With her debut short film Unspoken, NIDA alum Kat Dominis (Stage and Screen for Performance, 2018) is making her mark on the international film scene, winning awards at CineFestOZ and the prestigious Clermont-Ferrand Film Festival. Set in 1970s Australia, the film draws on Kat’s Croatian-Slovenian roots to explore family, identity, and cultural conflict. In this interview, she shares how the story evolved from a script written in bed during lockdown to an award-winning film, and what she learned from balancing the roles of writer, producer, and lead actor.
Congratulations on the success of Unspoken! Winning at CineFest OZ and Clermont-Ferrand is an incredible achievement. How does it feel to have your first short film recognised on such a big stage?
It’s very exciting. Very surreal and unexpected. You always hope your vision will succeed, but there’s also that feeling of impostor syndrome, especially when you don’t have a huge body of work behind you or when you’re navigating challenges like “how do I generate funding?” But at the same time, I was quietly confident in what we made.
This was my first time producing a short film. I came up with the original concept, but as the project evolved, so did its scope. Along the way, I teamed up with co-writers and producers Mariana Rudan and Damian Walshe-Howling, and together we shaped it into the film you see today. However, I did have this “ah-ha” moment when I finished writing the original script. I remember writing it in bed during COVID, thinking, “This script is going to change my life”, and now, seeing it all come to life, it’s pretty surreal, but also validating. I believed I had the ability to do it, and now here we are. It feels great.
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind Unspoken? What was the story you wanted to tell, and why was it important to you?
It’s important because it represents me and a part of my culture.
After I graduated from NIDA, I realised there wasn’t much European Australian representation, and I wanted to tell a story that was honest and raw and truthful to my own heritage. I didn’t get offered an agent coming out of NIDA, which was pretty disheartening, a whole identity complex to deal with, but instead of spiraling I decided that if the industry couldn’t find a place for me, I’d find a place for myself.
I’m of Croatian-Slovenian descent and, to my knowledge, I’m the first Australian-Croatian to have made an Australian-Croatian film which meant a lot to me. I have a psychology background (I studied Health Sciences and Psychology at Sydney University before acting) and I knew I was a good writer, so I figured I could use those skills to tell a story that mattered to me.
Unspoken is about a fictitious family, but everything that happens to them is based on true events. It’s a love story set in the politically turbulent 1970s, which was a volatile decade, especially for the Croatian community in Australia. Many had fled Yugoslavia and were protesting for an independent Croatia.
My co-producer, Mariana Rudan, a former SBS journalist, was originally cast as my mum. When she came on board, she opened up this political world to me. I knew about the discrimination, but she explained the deeper reasons, like the Croatian Six and their impact on the community. Unspoken explores that through a fictional family. Marina, who I play, is dating an Australian man and trying to assimilate, while her two politically active brothers bring protest and chaos into the home, and then their father, who fled Yugoslavia, is anti-protesting after what he witnessed there. It’s a layered, complex family all dealing with the same issue in very different ways.
The story is still relevant today. It explores universal themes like migration, identity, belonging and connection across cultures. That’s why I think the film has done well internationally.
You co-wrote, produced, and starred in the film. How did you balance these different creative roles, and what did you learn from the experience?
I wrote the role of Marina for myself, so I didn’t really have to do much internal prep for her because she’s an offshoot of me, and I actually found the whole writing process very therapeutic, coming to terms with myself. Unspoken brought me out of my shell and gave me confidence as an actor and person. It made me proud of my heritage; it was very healing. I could tap into Marina and her worries because they were mine at some point. As an actor, it was easy to just be and that’s the main thing with acting anyway, allowing yourself to be vulnerable.
I was lucky to work with such a brilliant director and mentor, Damian Walshe-Howling. When he came on board, he workshopped the script with Mariana and me at our writers retreat in Byron Bay. He created such a beautiful, holistic, safe space where we could elevate the script together and really focus on each character’s arc.
I think it’s so important to give yourself permission to fully inhabit the role of an actor on set if you’re acting and producing and I was so lucky my director Damian gave me that. It was a huge luxury, and I don’t take that for granted. It’s hard to act and produce; writing is easier because you understand the world but producing while acting or directing is very tough. I’m glad I didn’t have to juggle both during the shoot. Pre-production is very technical it uses a completely different part of your brain and that’s where my psychology background really helped.
After NIDA, I worked on several indie features as a production assistant and coordinator, where I learned how to produce and what not to do, so I took those lessons into Unspoken. But the biggest lesson I’ve learned is the value of collaboration. Work with people you trust, who are aligned with your vision. When everyone’s working toward the same goal, magic can happen; you can play, experiment, and build on each other’s ideas. When you’re surrounded by a team in sync, you don’t need to wear all the hats. As a producer-actor, that trust gives you the freedom and safety to let go and truly create.
