Alex (Elena Mandalis) and Vicki (Dora Kaskanis) are two young Greek Australian girls in Melbourne’s western suburbs. Vicki is bored with school and she is abused by her father at home. Alex misses her estranged mother and is trying to deal with her growing sexual attraction to a female teacher (well played by Maude Davey). Only together — committing arson, hanging out — do they find moments of peace in their lives. This tough short film is an outstanding example of a recent Australian cinema.

Weaving themes of sexuality, ethnicity and dislocation, Only the Brave manages to be realist and elegiac, sensitive and uncompromising, and show how the impact of migration has altered the tradition, landscape and narratives of Australian culture. Mandalis and Kaskanis are knock-outs in their first screen performances and the the film received an AFI Award for best short film and the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival. Written by Ana Kokkinos and Mira Robertson.