After four years of travelling from Wollongong to Sydney to attend film school, Parish Malfitano set himself a lofty goal - to make his first feature.
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"At the end of the year, everyone (at the school) has meetings where they say, 'what are you going to do (after graduating)?'" he said.
"And a lot of people say, 'I've got this intern job', or 'I'm going to work on another short film'. And my goal was, 'somehow I'm going to make this feature film, and get that done'."
Although admitting he was "really ignorant and naive about the process of doing such a large-scale thing", he was encouraged by one of his lecturers at the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) to pursue his dream.
Since finishing school in 2017, Malfitano, now 26, has completed his debut feature film, the psychological thriller Bloodshot Heart.
He wrote, directed and co-produced it, as well as having a cameo in the film.
Malfitano, now based in Sydney, grew up in the Illawarra, and much of the film was shot in the region.
This included various Wollongong landmarks, as well as the old Helensburgh tunnel.
It was filmed in 2018.
This was followed by a year of editing and attempting to secure funding for aspects of post-production.
Malfitano said much of the "micro-budget indie film" was self-financed, as he saved money living with his parents while studying.
Additional money was derived from community members pitching in funding.
"The other two producers were kind enough to help provide some money for us," Malfitano said.
"The cast and crew were working for deferred (payment), because they just believed in what we were doing."
The film's plot features Hans, who at 44 still lives with his mother.
When Matilda, a tenant half his age, moves in, Hans relives old memories and is infatuated.
Malfitano said Bloodshot Heart was influenced by film-makers such as Brian De Palma and David Cronenberg.
Malfitano, an Italian Australian, said the end result also draws on his migrant heritage.
"There's a good majority of the film that's in Italian," he told the Mercury.
"And just in terms of cultural values and ideals, and how they influence the son... I think in a lot of European families there can be a controlling, obsessive mother figure, and so that's something that's in the film.
"She is seen as this controlling figure, (and) that he's trying to find a way to move away from that.
"I wouldn't say I've based anyone on any particular characters or anything like that, but I've taken a lot of my cultural values and feelings and experiences into this film."
Bloodshot Heart will have its world premiere at Revelation Perth International Film Festival Couched.
The film will be available online, Australia-wide, from July 9-19.
The young film-maker said he hoped the movie will receive a wider release, however at the moment he's focusing on being included in as many festivals as possible to "build momentum".
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