Inspired by true events, SUNRAY is a about LAISE FLANNAGAN (Flan), portrayed by Tom Caine, an Australian Army officer, who has been deeply affected by an incident while serving overseas. What was supposed to be a routine patrol in a village, ended up being an horrific, seemingly never ending nightmare. Flan lost his good friend, ANDY (Marcus Molyneux) in a firefight that also led to the death of a number of local children. Not only does Flan blame himself for this, he has also been called a murderer by his wife, CATHY (Emily Riley), which was a far greater wound than the injuries he sustained in battle. Flan cannot reconcile this, despite Cathy’s attempts to make amends.

Away on a holiday (in an apparently haunted hotel) to try to reconnect with Cathy, nothing seems to be going well and Flan continues to splinter psychologically, being tormented by ghosts of the past as he wrestles with those of the present.

SUNRAY is an Australian Army radio callsign, which refers to a unit commander.

Director Biography – Natalie Spence

Natalie Spence is an independent filmmaker based in Melbourne, Australia. She has written, produced and directed three shorts, gaining some recognition:-

• kiss 20/20
Official Selection Melbourne Underground Film Festival 2016

• crazy
Semi-Finalist Sydney Indie Film Festival 2017

• frock
o Official Selection and Merit Award Canada Short Film Festival 2018
o Monthly Finalist Changing Face International Film Festival 2018
o Official Selection, Electric Shorts 2018

Natalie also directed Always, which was in Perth International Queer Film Festival 2017 Official Selection, winning the People’s Choice Award, and Amsterdam New Renaissance Film Festival Official Selection 2017.

SUNRAY is her first feature effort (written, directed and produced).

Natalie’s prior professional background is in community work. She holds a Bachelor of Community Welfare, majoring in International Social Development. Before Natalie could run off to be an aid worker in war torn countries (the original dream), she stumbled into film while completing her student placement in Indonesia. Like many other creatives, Natalie has a non-film day job (for which she is very grateful).

For almost 15 years (give or take), Natalie was an Australian Army Reserve soldier, Transport Corps.