Women of Panmure are the inspiration for a new short film.
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The 30-minute film entitled The Association is the brainchild of former Panmure resident Jennifer Monk and takes a glimpse into her hometown’s Country Women’s Association (CWA).
The actor and producer who has featured in notable productions including the television show Offspring, has created her third film as part of her work with Girls Act Good (GAG) – a company she founded in 2013.
“The film is about women coming together and helping each other to make their lives better,” she said. “But it is also a raw and disturbingly domestic social thriller about an experiment to create the perfect life.
“It’s a sort of like a twist on the Stepford Wives.”
Ms Monk’s film research took place in a CWA Panmure branch meeting in March.
“I went right back to my roots,” she said. “The CWA ladies were good enough to let me attend their meeting and I watched intently.
“It was amazing. I used the way they run a meeting, the character names and one of the stories that was told that day directly in the film.”
Ms Monk’s 15-year career, which began in Warrnambool, has included acting, teaching, producing and writing.
“This is definitely the biggest project I’ve undertaken so far,” she said.
The Association premiered as a stage production in Melbourne in July.
“Performances were complete with scones and jam,” Ms Monk said. “We even had other CWA groups attend and they loved it.”
Ms Monk now needs help from her former region.
“We need people to back the performing arts,” she said. “I’m asking my country connections because I want them to know that they can follow their dreams and achieve them.”
To help with the cost of production GAG is seeking tax-deductible donations via a crowdfunding campaign run through the Australian Cultural Fund (ACF).
While there are no plans to bring the film to Warrnambool Ms Monk said that was one of her life goals.
“My absolute dream would be to bring one of my films to my home town – imagine screening at the Panmure Hall, that’d be fantastic.”