence, addiction, and coercive control. Why these themes in particular for your first film?

Steve: I’ve been drawn to these stories because of my own experiences with people in my life who I’ve cared about who have gone through these tough experiences, even though I haven’t experienced them myself. I’ve always been inspired by the works of Charles Bukowski and Hubert Selby Jr., who wrote Requiem for a Dream. Those stories have always resonated with me because they bring to light the hidden part of society that we don’t talk about. Aphelion specifically started with a friend of mine who was going through a tough time. She had left an abusive relationship, and I helped settle her into rehab. I walked into her room to help clear it out, and it struck me that this was such an interesting environment to tell a story because it felt so safe, yet so constrictive, like a cage. Reflecting back on her story, I wanted to explore the fact that her situation is happening everywhere right now. These themes are universal. It’s happening in every suburb, every city, and every country, but we don’t talk about it. It stays hidden. It’s this darkness that we don’t like to talk about.

What was the writing experience like, living with these damaged characters for so long? You push them quite far, but were you willing to push them even further if you needed to?

Steve: I held back a lot because I think the reality of what’s actually going on in many of these relationships is too extreme and too difficult to handle in a film like this. I pushed the characters as far as I was comfortable with, while also avoiding melodrama, because if I don’t handle stories like these with sensitivity, they can become exploitative. So it’s important to treat something like this with sensitivity, but not to hide the reality of what’s actually going on. The writing process for me was more technical than emotional. I was thinking through the logistics a lot because I wanted to shoot it in real time, keep the narrative flowing, and maintain the intensity without boring the audience by having a sustained emotional state that never changed. Doing that in a convincing way was quite difficult. I was distracted more by structure than by emotion. With the dialogue, I reflected on both the stories I’d seen and those I’d heard in other media, as well as stories from people I’d known in these situations. People like Caleb manipulate situations to be both controlling and loving, and the audience has to believe that this was a real relationship and that Zinaida was in it of her own free will. It wasn’t just that she was trapped or simply a prisoner. She was more of a prisoner of herself. These characters really came alive with the actors. When Tal and Nick came on board, they embodied the characters, understood them from their own perspectives, and then took it from there. I gave them a starting point, and we all worked very collaboratively.

Tal, Zinaida bears the full brunt of this narrative. What was it in particular that drew you to wanting to play her?

Tal: Honestly, the humanity behind Zinaida is something I’ve always been drawn to. I’m drawn to the weight, the trauma, the darkness, and really being able to sit with somebody who’s so incredibly strong. I feel like she has such a powerful psyche to get to know and understand, and that’s something I’ve always been drawn towards. I’ve always loved those deeper, darker, more intense roles. I had a lot of fun reaching into my own mind to bring to life what she’s going through and pushing those limits. I feel like it’s incredibly freeing to understand people on a deeper level, and acting is such a beautiful way to dive into that. Everybody has their own process, but for me, I really loved the psychology of this character. I fell in love with her, and I really wanted to embody that.

Describe Steve as a director.

Tal: When it came to Aphelion, I saw Steve a lot throughout pre-production, so I was lucky enough to watch him bring the film to life as much more than just the director. I actually wish we’d had more time on set to explore that dynamic, but we only had five days. He’s incredibly patient, understanding, and trusting. He’s very humble, but he brought out in us what needed to be brought out. He never pushed us too far and always made sure we were incredibly comfortable. He created a really safe space because, obviously, it’s such an intense film and story. He knew this character so well that I could put so much trust in him. I want to continue working with Steve for a long time.

You really are playing multiple versions of this character throughout the film because she goes on such a rollercoaster of emotions. Would you say this has been your most challenging role so far?

Tal: Definitely. Without hesitation. I’m so incredibly grateful for the opportunity and experience that Aphelion brought into my life because I feel like I’ve now made the most challenging film I’ll probably ever have to make. I feel like I can do anything now. After Aphelion, I feel like there’s nothing I can’t do, which is an incredible feeling because I pushed myself so far out of my comfort zone, in a safe way, that I now feel like nothing will ever be more intense, scarier, or more vulnerable than this character. I’m so grateful for that, and I say it with so much love, joy, respect, and excitement because it made me so much stronger. We were also shooting 20 pages a day, which isn’t necessarily normal for a film. Even as an artist, knowing that I can push myself and do that is something I’m incredibly proud of.

