Spirals

A journey of re-membering

Support Spirals

Creative Team

The Spirals’ team brings together experienced creatives and community collaborators to ensure the film is emotionally resonant, culturally respectful, and grounded in place.

Spirals begins production in 2026.

Kari Hill
Writer & Key Creator

Kari is an emerging screenwriter based on Wadi Wadi, Dharawal Country (Wollongong). With a Master of Journalism and a deep passion for heart-led storytelling, Kari has written for various publications and led community-based creative projects. Spirals is her screenwriting debut, inspired by her own lived experience of grief. She is committed to cultural authenticity and storytelling that heals.

Sharon Lewis
Director

Sharon is an award-winning filmmaker with over 20 years’ experience across production, education, and industry leadership. She has worked on music videos, short films, TVCs, and features, with strengths in scriptwriting, cinematography, and post-production. Her acclaimed short film, Frances, explores women’s experiences during the housing crisis with compassion and impact. As founder of Eye Candy Film Productions and Vice Chair of Screen Illawarra, Sharon advocates for regional voices and emerging talent. As director of Spirals, she brings her trademark empathy and visual precision to a powerful story of grief, healing, and reconnection with Country.

Jess Milne
Cinematographer

Jess Milne is an award-winning cinematographer and NSW Secretary of the Australian Cinematographers Society (ACS). Her work spans drama, music videos, documentary and branded storytelling, with a visual style grounded in emotional intimacy and naturalistic cinematic language.
Recent cinematography credits include Finding Addison (AACTA Award winner), Ludovic, Bomb, Safe Haven, and Rad Dad. Jess has also shot a feature-length documentary for AFL Studios, and the internationally screened rockumentary Off the Leash, filmed in Thailand.
In addition to her credited work, Jess has held Director of Photography attachments on major broadcast drama productions including Ten Pound Poms and One Night.
In 2024, Jess was a finalist for Best Filmmaker at the Australian Women in Music Awards, and continues to develop projects across drama and documentary, with a focus on story-led, visually poetic filmmaking.

Antonio Barea
Producer

Antonio Barea is a Wollongong-based actor, writer, and producer with a background in theatre, television, and independent film. His recent producer credits include Turner (2025), Youth (2024), and as Script Supervisor on the AACTA award-winning Finding Addison (2024). He serves on the boards of both Screen Illawarra and Wollongong Workshop Theatre (Vice President), where he has played an active role in securing government funding from organisations such as Screen NSW, Create NSW, Creative Australia, and Wollongong City Council. He brings strong logistical expertise, deep community connections, and a passion for socially resonant storytelling to every production.

Vicki Sugars
Production Consultant

Vicki is a writer, director, and producer with extensive experience across film and television. She has worked as 1st Assistant Director on 10 feature films and over 120 hours of television drama, and was Associate Producer on the award-winning features Look Both Ways and Love Lust & Lies, as well as Co-Producer on the AWGIE-nominated documentary The Panther Within. Her acclaimed shorts include Moustache (Venice Film Festival, 12 international awards) and Past Midnight (SASA Best Director). A former AFTRS Course Convenor and South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) Manager of Production, Development and Studios. She now advises emerging writers and producers on projects in development

Wendy Cork
Costume Design

Wendy is an award-winning Australian costume designer, creating authentic, character-driven worlds across screen and stage. Her work spans period drama, horror, and contemporary genres, with credits including Ladies in Black, Predestination, Winchester, and the PlayStation hit L.A. Noire, with recent nominations for Nautilus, a reimagining of Jules Verne’s classic 20 Thousand Leagues under the Sea and the ABC drama House of Gods, working with stars such as Helen Mirren, Sarah Snook, Jamie Dornan & Ethan Hawke. She has a passion for character-driven storytelling.

