Life Could Be a Dream (film)
| Life Could Be a Dream | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Jasmin Tarasin |
| Screenplay by | Courtney Collins |
| Produced by | Jasmin Tarasin, co-produced by Clare Lewis and Catherine Church |
| Starring | Maeve Dermody Alexander England |
| Cinematography | Meg White |
| Edited by | Gabriella Muir |
| Music by | Dan Luscombe |
Production companies | GoodChat Pure Pictures |
| Distributed by | Maslow Entertainment |
Release date |
|
Running time | 82 min. |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
Life Could Be a Dream is an Australian drama film directed by Jasmin Tarasin, with a screenplay by Courtney Collins. Starring Maeve Dermody and Alexander England, the film's storyline is centred around coercive control.
Synopsis
Real estate agent Sarah, aged 40, escapes a coercive, controlling marriage to Jake with her teenage son Otis, taking refuge in a mansion Sarah has been hired to sell, pretending to be on an overseas holiday. There are flashbacks to the marriage, and a separate strand showing Jake's current movements. Sarah and Otis face various challenges as they navigate life in the mansion. Otis flirts with the local grocery store owner's daughter Sati.
Cast
- Maeve Dermody as Sarah
- Alexander England as Jake
- Sonny McGee as Otis
- Noam Sen-Gupta as Sati
- Septimus Caton as The Gardener
Production
The screenplay of the film was written by author Courtney Collins,[1] while it is directed by Jasmin Lee Tarasin,[2] in her feature film directorial debut.[3] Tarasin is known for her ABC TV documentary Utopia Girls, which was a finalist at the 2012 AACTA Awards and the NSW Premier's History Awards.[4] She also directed the award-winning documentary series commissioned by SBS Television, The Closet Tales,[5] a four-part documentary about prominent Australian fashion designers, screened in 2006.[6]
Meg White, an Australian cinematographer base in the US, was responsible for filming.[4][1] The casting director was Anousha Zarkesh.[7]
Life Could Be a Dream was produced by Tarasin, and co-produced by Clare Lewis and Catherine Church through GoodChat,[8] along with Pure Pictures, and supported by the Minderoo and Snow Foundations.[4]
The score was created by Australian composer and musician Dan Luscombe, along with original tracks by Polish pianist Hania Rani and Australian musical duo Time for Dreams,[3] consisting of Tom Carlyon and Amanda Roff.[9]
The house used for Jake and Sarah's family home was that of Carla Zampatti,[7] a friend of the director. She said that the extensive glass in the house acted as a metaphor, as a glass cage for Sarah.[10] Sonny McGee, who plays Otis, is Tarasin's real-life son.[7]
Release
Life Could Be a Dream was selected for screening at the Montreal Independent Film Festival in 2025.[2]
After a preview screening in Melbourne on 14 April 2026, followed by a Q&A session,[11] the film was released in Australian cinemas on 14 May 2026,[1] distributed by Maslow Entertainment.[7]
Reception
Luke Buckmaster of The Guardian gave the film 4 out of 5 stars, calling it "a powerful, memorable film" and praising the direction, cinematography, and performances.[1] Stephen A. Russell, writing in Screenhub, also gave it 4 out of 5 stars, calling it a "genuinely gut-wrenching Australian drama" and also praising the direction and performances.[7] Both Buckmaster and Russell draw comparisons with the 2023 film Shayda.[7][1]
Accolades
Tarasin won the award for Best Female Director at the Montreal Independent Film Festival in 2025.[2]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 Buckmaster, Luke (13 May 2026). "Life Could Be a Dream review – a powerful, polished Australian film about domestic abuse". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 14 May 2026. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Insights into the Latest Winners of the Montreal Independent Film Festival". Montreal Film Mag. 12 October 2025. Archived from the original on 25 January 2026. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
- 1 2 "'Life Could Be a Dream' (Trailer)". IF Magazine. 24 February 2026. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
- 1 2 3 Eeles, Matthew (24 February 2026). "See the new trailer for Jasmin Tarasin's feature film debut Life Could Be a Dream!". Cinema Australia. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
- ↑ Tarasin, Jasmin (19 May 2022). "Jasmin Tarasin – Filmmaker". WorkLife (Interview). Retrieved 4 June 2026.
- ↑ "Closet Tales". Screen Australia. 10 April 2026. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Russell, Stephen A (11 May 2026). "Life Could Be a Dream review: 'genuinely gut-wrenching' Australian drama". ScreenHub Australia. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
- ↑ "About". Life Could be a Dream. 12 May 2026. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
- ↑ Campbell, Liz (24 May 2018). "PREMIERE: Time For Dreams unleash hypnotic pop magic on You've Got a Friend". Happy Mag. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
- ↑ Tarasin, Jasmin; Collins, Courtney (13 May 2026). "Interview: Jasmin Tarasin and Courtney Collins on Life Could Be A Dream, romantic myths, and invisible cages". The AU Review (Interview). Interviewed by Gray, Peter. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
- ↑ "'Life Could Be A Dream' (2026)". Limelight. 17 April 2026. Retrieved 4 June 2026.