A first date: he shows up at her flat, several stories up in her building. She's finishing getting ready, so she introduces him to her dog, which loves to fetch a small red rubber ball with blue stars. He tosses the ball to the dog a few times, somewhat distractedly, looks through a book ("Do I have to be me?") on her coffee table, opens the French doors to her balcony, sits down and continues to toss the ball. It takes a deadly carom, but when she emerges from her bedroom ready to go, he stays mum. Outside the building, a crowd has gathered. Will he tell her what happened, or leave it for her to put together? Is there any way out for him?
Direction
Danzey stretches seven minutes into genuine suspense.
Writing
The book title 'Do I Have to Be Me?' is *chef's kiss*.
Director
Lynn-Maree Danzey
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Matt Day and Rebecca Frith were real-life partners at the time, lending their excruciating chemistry uncomfortable authenticity.
Part of a wave of 1990s Australian shorts that exported cringe comedy globally—think early Working Dog Productions meets Mike Leigh.
AU
