What’s your connection to Brimbank?
I call the Brimbank area home. I was born in Footscray and moved to St Albans as a toddler. It’s where I went to school (Resurrection primary and CRC secondary). Brimbank is where I played soccer for Melbourne Knights – I supported both the Knights and St Albans Saints Dinamo, and the streets of St Albans were my home. I’m still in Brimbank, and Sydenham is where I now live when I’m in Australia.
What do you like best about the area?
I guess I would have to say the feeling of pride that it gives me – it gave me the spirit of a warrior, and no matter where I am in the world, I am always proud to say that I’m from the west. No matter the challenge, no matter how impossible the task, the area has given me the attitude of never letting anyone tell me that something can’t be done.
What could make the area better?
I honestly believe the area needs to embrace a change in the bureaucracy. The area is, historically, neglected and, if it was not for the resolve of the local battlers, the area would be left far behind. I believe local enterprise and creativity needs to be embraced and supported. With all of my own achievements over the years, I have never had any collaboration or input from the local council. This is unfortunate because I do collaborate with Screen Australia and Australia Council for the Arts (Australian Government). I believe that, with support from the council, we would be able to give local talents more of an opportunity. I will wear some of the blame myself because, after years of trying to lobby the council, I simply gave up some time ago and ventured out internationally to develop my career. So I guess we could consider this an appeal to the current councillors to reach out and speak to me about collaborating and boosting local opportunities.
What are your favourite places to go eat here?
I would have to say my dad’s Croatian kitchen. I don’t go out to eat in the area too much because of all the travelling, but when I do … it often ends up being at Watergardens Hotel buffet. I’m a meat and salad bloke.
What’s
Diary of a Fatman
about?
It’s actually a quirky comedy about an unemployed welfare recipient based in Brimbank. It’s a story of a man with no story to tell, until he falls asleep. That is when we meet his wild adventurous alter egos, including pro wrestler Bulk Bogan and rockstar Saxl Pose, amongst many others. I guess it’s art imitating life – I cast an exceptionally talented local actor called Steven Haar … I cast him as a lead opposite star Hollywood actors and other local talents.
How was the Cannes experience, and all those international awards?
I’ve been to Cannes quite a few times … and it’s always surreal. This year I was invited to share the red carpet with Mel Gibson for the premiere of his movie
Blood Father … he has always inspired me, so this was a sentimental moment. But what made this trip extra special is taking a local talent like Mr Haar, who would otherwise not have the opportunity to attend Cannes and showcase his talent.
As different as we are, over the years we have become much like brothers and to be acknowledged with international awards in Los Angeles is … especially exciting when you can share the victory with your team. Winning the AOF Hollywood Dreams excellence in film award as a director has propelled my career to yet another level and that feels like a major accomplishment.
What inspires your filmmaking?
I’m inspired by real life stories and heavily influenced by music and the ideas that songs give me in creating motion pictures. I have five feature films slated for Majestic Film in the next five years … my intention is to try bring as much of these feature film projects home to Australia, and obviously Brimbank … I need to make a call to action in the community. There’s even talk of another comedy based on the ’80s.