We really can’t talk about this film without mentioning Nick Drummond. Can you both talk about working with Nick in your respective roles? He really does capture the childish side of a narcissist perfectly.

Steve: Nick was a last-minute Hail Mary because we had some really good options for Caleb before Nick came on board. Nick had auditioned for one of Jon’s films that we were going to shoot after Aphelion, but unfortunately he wasn’t right for that role. Jon told him that I was making a film and suggested he audition for it. I’d just met with another actor who I thought was right for Caleb, but we’d also committed to meeting with Nick, so I auditioned him out of respect. He came in for a chemistry test with Tal, and he was just perfect. They worked so well together. He had the perfect balance of charm and a sinister nature. Nick makes you believe that Tal would be drawn to him because he can portray a caring and nurturing person who can flick a switch and become vicious and nasty. Away from the character, Nick is polite, humble, and friendly. After he left the audition, we all looked at each other and said, “He’s perfect. We have to cast him.” On set, Nick was so great to work with. He’s very supportive of everyone. He always wanted to make sure everyone else was okay, and he also came extremely well prepared. We did rehearsals beforehand, but even during the shoot, he was always making sure he was ready and looking after Tal because a lot of the scenes were obviously very difficult and challenging. I’d love to work with him again.

Tal: We got extremely lucky with Nick. He is so incredibly talented, passionate, and dedicated. He really did bring every essence of this character to life. Every time we called cut, he would ask me if I was okay. He would look out for me, offer me a robe or a glass of water, and really be there for me. Having that as a co-star is so incredibly important, especially with a film like this. I couldn’t have asked for anybody better to be alongside in a film like this.

Steve: I also think it’s important to note that Nick couldn’t be more different from Caleb.

There are some uncomfortable intimate moments in the film. Was an intimacy coordinator utilised, and if so, how did you find that experience? And I’m bringing this up because it’s a hot topic at the moment, and filmmakers often have different, but supportive, opinions on the subject. 

Tal: A few months prior to shooting Aphelion, I was lucky enough to have worked on another film with an incredible intimacy coordinator, Trish Spears, who I kept in touch with. She was the most incredible person, and I knew I needed her on this set because when I read the script, I didn’t know how I was going to do this without that sort of support. An intimacy coordinator is just as important for the crew as they are for the cast. So I had a conversation with Steve and introduced him to Trish over a coffee and a chat. Thankfully, Trish really stood behind the film and wanted to help us out. This is a low-budget film, but Trish knew she needed to be part of it to support me and everybody else. She deserves the biggest shout-out because if it wasn’t for Trish, I don’t know how I would’ve gotten through some of the scenes that I had to get through. Intimacy coordinators deserve so much praise and so much credit.

Steve: I think it’s invaluable. People really need to stop asking, “Why is an intimacy coordinator needed? Why can’t everyone just trust the cast and crew?” Well, there are predatory filmmakers out there who will push someone beyond what they’re comfortable with for the good of the film. Tal and I spoke about what would be involved with her character before we even brought Trish on board to make sure I understood Tal’s limitations and that I wouldn’t exceed them. We laid the groundwork for what was and wasn’t acceptable early on, and I wholeheartedly respected those limits. But beyond Tal, Trish was there for everyone. An intimacy coordinator is there to protect the cast from the power dynamic of the director and producers. They’re a circuit breaker that stops certain things from happening. As a unit, we sat down with everyone and spoke about what was and wasn’t acceptable and what our approach was going to be. We also had crew working on this film who had experience with domestic violence, so Trish looked after those people too. She understands the role of the intimacy coordinator very well, which is to make sure everyone feels safe and is doing what’s best for the film. I highly recommend an intimacy coordinator when they’re needed, even if it’s only for emotionally heavy scenes. It doesn’t always have to be for physical coordination. It’s great to have someone with that experience who can help protect everyone and look after them. She called herself the mum on set, and she really was. She was there to make sure everyone was okay and to guide everyone through scenes that were quite terrible on screen. We both praise Trish as a person and the role itself, which we think is critical.

