FADIA ABBOUD

HERE OUT WEST (2022)
Starring Arka Das, Leah Vandenberg, Rahel Romahn, Brandon Nguyen, Genevieve Lemon, Nisrine Amine, Christine Milo, Jaime Ureta, Elise Violan and Khoi Trinh. Directed by Leah Purcell, Ana Kokkinos and Fadia Abboud.

Stories from eight talented Western Sydney writers intertwine poignantly through themes of family and place in a ground-breaking film that reframes the Australian experience. Nancy visits her daughter in hospital who has just given birth. Tagging along is her 8-year-old Lebanese neighbour, Amirah, who she is babysitting. It is a bittersweet meeting for Nancy, as her new grandchild is about to be taken away, her mother being deemed unfit by the authorities to keep her. In an act of desperation, Nancy makes the decision to steal the baby, fleeing from the hospital with Amirah by her side. Not long after their audacious escape, a pedestrian is involved in a hit and run. Three young men step in to help, unsure if he’ll survive the night. Across eight distinct yet interconnected stories, Nancy’s spontaneous flight sets off a chain of events that brings together complete strangers over the course of one dramatic day.