| Cut Snake | |
| Director: | Tony Ayres |
| Producer: | Trevor Blainey Michael McMahon |
| Starring: | Sullivan Stapleton |
| Music: | Cornel Wilczek |
| Cinematography: | Simon Chapman |
| Editing: | Andy Canny |
| Studio: | Matchbox Pictures |
| Runtime: | 94 minutes |
| Country: | Australia |
| Language: | English |
Cut Snake is a 2014 Australian thriller film written by Blake Ayshford and directed by Tony Ayres. The title comes from the Australian idiom "mad as a cut snake" which describes either insanity or anger so extreme you don't want to get near it.[1] The film was screened in the Contemporary World Cinema section at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival.[2]
Twentysomething Paula (Jessica De Gouw) meets Merv (Alex Russell), her dream boyfriend out of nowhere. While not knowing anything about Merv's background, Paula approaches marriage with the mysterious Merv.
James (Sullivan Stapleton) comes “fresh out of prison in Sydney” and is looking forward to pick up where he left off with Merv. Soon after, Paula finds out that Merv spent four years in jail on manslaughter charges. Little did Paula know that the relationship between these two ex-cons is more than just a fellowship in Prison. The presence of James exposes Merv's criminal history, jeopardises his future with Paula, and brings many conflicts to Merv's emotions.[3]
Cut Snake was met with positive reviews from critics and audiences, earning a 69% approval rating based of 16 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.
| Award | Category | Subject | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWGIE Award | Best Writing in a Feature Film - Original | Blake Ayshford | |
| AACTA Awards (5th) | Best Original Screenplay | ||
| Best Actor | Sullivan Stapleton | ||
| Best Editing | Andy Canny | ||
| Best Production Design | Josephine Ford | ||
| Best Costume Design | Cappi Ireland | ||
| AFCA Award | Best Actor | Sullivan Stapleton | |
| Byron Bay Film Festival | Best Dramatic Feature | Tony Ayres | |
| FCCA Awards | Best Actor | Sullivan Stapleton | |
| Best Production Design | Josephine Ford | ||
| Best Cinematography | Simon Chapman | ||
| Best Script/Screenplay | Blake Ayshford | ||
| Best Editor | Andy Canny | ||