I’ve always enjoyed two-handers set in one location. There’s an art to it that not all filmmakers succeed at. Aphelion plays out like a stage play, including in the blocking of the characters. Steve, did you approach it from a theatre perspective, or was that just happenstance?

Steve: I tend to be silly and give myself challenges when it comes to filmmaking. I’ve seen a lot of scenes in films that play out over five, 10 or 15 minutes and really hold your attention. Specifically, there’s a scene in Factotum, based on the Bukowski book, where the characters are in one room for about five minutes, and it’s just so gripping and so powerful. I thought, “I wonder if I could do that for a whole film.” The original script was written to be shot in one unbroken take, so yes, it did have to evolve like a stage play. The idea was that the audience would feel like an awkward guest sitting in the corner while all of this was happening, thinking, “Ooh, this is uncomfortable.” That’s another reason why we never leave the room in this film, even when there’s action happening outside it. Jon was always against this. For good reason, he believed we were going to lose too much emotion for the sake of what could be considered a gimmick. Eventually, I had to concede that we needed to break it down into flowing scenes with cuts and edit it more traditionally. There are still some very long takes, though, which were necessary to save time. We stuck to the schedule reasonably well. It was a big challenge to keep the story in one room in real time, especially when it came to continuity. I’m relieved that we ended up with an edit that worked so well.

Tal, how did you find that challenge?

Tal: It was definitely challenging, but it was also an incredible opportunity to learn and step onto a set that taught me new skills as an actor. This shooting style gives you an opportunity to be more artistic and more grounded. As characters, this room was our life, and we really lived in that moment in real time. As we were shooting, we embodied that authenticity. It was very much in real time, and that is so special. It’s so rare to be able to work in such artistic environments and make those sorts of creative choices. I really enjoyed the experience. In the opening shots, we start with a dark room, and as Zinaida wakes up, she turns on the lights around the apartment, which was actually how we lit the film. It makes everything feel so real. I didn’t have to think about the cameras or the setup. I just got to be present with Nick, live through our characters, and trust that everyone was doing what they needed to do. I would love to continue working in those sorts of spaces. I’ve never done theatre before, but this came pretty close.

I was going to ask if you’d done theatre before because you seem to know exactly when to turn away from the camera at the right moment.

Tal: Thank you. No theatre background for me, but Nick has theatre experience, having worked on a few plays. I feel like theatre actors bring a certain level of quality to a film. After making Aphelion, I’d like to explore theatre. This performance was kind of like a dance, which is similar to a theatre performance.

Steve, was it written into the script that there would be a transition to black and white early in the film, or did that come later?

Steve: [Laughs]. That came during post-production. Our set only had two walls, which was an incredible challenge for our DOP, Stephanie Furdek. This was her first feature film as DOP. I gave her a big challenge, not only to light the set creatively using a mixture of practical lamps and additional lights off set, but also to work with just two walls and no ceiling. With those limitations, she had to get very creative with how she used the camera. I gave her a lot of freedom to figure out the space and keep it visually interesting, considering she could only point the camera in very limited directions. It was quite a challenge, and that dictated how we could light the set. We also had to build a huge black tent because we had skylights in the warehouse we were shooting in, but we couldn’t reach them to black them out. If you look carefully at the film, you’ll notice that sometimes the background is just black because there actually isn’t a wall there. The film was lit for colour, and our production designer, Lach Preston, created those beautiful textured walls in that baby-poo green. The space had a beautiful colour palette, but while I was in the edit suite with Jon, Stephanie wasn’t available for the final colour grade. I was playing around with the colour when I tried monochrome, and it just looked amazing. It complemented her lighting so perfectly. I wasn’t one hundred per cent sure I’d settle on black and white until the very last minute. It struck me that, narratively, it worked really well. I started the film in colour because I didn’t want to waste all the work that had gone into the production design and lighting. At first, I think Stephanie was very sceptical. She said, “No, I didn’t light it for black and white. That’s a whole different process.” But when I showed her, she was relieved that her lighting worked so well in black and white too. I think it looks great.

