Horror feature film Salt Along the Tongue – produced by a crew of AFTRS alumni and recent graduates – has been selected to screen at SXSW Sydney 2024 where it will have its Australian premiere. The film is currently sold out with anticipation for more screening sessions to be announced.
With an entirely female cast and nods to Pedro Almodovar’s iconic Volver, Salt Along the Tongue follows Mattia, grappling with the loss of her mother, who begins to unfurl a treacherous family secret, threatening her life. From beyond the grave, Mattia’s mother possesses her daughter with the malocchio (evil eye) in an attempt not only to protect her from the same fate that befell her but also to find reconciliation with her sister, using food as a gateway.
Written and directed by Parish Malfitano and produced by Daniel Pollock and Kristen Settinelli, the production joins AFTRS students, alumni, and creative collaborators with a shared vision and approach to production.
Parish’s drive to bring the film to the screen came to fruition through a series of connections that started with AFTRS Head of Industry and Alumni Robbie Miles introducing Parish to Daniel and later to Kristen. The partnership took off, and the production expanded into a network of opportunities for collaboration with current students and recent graduates.
AFTRS Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production 2017 alum and writer/director Parish Malfitano is no stranger to putting the AFTRS community at the centre of his process. His debut feature, Bloodshot Heart, released in 2020, three years after graduating, was produced in collaboration with AFTRS alumni and had its world premiere at the Revelation Perth Film Festival.
Parish drew from his own experiences growing up in Australia within an Italian family when writing the film, and he highlights the importance of finding supportive creative partnerships and like-minded practitioners:
“Growing up in Australia within an Italian family, my diasporic heritage has deeply influenced me both personally and creatively. I’ve felt compelled to navigate and reconcile my dual cultural identity, exploring its critical and emotional dimensions within the Australian context. After tirelessly pursuing traditional funding avenues without success, and determined to tell this deeply personal story, I realised I would need to create it similarly to my first feature (Bloodshot Heart)—on a shoestring budget, with the support of passionate and talented individuals who believed in both the story and me.”
He explains how Robbie Miles was fundamental in connecting him with key creatives to build a crew and bring the vision to life, “because as filmmakers, we create because we must.”
AFTRS Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production 2021 alum and producer Daniel Pollock was the first to join Parish. He was so impressed by all the work Parish had already committed to the project that he, “jokingly suggested we start shooting the next day.”
The collaborative spirit and mutual trust drove the production forward and made it “the most fulfilling experience of [Daniel’s] working life. It has built some lifelong relationships, both personal and professional, and has created opportunities I could only dream of.”
He highlights the joy of creating opportunities through production:
“Making Salt Along the Tongue has allowed me to refine my focus on what I love about filmmaking: creating and offering opportunities to young, hungry creatives to help them achieve their dream goals. With a cast and crew of well over 100+ people, a vast majority are under 35, with many experiencing their first taste of a feature film set. And the trust we had for this young cast and crew has been returned tenfold – for an extremely low budget project made essentially with sticky tape, favours, adrenaline and love, Salt Along the Tongue is a sum far greater than its parts.”
AFTRS recent graduate Kristen Settinelli joined Salt Along the Tongue as a producer two months before production, when she was still completing the Bachelor of Screen: Production. During her studies, she, “grew fond of telling stories exploring multiculturalism within Australia and, ultimately, stories from marginalised backgrounds”, which resulted in Robbie introducing her to Parish and Daniel. She emphasises the strong bond and shared culture that connected her with the project:
“I produced this film whilst completing my studies at AFTRS, which meant a lot of juggling between assignments and practical exercises, but overall, it taught me a lot. Not a lot of students can say after graduating that they’ve already got a feature film under their belt – which should be the reality for passionate creatives who are just starting out in the industry. Creating accessible opportunities for emerging creatives is part of the love and passion behind SATT (Salt Along the Tongue) – both from AFTRS alumni to current students.
There’s nothing better than knowing you’re creating something that will resonate with audiences on both a personal level and also terrify them. Working on this film reassured me of what I had been working towards during my studies – which is being a producer who helps bring stories to life. I’m so grateful for the learning opportunity that AFTRS encouraged me to dive into.”
Associate Producer and AFTRS Head of Industry and Alumni Robbie Miles said:
“I was so inspired by Parish’s work, energy and enthusiasm when we were working together at Palace. I was between production jobs, so I resolved to help where I could with his next film. The connective tissue of my entire life as both producer and teacher has been bringing people together whom I think will get along, and I knew Daniel and Parish were cut from similar cloth, then when Kirsten shared her proof of concept for an Italian horror film, I knew she should meet the team.
Filmmaking is a team sport, and it’s a daily source of inspiration to see people who care so much about what they do come together at the School and carry those relationships into industry. It’s vital that independent filmmaking continues to connect with audiences and thrive in Australia.”
Salt Along the Tongue will have its Australian Premiere at SXSW Sydney on Friday, 18 October, joining AFTRS productions Bőr, Set Menu and Get On With It at the Screen Student Showcase program and a selection of 8 AFTRS productions screening at NSW’s Top Talent Short Film Showcase at Screen NSW House. Here’s the full roundup of AFTRS films at SXSW.
CREW
Writer/Director – Parish Malfitano (2017 Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production)
Producers – Daniel Pollock (2021 Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production) and Kristen Settinelli (2023 Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production)
Production Design – Thom Muir (2013 Foundation Diploma)
Art Director – Madeline Neate (2019 Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production)
Editor – Harrison Finch (2023 Master of Arts Screen)
Sound Design – Andrew Dean (2022 Master of Arts Screen)
Production Manager – Monique Placko (2024 Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production)
Grip – Tony Bosch
Runners – Judah Jackson, Johnathon Zhang (2024 Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production), Ben Brewer (2024 Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production)
Art Department Assist – Emma Jonas Moralee, Alessia Pugliese (Student Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production)
Food Stylist – Tony Ling (2020 Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production)
