Double Happy

This short film finds four 1990s teenagers caught up in the complications of growing up in Hutt Valley suburbia. Rising tensions during a day hanging out at the local park see misfit Rory (Riley Brophy) ignite a cracker bag of cravings for belonging, furtive sexual feelings, violence, racism and boredom. The combustive results of his misdirected teen spirit give the film’s title a grim irony. Fijian-born director Shahir Daud based the story loosely on his own experiences as a teen. Double Happy was picked for the Montreal Film Festival, and (in May 2011) website Short of the Week.

I just wanted to make a film about something that really mattered, and not just treat the short film as a ‘stepping stone’ or pathway to feature film.

– Shahir Daud

Key Cast & Crew

Shahir Daud

Director, Writer

Shivali Gulab

Producer

Andrew Brettell

Producer

Augusta Wills

As: Rebecca

Riley Brophy

As: Riley

Theo Taylor

As: Des