Australia Speaks
How Do You Actually Get Exposure?
From Max Stanner
As apart of the Australia Speaks initiative, Max Stanner is investigating the contemporary issue of declining snowfall in Australia, due to global warming and El Nino. Max tries to track down the magic & nostalgia of snow amidst one of the worst snow seasons in recorded Australian history, 2026. He explores mountainscapes and alpine terrain, staying light on his feet with the Sony FX30, edited with Adobe.
Max Stanner, 21 is an emerging writer and director obsessed with atmosphere, human morality and dark neo-noir visuals. After growing up creating sketch videos on YouTube, he studied at the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS), transitioning into narrative filmmaking. In 2025, Max won the Blackmagic Design Best Editing Award for his debut short Stuck In a Memory. Now developing his third narrative short, Faceless Wanted, Max continues to shape his voice as part of a new generation of Australian filmmakers.
Why did you choose to tell this story
I grew up around snow and have loved it my whole life. Earlier this year, I decided to direct a movie in the snow, but it turned out mother nature had other plans for me. 2026 has ended up being the worst end ever recorded, and overall one of the worst snow seasons in Australian history. This horrid season not only messed up my film that I tried to direct in August, but showed me an extremely stark experience of global warming at it's very core.
What do you hope audiences take away from your project
I hope audiences can feel my personal and emotional connection to snow, and care a bit more, or at least have the opportunity, to see how we are losing snow in this world and country.