Anousha Zarkesh
Casting Director

AACTA and Casting Guild award winning Casting Director Anousha Zarkesh has specialised in high end Australian TV and film for over 25 years.
Her feature film and television productions include the multi-award-winning films: Shayda (2023), The New Boy (2023),  and recently released on Netflix,  The Correspondent (2024),  Thou Shalt Not Steal , Ladies in Black, Territory, Class of 07, Firebite, Total Control 1, 2 , Mystery Road Series 1, 2, 3, Rake, Redfern Now, Cleverman, The Principal, INXS: Never Tear Us Apart, Catching Milat, Black Comedy, and the Australian adaptation of The Office.
Anousha currently sits as Vice President of the Casting Guild of Australia, The Advisory Board of Screen Illawarra and is an active member of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee of the CGA.

Adriana Mazevski
Production Manager

Adriana is a lively and passionate creative; an emerging actor, producer and writer based in Dharawal Country, Illawarra. She has been avidly involved in numerous local projects over the last few years taking on different roles, most recently in Namaste (2025), The Things We Bury (2025), Prefer Not To Say (2025), Turner (2025), Safe Haven (2024), and Youth (2024). She is also the lead producer on two soon to be released short films; Faye (2026) and Birdwatcher (2026), both selected as part of Screen Illawarra and Creative Wollongong’s script competition and film festival. Adriana also made her directorial debut on the documentary Finding Your Path (2026), which is currently in post-production. Following the success of The Things We Bury short film, Adriana will be an integral part of the team behind the Gia (2026) comedy series, currently in pre-production. To elevate her practice in the screen industry, Adriana plans to continue to immerse herself in the production space, learn, and challenge herself further and grow with authenticity, drive and spirit.

Dr Aunty Barbara Nicholson
Aboriginal Consultant

Aunty Barb is a Wadi Wadi Elder, knowledge holder, educator, poet, and community leader. A recipient of a Doctor of Laws (honoris causa) from the University of Wollongong, she has dedicated decades to social justice, education, and cultural preservation. Aunty Barb brings deep cultural guidance to Spirals as Aboriginal Consultant, ensuring respectful engagement with Country and sacred sites, including Mount Kembla (Grandfather Djembla) and Mount Keira (Grandmother Djeera). Her lifetime of advocacy includes roles with Link-Up, UOW, and the Aboriginal Deaths in Custody Watch Committee. Her wisdom, insight, and warmth enrich every aspect of this project.

Matt Bonnici
Production Design

Matt is deeply passionate about the art of design and thrives on crafting immersive, emotionally resonant spaces for the screen. 
Featured credits include the AACTA-nominated Best Indie Feature Streets of Colour (2023), which also earned a nomination for Feature Film Production of the Year at the 2024 Screen Producers Australia Awards. 
More recently Matt collaborated with leading designers Fiona Donovan (APDG) on Kriv Stenders’ feature film The Correspondent, and Emma Fletcher (APDG) on the BBC Studios series Return to Paradise.  
He strongly believes in the power of good design to enhance storytelling and is looking to continue to immerse himself in the Australian and international screen industries to challenge his growing creative skills.

Matthew Richardson
Sound Recordist & Design

Matthew is an experienced sound recordist, designer, and educator with extensive experience in on-location audio and post-production sound. His credits include multi-award-winning films Frances and Over. Recently, he worked on Linda, Diamonds and Rust, and The Quiet Tide. Having also completed the final audio mix and sound design for Frances, crafting its nuanced sonic landscape with precision and sensitivity.
In addition to his professional work, Matthew is a dedicated Screen and Media teacher at TAFE, where he shares his deep knowledge of sound production and storytelling with the next generation of filmmakers.

Ruby Hill-Nguyen
Storyboard Artist

Ruby is a talented, emerging visual artist, self-trained taxidermist, seamstress, musician and innovator. As a Storyboard Artist, Ruby will collaborate with the Director and Cinematographer to create the visual blueprint for the film. Her work helps emotionally map Brigid’s journey, enhancing the film’s symbolic and thematic resonance.