Short Summary

Leaving Darkness is a story about a young woman's struggle to make it as a singer in the music industry while having to deal with a dysfunctional family and a mother that is addicted to meth. Through Cedella's journey we will see the affects that drugs have on our society and show the misconceptions relating addiction. 

This project has been 4 years in the making and was inspired by true events of family and close friends battling with the reality of addiction, and in particular regarding the methamphetamine epidemic sweeping Australia. The use of "ice" has been on the rise ever since I was in high school and now 10 years later it is even more readily accessible as it is the cheapest option with the longest affecting high. Mobile labs have been set up by local gangs outside of major cities that target impressionable teens with the most certain guarantee of getting hooked. Despite police officials seizing warehouses full of mobile lab kits and cooking apparatuses the cooks and the drugs are spilling in and occupying suburban areas, manufacturing the drug at an alarming rate. Eclipsing the amount of drugs being seized every year. In 2015 Australia was reported being the leading consumer in methamphetamine in relation to population density in the world, and Western Australia more than any other state.

One of the issues that the film will tackle is how the old system of treating drug users with prescribed, addictive, drugs doesn't guarantee recovery but leads to relapse. Showing how there needs to be a new way of thinking towards this problem and petition the government's involvement to try implement new methods and tactics such as decriminalizing drugs like Portugal has done. The aim is to educate people on the drug issue and introduce the notion of other methods of treatment and a new way of looking at recovery. As Johann Hari said, "The opposite of addiction is not sobriety. The opposite of addiction is connection".     

My own upbringing consisted of an alcoholic father that was in and out of hospital and rehab and unable to live without drinking he died when I was 17. Leaving Darkness is a story that is close to my heart and a story that needs to be told. Last year my team and I made a short teaser that generated interest in our film. The momentum has carried through with more people wanting to get on board, including recovering addicts who were happy to share their story.  

Even though meth looms in the background, intertwined with the characters, the story revolves around the Australian music industry and how it compares and looks up to the US market. Through Cedella we get a glimpse of the world of music and through her experience we are shown what it takes to be a performer in this cutthroat business of making stars. We explore how music trends dictate a musician's success and how the big music production companies will do whatever it takes to create a hit while making enemies along the way. In a world where auto-tune rules the charts, and DJs use the latest software to create hits based off classics, live music is a testament of real talent. The ability to capture an audience and sound relevant in today's society requires an artist who is in touch with what is going on in their environment and who is willing to collaborate with others in order to create a unique sound. Cedella's musical journey will show us the rigorous processes that musicians go through, and the politics band members experience when fighting for creative freedom. For Cedella music is her addiction.

The Feature will show the power music has over people, how it can bring  them together, how it can be adapted, reinvented, and be used to help through adversity. Regardless of what form addiction takes it can destroy or consume to the point that one loses touch of what is important, and who it threatens to take away.

The Team:

Jennifer Carreno is a Melbourne based Actress, Producer, Singer, Song writer and Creator of ‘Leaving Darkness’. She has been in the entertainment industry for 6 years.

Jennifer has completed a Performing Arts course at Swinburne University and since then has worked on film, theatre and has gigged around Melbourne. Leaving Darkness is Jennifer’s first Feature Film and has been working on this project for 4 years.

Jennifer is also Producing the Upcoming Short Film ‘THE LAN’ as well as the documentary
“Hidden talent” which are yet to be released.

Jennifer currently studies at the Melbourne Actors Lab with Peter Kalos and has been since 2012.

Angela Kennedy

Executive Producer- Also playing the role of ‘Jenny (mother)’

Angela is an Actress, Presenter, Host, Entrepreneur Angela is best known as a reality TV personality for her fiery season on Channel 7’s My Kitchen Rules. She is proving to be more than just a domestic goddess in the kitchen, with more than 20 years experience in theatre and film, she has also built multimillion dollar businesses from the ground up and is now the proud owner of Lash Envy Melbourne, a highly successful lash salon in the south east suburbs of Melbourne. Angela is taking on a new venture in her Television and Film career, and after her success from the hit show, Angela is ready to conquer the entertainment industry and plans to further her film and television career.

Filip Kolarov is assistant producer and co- writer for leaving Darkness. He is graduate of various TV and Film courses in Melbourne. His experience rangers from making shorts, and independent feature films ('Killer Vision' and 'The Count') to documentaries ('Real Estate 4 Ransom')

Filip currently studies at The Melbourne Actors Lab,' with Peter Kalos and has been training there since 2012.

Davini Malcolm Co Producer – also playing the role of ‘Mary'

Davini has been in the entertainment industry for 35 years, as an Actor, Producer & Writer. She has appeared in shows such as Winners & Losers, Wentworth, Neighbours, Law of the Land, Sugar & Spice, Blue Heelers, Stingers, Secret Life of Us, Prisoner and The Flying Doctors to name a few. She has also appeared in feature films such as “A Cry in the Dark”, “On the Beach”,“Bony”, “Taj” & "The Colour of Darkness" and is in pre-production as an Executive Producer and co-lead in the feature film "Love, Tea & Epiphany".

She has segment produced & directed on Teenie Weenie Greenies (a 13 part kids series) and has co-produced a documentary on the home birth of her twins – “Lotus Birth, the Water Birth of the Malcolm Twins”. She is a member of the Melbourne Actors Lab.

Skye Young  Co-Producer –  also playing the role of ‘Amy’

Skye Young is a Melbourne based actor, singer, writer and entrepreneur. Skye has worked in film, TV, theatre and musical theatre. She is known for the Dead Sharks (2015), Subclass 417 (2013) and Blue Grace (2016).

Skye currently studies at The Melbourne Actors Lab with Peter Kalos and has been training there since 2012.

The Steps: 

STEP 1

The first thing that needs to be done is make this short film. The goal to raise $6,000 AUD in order to pay the cast and crew.

 STEP 2

Upon completion of the short film it will be used as a part of a portfolio that will be presented to Screen Australia to bring them on board to fund the feature film of this story

STEP 3

Create the Feature film, we aren't aiming small with this project, we want to shake the country and show the effects of Methamphetamine abuse. We are working towards a cinema release followed by national TV screening.     

No contribution is too small. Every amount helps. 

Other Ways You Can Help

Drugs and music have always been seen as going hand in hand and usually for the wrong reasons. We want this short film to show drugs for what they are and the struggle individuals go through to cope with addiction.  This film has the potential to spread awareness not just in Australia but the rest of the world. The success of this film relies on the reach it has, the audience it caters to, and we need your help to achieve this.  There are two ways you can work with us, by helping us raise the funds and raising awareness through social media.

https://www.facebook.com/leavingdarknessmovie/

https://twitter.com/leavingdarkness