C11. Best Cinematography (Nominee)
WAG
From Danni Fenech
Entering the world of WAGs (Wives & Girlfriends) for the first time, Madison finds herself in a space where image is everything and little goes unspoken. Over the course of a single day, she follows her boyfriend through the rhythms of his soccer life, observing from the edges as she tries to find her place. But as the line between support and self-erasure begins to blur, Madison is forced to confront what it means to belong in a world built on appearances.
Danni Fenech is a Sydney-based writer, director and producer creating authentic, female-driven Australian stories. Her work explores identity, relationships and womanhood through intimate, emotionally grounded storytelling centred on lived experience. She wrote and directed the short film Ablaze (2023), a feminist drama addressing gendered violence, followed by Kindling, which examines the fragility of female relationships and the transition into adulthood. Her films have screened nationally and received recognition across emerging Australian film festivals. Her practice is driven by collaboration, with a focus on amplifying Australian women’s voices and supporting emerging creatives to tell their own stories.
Alongside her independent work, Danni is a Digital Associate Producer at EndemolShine Australia, where she creates social media campaigns for major television shows including Big Brother and Survivor.
What inspired you and your work?
WAG was inspired by a growing unease around how women are represented within contemporary sports media, particularly the visibility of “WAGs” (Wives and Girlfriends) in spaces like Formula 1, where they are often seen but rarely understood beyond their relationships to athletes. It was also inspired by my own personal experiences within amateur sporting communities, navigating a close-knit, male-dominated environment where there was an unspoken expectation to occupy a peripheral supporting role. This film seeks to create awareness around these patterns and the ways they shape female identity within male-dominated spaces and wider social expectations.