By Goya Dmytryshchak
A short film about a couple whose life plunges into turmoil after their daughter goes missing is in the running for a prestigious award.
Newport filmmaker Tom Vogel said his film, One Second, influenced by real-life events, was sparked by his young son Max disappearing while playing at Williamstown’s Commonwealth Reserve. His son was found after a few minutes.
Also in Vogel’s mind while writing the script were questions about the murderous intentions of men such as Robert Farquharson, who drove his three sons into a dam in 2005, and Arthur Freeman, who threw his daughter off the West Gate Bridge in 2009.
“I tried to explore, well, how can any parent actually do that? And I didn’t come up with any answers, but I ended up with the film,” Vogel said. “It is a bit controversial.”
One Second has been selected by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts for the Social Shorts online festival, where the public votes for its favourite films in three categories.
Vogel said his film ended with an intense scene that had left some viewers “aghast”.
“At its very first festival screening, at the Setting Sun Film Festival, the festival director was accosted by a patron,” he said.
To view One Second, visit socialshorts.com.au/open. Voting closes at midnight on Sunday, July 28.
