Your Fault

Hi, my name is Stella Hely, and I am from Barwon Heads, Victoria. I am currently a first year studying a Bachelor of Film and Television at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne. I created my first short film ‘Your Fault’ last year in VCE Media, which won the Dean’s Choice prize at the 2025 BUFTA International Film Festival and has now been shortlisted for this year’s Australian Youth Film Festival. I am extremely passionate about filmmaking and hope to pursue a career in the Australian film industry as a writer/director.

What inspired you and your work?

My film was inspired by my experience of being a sexual assault victim, an experience unfortunately shared by millions of women across the globe. My inspiration came from the strong desire to expose the serious and often devastating consequences of sexual assault that people often overlook; the psychological aftermaths. Instead of focusing on the graphic details of the event itself, I wanted to show how the experience of assault continues to effect victims long after the act is over. I drew on my personal experiences alongside the stories of friends and women online, attempting to paint a true picture of the deep mental scars that survivors carry and the harmful social responses that retraumatise victims.