Off the heels of 44 festival award wins and nominations, the Australian independent feature film, Violet Violet Violet, is paving its way for another festival screening at the Gold Coast Film Festival, 2026.
Co-written and directed by Derek Yang, Violet Violet Violet follows Arthur, a struggling playwright staging a make-or-break theatre adaptation of The Angel of Amontillado. When he unexpectedly recasts aspiring actress Georgia in the lead role—once synonymous with her predecessor Violet—the decision sends shockwaves through the production. As Georgia fights to prove herself worthy, tensions mount among the cast and crew, who remain loyal to Violet’s legacy. Rumours begin to swirl about the true motivations behind her casting, particularly as her relationship with Arthur grows increasingly close. What unfolds is a layered drama, as Georgia uncovers Arthur’s unresolved past—marked by obsession, rivalry, and lingering attachment to Violet.
The film has recently screened at LA’s Golden State Film Festival at the TCL Chinese Theatre at the heart of Hollywood and walked away with a win for Best International Feature Film.
With a cast and crew of approximately 97, which includes over 40 extras, the film was shot on a shoestring budget of less than $1.5K AUD (Approximately $1K USD, but its inviting locations across Brisbane, Australia, along with its impeccable colour palette makes this an unmissable cinematic event.
Featuring a dynamic ensemble cast of acting graduates and students from TAFE, QUT, UQ and The Actor's Club—including Emily Marszalek, Eloise Molloy, Maddox Valentin, Malithi Weragama, Georgina Sawyer, Lucy Rayner-Toy, and James Enwright—the film showcases emerging Queensland talent both on and off screen. Consequently, it will screen as part of the festival’s locally made feature film strand.
Current talks with distributors have paid off from shooting an additional 15 minutes towards the end of 2025, with the brand new footage being part of the Gold Coast lineup.
Statement from Director Derek Yang: What interested me was approaching the character study by framing it as a revenge film and letting it unfold like a detective story. We went out of our way to secure location permits to create a unique look for the film. This look results from the skill our camera team and crew brought to the table, combined with how our ensemble cast populates each frame with their talent. Usually independent films of this size require shooting a proof-of-concept first before embarking on the full feature. So we've done things a bit unconventionally here by shooting almost the entire feature, which made it easier to incorporate an additional 15 minutes into the existing 52-minute runtime when the opportunity arose.
It can be understandably difficult when circumstances require certain people to move on, so it is encouraging that the majority of people I work with can see a film to its very end, and even further beyond. The recognition the film is receiving so far culminates all those efforts. The next challenge now beyond its festival run is finding an audience when we get to its second life hopefully on major streaming platforms.
Screening Details
Date: April 26, 2026
Venue: Dendy Cinemas Southport
Red Carpet: 5:30pm
In-Cinema Formalities: 6:30pm
Duration: 72 minutes
Classification: Unclassified 15+
Country: Australia
Language: English
Tickets: https://gcff.com.au/program/violet/
$20 General Admission
$16 Concession
About the Festival
The Gold Coast Film Festival is one of Australia’s premier film events, celebrating local and international storytelling while showcasing emerging filmmakers and screen talent.