Two social workers reach breaking point with the heartless welfare system which treats destitute children as criminals. Reaching out to these children means entering into the world of drain kids, pinball parlour pimps, graffiti gangs, the 14-year-old dealers and their 12-year-old customers. It's an exhausting and sometimes dangerous occupation but they care about the kids with a passion and the successes make it all worthwhile.
When Jessie's estranged friend from Sydney spontaneously arrives in Melbourne, they spend a weekend together to distract themselves from their many problems and their existential dread. FWENDS is a celebration of the power of friendship and an ode to the splendiferous messiness of growing up and, maybe, growing apart.
Best friends Gabby and Willow grow up, as they grow apart.
Martin, a young blind photographer, is divided between his friendship with restaurant worker Andy and the exclusive love that Celia—who is terribly jealous of this new friendship—has for him.
Tony Stilano and Trev Spackneys both own, live over and work in adjoining take-away fish shops in Melbourne. Although they have fallen into a habitual rivalry based on a cause long forgotten, the pair unite when the multinational fast-food outlet "Burgies" unveils a new store directly opposite the twin fish & chips shops.
Professor Mirella Buzzati, recovering from a failed relationship that ended with a divorce from her husband, travels to Perugia where she has obtained a mathematics teaching position at a high school. Her hatred of men, evident during the train ride and in her interactions with male colleagues who quickly flock to her, quickly yields to the attractiveness of Alain, a student nicknamed "the dark and handsome" by the high school girls. He already has a relationship with Giorgina, a fellow student of the same age and a fanatical militant of "Lotta Continua." In an effort to win over her idol, Mirella becomes unscrupulous in her teaching, preaches political and sexual revolution; she earns the headmaster's rebukes, and heaps scathing criticism on her rival Giorgina. After a stint in Paris with a lesbian colleague, the professor resumes her attack and obtains Alain's physical performance, but not her love: the boy understands her well and deeply despises her.
Steve liked Celia from the moment they met. But following a clash with her boss, Raelene Beagle-Thorpe, Minister for Employment, he finds himself on national television branded as Australia's biggest dole bludger. Now Steve has to prove to Celia, to himself, and to the whole country, that there's more to him than meets the eye. With a little help from his friends, he might just do it.
Two friends bump into another and discuss home ownership, wealth disparity and generational inequality while wandering the CBD.
Elena is meeting her friend for a movie. On the way there, a voice from another place tries to reach her.
Alvin is your average guy, except for the fact women find him irresistible and chase him everywhere. He tries to avoid them and get psychiatric help but gets used by the psychiatrists as a gigolo to treat other patients instead.
Ruby has started a business baking cakes from home. At the last minute, she has been tasked with creating the centrepiece cake at a friend’s wedding. Now, along with her aloof partner Tom, she must navigate a broken-down car, dismissive parents, unhelpful friends and other obstacles in order to make it to the wedding on time.
A reserved man in need of a job, Carl Fitzgerald finds employment at a Greek restaurant. Upon meeting waitress Sophie, Carl begins dating the attractive woman. Though it seems things are improving for Carl, an unexpected situation leads to the death of Mustafa, a shady coworker, and Carl must figure out how to cover up the incident. Unsure of what to do, Carl enlists the help of his buddy, Dave, to get rid of Mustafa's corpse.
Lindani, a neurotic young trans man, struggles to tell his partner Tam he loves them after a random encounter with a stranger shakes his self-confidence. But as he finds himself pushed and pulled in all directions by the perceptions of others, can Lindani reconnect with himself enough to figure out how he really feels?
Melbhattan. Melbhattan is part homage, part pastiche of the opening sequence of Woody Allen's seminal 1979 film Manhattan. Melbhattan features more than sixty black and white tableaux of Melbourne each composed to mimic images in Allen's film.
A couple on the brink of breakup gets tangled in the schemes of two petty thieves who have problems of their own.
Malcolm is a chronically shy mechanical genius, who has just been fired for building his own tram. He gets Frank, who has just been released from jail, to move in to help pay the bills. With Frank's help, Malcolm turns to a life of crime.
In 1964, atomic war wipes out humanity in the northern hemisphere; one American submarine finds temporary safe haven in Australia, where life-as-usual covers growing despair. In denial about the loss of his wife and children in the holocaust, American Captain Towers meets careworn but gorgeous Moira Davidson, who begins to fall for him. The sub returns after reconnaissance a month (or less) before the end; will Towers and Moira find comfort with each other?
Rejected after a marriage proposal, Alex finds himself alone on a journey from Los Angeles to Melbourne, Australia, on what was supposed to be a happy vacation with his new fiancée. Stuck in a mild state of shock, Alex crosses paths with Ronnie - a woman on an adventure of her own - and together they take a grand road trip across Australia's Nullarbor Plain, on their way to Perth.
The morning after sleeping together for the first time, Mia and Will are forced to confront their conflicted feelings for each other when Will accidentally stabs Mia.
Stork is a gangly young man, a virgin with an overactive imagination who thinks he’s a revolutionary. Bored with a design job at General Motors Holden in Melbourne, he drops out and moves into a share house with his mate Westy. He daydreams his way through life, bungling job interviews, upsetting ‘respectable’ people, and getting drunk. The only girl in the house, Anna resists Stork’s advances, because she’s already involved with the other two resident males, Tony and Clyde. But when she becomes pregnant and Clyde and Anna decide to marry, Stork, Tony, Clyde and Westy are shocked when they realize that either one of the foursome could be the father. Then the fun begins....