Tal, when did you find out the film transitioned to black and white, and what was your reaction?

Tal: I found out when I watched the film for the first time. [Laughs]. I wasn’t told beforehand. At the time, I don’t think I even noticed the transition. I remember the movie starting exactly how I expected, but about halfway through I suddenly realised it had changed. My first reaction was, “Well, this is incredible.” I do love a black and white film.

Another technical aspect of the film I’m curious about is the sound of the airplane take-offs used throughout. Am I correct in assuming they’re used to allude to the more intense scenes, or did you simply shoot under an airport and couldn’t avoid them?

Steve: [Laughs]. All of that is foley. It was very carefully and intentionally used throughout the film. There are a few different functions of the aircraft noise. First of all, it gives the film a sense of place. It’s set in the Sydney suburb of Marrickville, which is under a flight path. Many people I’ve known in these situations have lived in that area. Sorry to the people of Marrickville. It’s a lovely area, but it does have a dark underbelly. It’s also used to highlight emotional moments, such as that shot of Nick while the camera tracks around him. It creates intensity, as you mentioned. Finally, it complements the musical beats as an additional tonal element. So yes, it serves a few different purposes.

When it comes to Australian films, I’ve found they’re often told from either an extremely conservative point of view or a much less conservative one, where Aphelion sits, with relatively few films in between. What are your thoughts on filmmaking in Australia at the moment?

Steve: Okay, in my opinion, there are two broad types of films. Obviously there’s a lot of variation, but you’ve got entertainment and you’ve got art, and both are important. Neither is better than the other. I’ve written entertainment scripts for fun. Entertainment is there to be enjoyed, while art is there to create thought, make people think, and spark discussion. Of course, you have films that do both, but those are the two extremes of a very broad spectrum. Australia is getting much better at accepting entertainment films, especially horror. When I first started writing scripts, horror films were really looked down upon and weren’t considered real cinema. Now we make some of the best horror films in the world, with films like Talk to Me, The Babadook, Saw and Wolf Creek. We’ve always made art films that create discussion. That’s been our bread and butter. Aphelion is meant to stimulate discussion. My ambition was for people to walk out of the cinema feeling depressed, not because I’m mean, but because I hoped they’d sit down in a café afterwards and talk about it. I don’t watch as many Australian films as I probably should, but I don’t watch as many films in general as I used to. I’ve seen thousands of films over the years. I have a DVD collection of around 3,000 films, so I’ve watched a lot of cinema. These days I’m more focused on writing and making films than watching them. I think Australian cinema is in a healthy place, but it could be even better. Small films like ours deserve a lot more support.

Tal: I couldn’t say it any better than Steve. I completely agree with how he feels. I personally think we’re incredibly lucky in Australia. The fact that this is the career I want to pursue and that I can do it here without having to move overseas is a dream in itself. There are so many incredibly talented filmmakers here. We’re really collaborating and creating together, and that’s beautiful. I’m seeing more support and collaboration than ever before, which is great. I do think we’re still making films that lean towards the conservative side, and I’d love to see more boundaries pushed outside the festival circuit. I absolutely love film festivals, but more people need to be seeing Australian films beyond them too, and I think that’s slowly happening.

Steve: Money is one of the biggest reasons films become conservative. Whether it’s the source of the funding or the distributor wanting to make their money back, it naturally pushes projects towards safer choices. The more money that’s involved, the less willing people are to take risks with the content because they’re worried about offending audiences or not finding a market. With Aphelion, making money isn’t the most important thing. Finding an audience is. We want people to see the film.

Aphelion will screen at the Revelation Film Festival on Saturday, 18 July. Details here. 

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