Sophie Somerville’s honest and raw debut FWENDS is a Melbourne set festival darling, winning the Berlinale Forum’s Caligari Film Prize for innovation, and co-written by Sommerville and the film’s leads; Emmanuelle Mattana and Melissa Gan.

Em (Mattana) is a junior lawyer who lives to pay her ludicrously high rent in Sydney while navigating harassment and burnout from a workplace she fought so hard to get into. Jessie (Gan) is a former stripper who’s travelled the world and has recently ended her long term relationship, now living a life of existential loneliness. When the pair reunite on a trip to Melbourne, what starts as a simple reunion quickly transforms into a whirlwind weekend as they explore the city and share stories. As they reconnect further, their conversation explores the complexities of modern life, exposing the layers of their personal journeys and the weight of their existential dread.

Capturing a lonely, worried generation seeking meaning in a fast paced, ever-changing landscape, FWENDS is a celebration of the power of friendship and an ode to the splendiferous messiness of real life, raw emotion, and poignant revelations.