Ginger is a romantic comedy set in an LGBTI ballroom dancing class.  It also the writer/director's personal homage to classic old musicals. Of course reclaiming those stories, to include previously invisible queer characters. In Ginger, our story is told through five  LGBTI women, as they attend their weekly dance class.  

OUR CAST

MANDIE COMBE as GRETA

Mandie graduated from the National Theatre Drama School in 2006 but has been acting professionally for over twenty years in TV and Theatre. She has been writing and performing her own works since 2002. Highlights include a theatre piece she wrote and performed in 2012 called ‘Death in a box…one pussy’s tale’ about the effect that mental illness can have on an intimate relationship and in 2014 her Short film The Quinnies was selected for the Top 50 shortlist for Tropfest.

MICHAELA CELESTE as LILY

Michaela Celeste has trained with the Victorian College of the Arts and Brave Studios. Michaela was a founding member and actor with the Studio Eleven Theatre Company and has worked internationally with a theatre company in Sweden. Since deciding to move her career into Film & Television, Michaela has worked in various short films and feature films including It Had to be you (2018), Everything's Been Done (2018), Hello au Revoir (2018), and currently Ginger (2018). Michaela has featured on national Television on ABC TV morning breakfast and has been interviewed numerous times by ABC radio. Aside from acting, Michaela has a PhD in Psychology/Neuroscience.

LYNDALL GRANT as BETTY

Lyndall Grant is a Melbourne based actor, Teacher of Dramatic Combat and Fight Director. Lyndall has worked both in Australia and the UK and has a wealth of experience in both theatre and film.

MARIA PAPAS as Norma

Maria Papas has worked in film, TV and theatre including works for Melbourne Fringe, the ABC, Fremantle Media. She has trained with Andy McPhee, Miranda Harcourt and Anna McCrossin Owen amongst others. Maria has secured the lead on a local independent feature film shooting in May. She is looking forward to working with Michelle on "Ginger."

DONNA GOMEZ as Ms Fine

Donna Gomez is a Melbourne based actor originally from sunny Queensland. Since stepping into the industry in 2014 she has enjoyed roles in independent short films, theatre productions and theatre festivals like 'Short and Sweet’, and the Australian Feature Film 'Don't Tell’. She is passionate about Australian creative industries and being part of great projects.

BEHIND THE SCENES

MICHELLE DOUGLAS- Writer / Director / Producer

Michelle Douglas is a Melbourne based filmmaker. Michelle's credits include the short films The Dog Eaters, and Sometimes, Always (both as writer/director/producer).

Michelle is committed to telling queer / LGBTI stories, with diverse female characters.

TY JOHNSON - Producer

Ty Johnson is a screenwriter, producer & script editor based in Melbourne, Australia.

His credits include sometimes, always (2016/as Producer), the short films Wiseguy, Perve & Boot (as Writer/

Director) in addition to four unproduced feature scripts.

NICHOLSON REN - Director of Photography

Nicholson Ren is a freelance cinematographer and colourist as well as a camera assistant and gaffer on projects he does not head. Nicholson’s knowledge of film-making comes from just picking up cameras and shooting stories which interest him. Nicholson is a self-taught filmmaker and believes that he is naturally driven and passionate about what he does and is always looking to learn more and improve his skills. Nicholson is currently looking for opportunities to shoot commercials and short narratives to build a portfolio with his own professional vision. Between 2016 – 2018 Nicholson has worked on a number of short films, tv commercials and a feature film in a roles from gaffer/ colourist, 1st Assistant camera and DOP.

ANNY SALERNI -  Choreographer

Anny Salerni currently runs social dance classes in Same-Sex social dancing with Queer as Foxtrot, in Fitzroy and Footscray. Anny spent her life in dance studios, starting lessons at the tender age of 5 learning ballet, jazz and tap, doing the rounds of the panto and theatrical competition scene from a young age until a teenager, she then embarked on professional career in Ballroom & Latin in the late 1980s.

In 1995, Anny decided to move into the Same-Sex dance scene focussing on lessons and social events for the LGBTQ+ community starting Dance Cats Studio. During this time, Anny was choreographer for two separate teams in the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras and also for Tango Femme by Merrilee Moss which played at the La Mama CourtHouse, part of the Midsumma Festival in 2009. Anny was also the protagonist in an ABC documentary Ballroom Rules which aired in 2011 as part of the Artscape series.

OUR WONDERFUL CAST AND CHOREOGRAPHER HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD TO BRING THE CHARACTERS AND DANCE TO LIFE.

Mandie Combe and Michaela Pascoe

Mandie as Greta  and Michaela as Lily

We are raising funds to cover essential  production costs which will ensure Ginger is the queer dance film we want it to be . These costs include: 

EQUIPMENT HIRE

EDITING

COLOURING

MUSIC

FILM FESTIVAL ENTRY FEES

There are many  challenges in making any film. Our main challenge/ and mine as director,  will be to do justice to all of the hard work that our wonderful cast and crew are putting in  to Ginger. This means the best post production work so that the finished product is a queer film that we  can very PROUD to put out in to the community.