The family dog’s on his last legs. Steph’s parents are separated but living under one roof, and her Mum’s trying to get ahold of Hinge dates. Her Mosmanite boyfriend is pulling her into his snobby world. Her family still doesn’t understand that being a resident dermatologist is a bit more sophisticated than popping pimples. And of course: it’s Christmastime!
Vic Zerbst and Jenna Owen, who met while attending the University of Sydney, have been working together for 10 years. Whether while editing Honi Soit, participating in arts revues or performing standup comedy at the now-moribund Manning, Vic and Jenna learnt the value of working collaboratively with others, and within definitive parameters such as low budgets and timeframes. This helped them develop the ability to be versatile and adapt quickly, as they explained that “people from institutions do not have the same experience.”
They have now moved from political satire towards social satire, speaking to an interest in social dynamics. Jenna elaborated on this to say that their voices in satire “have run its course” and offered an informal call to action for a “new generation to come through and comment on things they don’t have lived experience on.”
In their latest endeavour, their debut feature film, Nugget is Dead: A Christmas Story, described as a heart project, is unburdened by the parameters of satire. We had the opportunity to be one of the first to see the film, and were the first people to interview the powerful duo, Vic and Jenna, after having watched it.
The film follows Steph, played by Vic Zerbst, a dermatologist working in the city who reluctantly returns to her family’s coastal hometown to spend Christmas after Nugget, the family dog, experiences a health scare. Jenna plays Shayla, Steph’s cousin who runs an eyelash business, which Steph speaks of disparagingly as a “MLM”. Chaos ensues when Steph promises to attend her boyfriend’s Christmas festivities, while simultaneously telling her family that her boyfriend, Sebastian (Alec Snow) will be coming over to theirs. Slowly, but surely, we witness Steph’s lie threaten to unravel, family ties tested and perceptions of loved ones changed.
Speaking about the decision to set the film during Christmas, Jenna revealed that after being in the middle of development for various projects, Stan’s Christmas films, open to new filmmakers, provided an opportunity for them to pitch the story. Because Christmas films share a broader appeal for the whole family, this project served as a departure from the cynicism and acerbic wit the pair are used to doing with their satire.
“Satire kills the soul,” Jenna added, saying that Nugget Is Dead allowed them to reclaim their soul.
Vic said that as their first longform project, they wanted to play with many different characters, with comedy remaining “the great unifying force” in which they could do so.
When asked about favourite Christmas films and if any inspired their film, Jenna cited Australian TV series, A Moody Christmas (2012), for its style of humour and family dysfunction, while Vic mentioned Love Actually (2003): a film renowned for its ability to bring together an ensemble of different ages. Vic sought to write for and create spaces where different generations can engage with each other, reaffirming the idea of “making something for someone.”
Many viewers of all ages will relate to the pressure-cooker experience of a family Christmas. Jenna shared, “Christmas is where you get the most family pressure to be home and play into the happy family dynamic”.
Vic pointed out that“we don’t have a lot of rituals anymore in society where you have everyone together”, placing Christmas in a unique position.
Jenna also spoke about the character of Shayla, Steph’s cousin, who remains in her small-town bubble. While such characters are often portrayed in a derogatory light onscreen, shamed as unintelligent or unworldly, Jenna brings love and respect to this archetype. “When I see girls like Shayla now”, Jenna explained, “I feel envy for their beautiful lives”.
While the film’s depiction of a chaotic ‘bogan’ family Christmas will resonate with many viewers, it inevitably will not reflect the experience of others. Vic described how the movie can influence both audience types: “there are two ways to approach watching anything, as a window or a mirror. This film will likely be a window for some and a mirror for others”.
The film also perfects romantic chemistry in building tension between Steph and Nugget’s veterinarian, Dr Lunder. Steph’s bisexuality escapes typical onscreen stereotypes: instead, the portrayal focuses on the attraction and confusion central to many a relationship’s dawn. Vic described the “way in” to an authentic portrayal of queerness as channelling “what has felt true to their experience”. Jenna added that Steph’s family’s well-intentioned, loving reaction to Steph’s bisexuality breaks stereotypes about bogan families: “We assume that certain types of people will or won’t understand, but it’s never been that simple.”
Despite the Christmas-ness of it all, Vic and Jenna said that their hope is that audiences can return to the film time and time again, and not just during the festive season.
Vic and Jenna were heavily involved in the casting process, alongside casting director Kristy McGregor, and revealed that everyone who was ultimately cast were who they initially wanted.
The ensemble cast includes Gia Carides, Damien Garvey, Mandy McElhinney, Steve Rodgers, Priscilla Doueihy, Claude Jabbour, Diana McLean, Alec Snow, Tara Morice, Lelon Hu, Tiriel Mora, Kerry Armstrong, Lacey Mahony, Xavier Diamond, and Reuben the dog.
Jenna labelled the cast as a group of “nurturing people”, and that it was a “dream to reunite these faces we grew up watching.”
“Everyone felt like a family. Nobody cared about their own performance as much as making the movie great,” she added, and shouted out Priscilla Doueihy, who plays Dr. Lander, and Claude Jabbour, who plays Hasan, as good friends who they grew up acting with.
As for the titular character and standout cast member, Reuben the dog — “Australia’s most-awarded Staffy” — was one of the memorable parts of the filmmaking experience. He was reportedly a ‘diva’ on set, with actors joking that they could not look him in the eye.
“He is a virile young boy,” Jenna commented.
Speaking to the unusual title, Jenna explained it was quite controversial and contentious, knowing from the beginning that this was the title to keep due to its irony. The pair had to fight for ‘Nugget Is Dead’, so much so that Vic put together a detailed Google Slide presentation emphasising as to why it was the best title.
Jenna, who had previously labelled the film “as partially a love letter to her family and [her] upbringing in Wollongong”, hoped that her family would see that she recognises their value and the value in the choices they made. At the same time, she jokingly noted that her Dad will be confronted by the stoic portrayal of Damien Garvey’s character, John.
When asked about what the future holds for them, Vic and Jenna said they are stepping back into the terrible world of political satire with their upcoming ABC series, Optics, where characters are morally bankrupt and in Jenna’s words, “could not be more different from the Shaylas of the world.” They both also stated their keenness to continue talking about their debut film which “shows that [they] have hearts full of love as well as hearts full of cynicism.”
“This is our love and softness venture,” the pair settled on to describe the film. And we couldn’t agree more.
Nugget Is Dead: A Christmas Story is out on Stan. You can follow Reuben the Stafford’s Instagram here.
