Crushed follows the story of Ellia, a young woman estranged from her family who is forced to return home after he father dies in a winery accident. But when his death is ruled a murder and her mother becomes the prime suspect, Ellia realises she must stay to undercover the truth.

Crushed will screen in the First Films World Competition for debut filmmakers. The independent film, which was shot around Mudgee 18 months ago, is the feature directorial debut for Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) graduate Megan Riakos. 

“We are excited to premiere Crushed at one of the biggest film festivals in the world,” Ms Riakos said. 

“It’s not everyday that you get to experience the film you created with an audience of thousands up on the big screen.

“Our inclusion in the program will help kick off a strong festival release before our Australian theatrical release.”

Ms Riakos said Crushed was written specifically to be her debut feature as a director, after she went looking for a story that would embody a strong story with complex relationships and community dynamics.

“Films and television series that inspired Crushed range from The Killing, Top of the Lake, What Lies Beneath, Winter’s Bone, Prisoners, and Lantana,” Ms Riakos said. 

“But what kicked it all off was the amazing documentary, The Staircase, about a man accused of his wife’s murder.  All of these works focus not just on the twists and turns of the plot, but they also develop strong, complex characters that force you to question own morals and ethics,” she said. 

Ms Riakos said the beautiful imagery of wine making and the community surrounded it served as a strong metaphor for many of the themes in the film.

“Visually there is a strong motif of wine and blood that helps to further the theme of legacy in family and legacy in land as well,” she said. 

Crushed features actors Sarah Bishop, Les Hill, Roxanne Wilson, Robert Preston, Jamie Irvine, and Aaron Glenane, and a host of locals also featured as extras in several scenes.

Mudgee and Burrundulla Winery are named in the film, and locations included the Robert Stein barrel room, the Lue Hotel, and the office of the Mudgee Guardian which stood in for the Mudgee Police Station. 

The Montreal World Film Festival is the only competitive film festival in North America recognized by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF).

The prestigious cinematic event presents films from 86 different countries and has an attendance of 350,000 plus people.

It aims to encourage cultural diversity and understanding between nations, to promote filmmakers and innovative works, to discover and encourage new talents, and to promote meetings between cinema professionals from around the world.

Crushed will be released theatrically in Australia and New Zealand in early 2016.