The film also features fellow NIDA alumni Ella Scott-Lynch (Acting, 2004) and Matthew Alexander (Acting, 2019) with designs by Madeleine Barlow (Design for Performance, 2019). What was it like collaborating with them on this project?
I think being able to work with friends you know well is really special. You’ve already got strong ties that help create intimacy and connection, and then when you’re working with an intimacy coordinator on top of that it creates an easy flow on set. Particularly with Matt (Matthew Alexander), we had scenes involving kissing, and working with an intimacy coordinator was a great way to feel safe and not blur boundaries. It also gives you permission and freedom to play because there’s already a level of trust as long as you’re clear with communication and boundaries, it creates really beautiful work.
Maddie (Madeline Barlow) is one of my best friends, I met both her and Matt at NIDA. She’s a weapon and so talented. She was the first person I approached with the script during COVID. I said, “I have this little idea and no money, fancy co-producing?” It was purely a passion project.
The initial support from my family helped get the project off the ground. As it grew, we were fortunate to receive grants from the Croatian Government and Wollongong Council, the rest came through a mix of pitching and networking.
It was an expensive project; it took three years to raise all the needed funds. But it was really important to me that everyone was paid, so that’s exactly what happened. We had a crew of 40, which was insane, and I’m proud we created a professional environment. So, it was worth the wait.
Maddie read the script and loved it and instantly wanted to be a part of it. I’ve been told there was something in the original script that moved people. It evolved with my beautiful team, but Maddie connected to the story and Marina’s arc, so she came on board instantly as co-producer. Next, I asked Matt if he’d play my onscreen boyfriend he read it and said, “Sure, sounds good.” I met Ella (Ella Scott-Lynch) on the day, she’s a friend of Damian’s, and she was brilliant to work with.
One of my favourite things about NIDA is the community and friendships I formed. The Diploma of Stage and Screen Performance (DSSP) is only one year, so I really tried to branch out beyond my course and network. I always put my hand up for extra tickets and opportunities. Matt was doing the Bachelor of Fine Arts, Acting and Maddie was in Design, so without that NIDA connection, I wouldn’t have been able to cast or put together the film with people I trust and admire.
Looking back at your time at NIDA, are there any lessons or skills from your training that you still draw on today?
Absolutely. The biggest one is a strong work ethic, you have to come prepared, whether you’re in front of or behind the camera. Nerves are normal, so it’s about finding what helps you feel confident and relaxed. NIDA really instilled discipline in me, I always arrive early to set, never just “on time.” Time management and professionalism became second nature.
But NIDA also reminded me not to forget to play, to give myself permission to embrace creativity. One of the things I loved most was getting to explore so many techniques. You fill your toolbelt, then pick what works for you as an artist. I got to sample Stanislavski, Meisner, physical theatre, improvisation, accent work, all of which I still draw on today.
Whether you’re doing the Bachelor of Fine Arts, Acting or DSSP, NIDA gives you a taste of many approaches, which you can explore further after graduation. Personally, I love animal work and physical theatre. I’ll often make a playlist for my character, pick an animal they’re like, and build from that. NIDA gave me the freedom to explore that kind of creativity, something you might not get in a more traditional screen-only course.
You’ve already achieved so much with Unspoken. What’s next for the film, and are there any future projects you’re excited to share?
I have a few things in the works. This year, my production company, Flame Tree Entertainment, is focusing on two main projects. One is a music video I’m directing in Mumbai, in collaboration with one of my Australian-Indian co-producers. The heart of Flame Tree is about empowering women and spotlighting unique, often-overlooked stories through a female lens. This project will involve working with women from lower socio-economic circumstances, finding local talent, and helping uplift their creative voices. We’ll be holding auditions later this year and aim to create a platform for them to share their work with the world.
The second project is a feature film I’m writing, which explores female autonomy and the body, it’s still in early pre-development, but I’m really passionate about it.
As for Unspoken, we’re developing it into a TV series with Princess Pictures in Melbourne. The series will tell the true story of the Croatian Six. It’s a separate narrative from the short film, but fingers crossed you’ll see me on screen in that version too. We’re hoping to be in the writing room with them mid-year.
What advice would you give to emerging artists who are looking to carve their own path in the industry, especially those wanting to create their own work?
Find a story that is true to you and that you’re passionate about. You should never start a project for the means of success or thinking it will win you awards, it doesn’t work like that. I think the reason Unspoken was so supported, not only by the community but by investors and actors and even getting Damian on board who is a legend in the industry, was because the story had heart and I believed in it. I think for emerging artists it’s about finding something that excites you and creating something that you would tell even if no one else would ever watch it; and create something you would like seen changed in the world. Art should have some sort of meaning or significance. There should be some sort of intention behind crafting your art. Lead from the heart.
And lastly, find your friends! Make work and who cares if it’s bad? Fail gloriously, that’s my motto. Fail. Gloriously. Let the world see.