Young Walcha local takes a starring role in new film

The film aims to shine a light on mental health struggles within regional farming communities.

And the Walcha-born writer thought one of the best ways to do that, was to cast local 'country' actors.

So, when it came to finding the perfect person to play the lead character's son, she knew that fellow Walcha local Oliver Overton was a perfect fit.

"I used to babysit for his family when I was going to school," she said.

"Their mum is a really good friend of mine, as she was my equestrian teacher when I was a teenager, and I babysat their boys throughout Years 11 and 12.

"So, I have so many stories about Oliver."

Oliver, 16, is a boarding student at Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School in Tamworth.

When the Leader caught up with him, he was working on a dozer on his family's farm.

"When I first got the call, I was pretty keen, as I wanted to try something new, and I'm pretty happy to be part of it," he said.

He said what made him love the project, was that it held true to a regional experience.

"It was good because there are not that many movies that are relatable to Australians," he said.

"So, this one should be pretty relatable."

From the outset, Mrs McDougall wanted to cast a child actor who could portray a believable experience on the farm.

It was through a piece of advice from friend and acting coach Miranda Harcourt that she realised what to do.

"She said, 'Leila, you are not going to find an actor; you are going to go find the kid in real life, and we will teach him how to act'," Mrs McDougall said.

"And I thought, 'Oh, I wonder if Ollie would be the right age?', so I called his mum, and we ended up doing an audition with him and a few other kids. He did a little interview with the camera and showed our director and he just said, 'That's our boy'."

The film, which was shot almost entirely in regional Victoria, follows a fictional family and community, rocked by the sudden loss of a local hero.

Mrs McDougall said she wanted to highlight the issue of poor mental health in regional communities, after seeing suicide rates in rural communities continue to grow.

"The Australian statistic is that eight people a day take their lives and 30 people a day attempt," she said.

"And the ripple effect affects 40 people. There are a lot of people affected, and it's not being talked about. So, we raise all those issues in the film without making it too educational."

Throughout the course of writing the film, Mrs McDougall took inspiration from people she knew growing up in Walcha.

"There is a lot of characters in Walcha, like in every country town," she said.

"Most of the characters' names relate back to someone in my life. So, the character Owen was named after my grandfather, who was the main solicitor in Walcha.

"And I loved observing and watching how people interacted within country communities."