The Release - Short Film Screening and Q&A (E)

The Release is a short film created for Tropfest 2026, shot locally in Cowaramup and Treeton just before Christmas with a local cast and crew. Presented as part of the HEART Sundowners Festival, this special cast-and-crew screening welcomes family, friends, and the wider community.

Set in Margaret River, The Release follows nine cousins who reunite from across Australia to rehearse an important task. Each arrives carrying their own opinions, baggage, and sense of urgency, quickly turning careful preparation into organised chaos. Old family roles resurface, banter becomes rivalry, and a simple run-through spirals into a competitive race — with a bunk bed as the unlikely battleground. Beneath the noise lies something deeper: tradition, shared pride, and the enduring pull of family.

The film was co-written, directed, and produced by Katharina Keil, an Australian filmmaker with over 30 years’ experience across film and television, who recently relocated from Sydney to Margaret River to develop her feature debut.