Ablaze is a 2023 Australian drama-thriller short by Danni Fenech, made to prompt discussion about violence against women. Its premise begins with an apparently innocent meeting in a quiet country town and turns toward something more sinister. The film was shortlisted for Best Australian Short Film in 2024; Fenech has said its starting point was her own fears and experiences as a young woman in Sydney.
What is Ablaze about?
Fenech’s official film page describes Ablaze as a 4-minute-48-second, English-language short drama and thriller, released in 2023. She is credited as its writer, director and producer. The synopsis sets an innocent first meeting against empty fields in a quiet country town, where the encounter takes a more sinister turn. Fenech’s film page provides the film details and synopsis.
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The 2024 shortlist announcement introduced the film with the line “I’ve never felt safe walking home…” That wording works as a concise expression of the film’s subject, but the announcement does not establish it as dialogue spoken by a character. PerthNow’s shortlist announcement described the film’s premise and included that line.
Why did Danni Fenech make the film?
In a February 2024 interview with PerthNow, Fenech said Ablaze was “inspired by my own fears and experiences as a young woman in Sydney”. She described the film’s purpose as highlighting “everyday circumstances and fears that women face in Australia today, and how often women’s voices are silenced by violence.”
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Fenech also said she hoped the film would ignite discussion about violence against women and that those conversations would continue after viewers watched it. She called gender-based violence and harassment confronting, and argued that talking about them is necessary for change. These statements describe her motivation and intended impact; they are not a measurement of the film’s effect on audiences or evidence of the prevalence of violence. PerthNow’s interview records her account.
What recognition has Ablaze received?
Ablaze was included in the 2024 Best Australian Short Film shortlist. Fenech’s official film page lists these festival awards:
- Best Young Australian Short Film, Hervey Bay Film Festival (2024).
- Emerging Filmmaker Award, Heathcote Film Festival (2024).
- REEL Change Award, REELise Film Festival (2024).
- Best Actor, Young Australian Film Festival (2024).
- Best Short Drama, Voices of Women Film Festival (2025).
Heathcote Film Festival independently records Ablaze as the recipient of its inaugural Emerging Filmmaker Prize in 2024. The filmmaker’s page is the source for the remaining award listings. Heathcote Film Festival’s past winners provides its record.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where can you watch it?
PerthNow’s 2024 competition coverage promoted an online watch link during the competition. That historical promotion does not establish that the link still works or that the film is currently available through an authorized stream. The available film information confirms festival recognition and the filmmaker’s page, but not a current viewing platform.
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