Sold-out screening of alumni film, 'The Light of the Moon'

Arriving amid the ground-shifting movement on sexual assault, the sold-out Sydney screening of ‘The Light of the Moon’ is particularly timely.

‘The Light of the Moon’ is an honest and emotional independent film that explores life after sexual assault for a young woman living in New York City. The film has a high-profile cast, including Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Stephanie Beatriz and Michael Stahl-David from ‘Narcos’ and ‘Cloverfield’.

Writer/director/producer Jessica M Thompson and producer Carlo Velayo are both UTS Media Arts and Production alumni, who partnered up on day one of their degree and have continued to achieve international success since graduating, making several award-winning short films.

Dr Chris Caines, Senior Lecturer for Media Arts and Production (MAP), noted that collaborations like Thompson and Velayo's are common for graduates pursuing filmmaking overseas.

"Many of our most successful graduates carry with them the creative relationships they formed as students into productive professional relationships that establish them in the industry," he said.

‘The Light of the Moon’, which premiered at the prestigious film festival, SXSW last year, has already received high praise by critics from around the world.

Teo Bugee from the NY Times wrote, “The film’s writer and director, Jessica M. Thompson, holds her star up to the light. With colorful sets and bright cinematography to match its lucid emotional logic, “The Light of the Moon” is a realistic exercise in psychological clarity.”

The sold-out Sydney screening of the film will be held at Sydney’s Palace Central Cinema for a one-night special, Saturday 24 February. The screening will be followed by a Q&A session, led by UTS Media Arts & Production lecturer, Dr Greg Ferris. Panellist include members from the production team, UN Women and the Rape Crisis Centre NSW, while a portion of the profits will go towards Rape and Domestic Violence Services Australia. 

Due to popular demand, tickets are no longer available for this event, however, follow the film’s Facebook page TLOTMfilm to stay updated, as the team is currently working to add another screening.