The Fling

Directed by Jemma Cotter

“The Fling” is a short, stop-motion horror rom-com about two women at a fancy restaurant on the prowl for love. They must hide their monstrous appetites to ensure their dates’ go well, leading to hilariously grotesque consequences. An homage to John Carpenter’s “The Thing” (1982), this queer love story reveals that the only way to find true love is to be yourself; tentacles and all.

Country: Australia

Writer(s): Scott Day, Nick Owens

Producer(s): Brett Tinning

Composer(s): Freya Berkhout

Cast: Lucy Fox - Frances, Chido Mwat - Jessica, Pedro Cooray - Simon, Zachary Ruane - Joe, Lily Fish - Headwaiter, Annie Louey - Headchef

Genres: Horror, Rom-Com

Aspect Ratio: 16:9

Original Release Date: 2025-03-01

IMDb URL: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt23709780

Festivals Won: Sydney Film Festival 2025 Yoram Gross Award for Best Animated Short Film, Brisbane Independent Film Festival Best Short under 5min

Jemma Cotter

Jemma is a creative and passionate filmmaker who has a hunger to tell stories about outsiders, weirdos, and anyone who doesn’t quite fit in. With a special place in her heart for comedy, Jemma has directed short films, commercials, short form series’, and even feminist erotica for a while. She’s previously scored two Best Director nominations from the Australian Directors’ Guild, as well as participating in the SBS Digital Originals and ABC’s Fresh Blood 3 programs co-financed with Screen Australia. She completed the First Break workshops with the Australian Writers’ Guild, and was a recipient of the VicScreen and Stan Comedy Development fund. She is available as a commercial director with Haven’t You Done Well Productions and would genuinely love to see a photo of your dog.