In September, the 4th edition of the Australian Women’s Film Festival (AWFF) took place over one night in Event Cinemas George St. Organised by Kelly Tomasich and Tahyna MacManus, the AWFF aims to platform short films that centre and celebrate women on and off-screen while providing an award package to the winner of the Best Film category.
AWFF stipulates that “at least three key creatives of a film (e.g. Writer, Director, Producer, DOP, Animator, Composer and Editor) must identify as female”, and that “all fictional films must pass the Bechdel Test”.
This year, the festival was judged by Kyas Hepworth, Head of Screen NSW, director-writer-producer and Goa-Gunggari-Wakka Wakka Murri woman Leah Purcell, and actresses Sophie Wilde and Bella Heathcote. Purcell and Tracey Corbin-Matchett, the CEO of Bus Stop Films, were both honourees for their contributions to the film and television industry.
One of the films that I enjoyed was Sleeping Beauties (2023). Pia Derya Thunderbolt won Best Director, Best Drama and Best Film for her debut short film, which she also produced and acted in. I had the opportunity to speak to Pia, learning about her journey as a creative and what she hopes to achieve post-Sleeping Beauties.
Honi Soit: Tell us a bit about yourself, as a person and filmmaker.
Pia Thunderbolt: I was born in Turkey, where I initially studied acting and later pursued writing. For a long time, I worked as an actor, writer, and assistant director. In 2015, I immigrated to Australia and started learning English, which wasn’t easy for someone in their mid-twenties. When I first shared my aspiration to act with those around me, they told me it was impossible because of my accent. When I pointed to successful American actors with accents, I was met with the response, “This isn’t America.” Over time, I began acting and appeared in the film Here Out West in 2022. I also acted in Three Thousand Years of Longing, directed by George Miller, in the same year. In 2024, I landed my first major role in The Way My Way, directed by Bill Bennett, where I played a Spanish pilgrim named Christina. Additionally, I wrote and directed my debut short film in 2023.
HS: When was the first time that you felt you had to become a filmmaker?
PT: I’ve always been a storyteller, raised on the tales my grandmother shared. It’s been my passion to provoke thought through my writing, evoke forgotten emotions, or confront uncomfortable ideas. In 2022, Iranian director Bahman Ghobadi, with whom I worked as an assistant director and screenwriter, encouraged me to create my first short film, and that’s where my journey truly began!
HS: What was the inspiration behind the name of your short film, Sleeping Beauties (2023)?
PT: This story is based on a true story of a friend from high school. It was a tale that deeply affected me back then, and when Bahman [Ghobadi] suggested the idea for my first short film, the concept of Sleeping Beauties immediately came to mind.
HS: The logline for your short film is “the house that you were born in, is your destiny.” Do you think there is a difference between one’s house and one’s home? Can a home be built within a house with boundaries?
PT: Of course, “home” and “house” are distinct concepts. Everyone might live under a roof with parental figures and siblings, but to truly call it a “home,” more is required. It’s about something deeper than just walls and a roof. It’s the feelings that make one feel connected to that place—like love, belonging, authenticity, and the virtues of being family. To me, home is about feeling a sense of belonging, and I feel that connection here. Australia is my home. It hasn’t been easy to feel this way, as migrating means leaving everyone behind—childhood friends, neighbours, relatives, memories, everything.
HS: As writer, director, and actress, how did you balance the depiction of Ayse, who is forced to adapt to the confines of her home life but able to rebel in subtle ways?
PT: Getting this balance right took a lot of work. It’s a different process as a director, a different one as a writer, and yet another as an actor. I think the key is to handle all these roles without mixing them up. That means really digging into the story and getting to know the characters well. As a director, I had to focus on how to manage the actors because no matter how good the script is, if the performances don’t resonate with the audience, then the film won’t work. The actors playing the parents weren’t professional actors, so I spent months visiting their homes and chatting with them about their characters. By the time we started filming, they knew who they were and “why” they were saying the lines in the script. I didn’t want them to just act; I wanted them to connect with their characters. Balancing all these aspects, director , writer , actor definitely requires discipline and a lot of dedication.
HS: How important is it to interrogate the frequency women are relegated to the role of caretaker or nurturer from youth to adulthood, especially when it comes at the expense of their inner and outer lives?
PT: Even though Sleeping Beauties is a Turkish story, it offers a narrative that resonates with women from all walks of life. Why? Because being a woman carries the same weight across the globe. No matter how successful or educated you are, there will always be someone who says you don’t deserve your position. Or, no matter how moral you try to be, if you laugh too loudly or wear a mini skirt, there will always be someone who says you are immoral.
Unfortunately, these shallow labels are often instilled in us from a young age, sometimes knowingly and sometimes not, within our own families. Girls are expected to behave like “girls”, while boys are treated differently in the same situations. As I mentioned, these are societal codes that, while they might vary in form, are universal. Plus, in these patriarchal societies, the oppressive dynamic really puts the mother in charge. You might have noticed in the film that the father doesn’t say a word; all the patriarchal pressures and labels come from the mother. I really wanted to highlight that. It’s like living in a male-dominated society isn’t tough enough already.
Women in patriarchal societies, often without realising it, end up becoming part of the system. The future that patriarchy offers women doesn’t change, no matter what year it is, and that’s what keeps stories like this from being just a ‘storytype.’ Basically, we’re living with these norms that are pushed on us, and the worst part is that we’ve come to normalise it. With this film, I just wanted to make people uncomfortable. I actually got some great responses from my community. By the way, thinking that patriarchy is only a Middle Eastern issue is a huge misconception — it’s a much broader problem.
HS: What have been some key takeaways that Turkish and non-Turkish audiences have had upon viewing Sleeping Beauties?
PT: I’ve honestly gotten pretty similar feedback from all the audience, and it didn’t surprise me at all. Ayse being stuck at home, her father’s and her mom’s patriarchal pressures, and how she’s treated like an object—it all came through clearly to the audience. Plus, the fact that she can’t leave because of her love for her brother really resonated with them.
HS: You’ve mentioned this a bit before but how did the mentorship of Iranian-Kurdish director Bahman Ghobadi help inform your filmmaking style but also the way you perceive the film industry and make space for yourself in it?
PT: Bahman was really hands-on during the scriptwriting process, mentoring me throughout, but when it came to directing, he gave me complete freedom. He believed that to find my voice in cinema, I had to have that creative freedom, and I completely agreed with him. This film wasn’t made with concerns about being liked or securing a place in the film industry. In fact, having those worries can lead filmmakers astray and stop them from discovering their own voice. I’m aware that my film brings a fresh perspective and a unique style to the Australian film industry, but that’s exactly what defines me.
HS: What do you hope to achieve as a storyteller, whether that be in Australia, in Turkey or internationally?
PT: I’ve been doing meetings for a film project I’ve been working on for many years, and it’s an incredibly exciting process. The film is set to be shot in Australia. It’s a comedy-drama, and my goal with this project is to achieve success both within Australia and internationally. I believe this project will showcase Australia’s cultural mosaic and highlight the diversity of Australian cinema to the world. I’ve built a predominantly female and highly diverse crew for Sleeping Beauties. I plan to take the same approach with my first feature film as well.
