Inspired by true events, David Vincent Smith’s He Ain’t Heavy follows Jade (Leila George), a 30-year-old woman who has sacrificed the better part of her life to rescue her little brother Max (Sam Corlett) from drug addiction. In desperation, unbeknownst to their ever-forgiving mother Bev (Greta Scacchi), Jade locks him inside the vacant rural home left by their grandparents in an attempt to “get him clean’. But when Bev arrives, a shocking discovery leads them all to reevaluate their own lives.
He Ain’t Heavy is produced by Jess Parker, of Perth-based No Label Films, and executive produced by Kristina Ceyton and Jonathan Page.
Smith wrote the film from his proof-of-concept short I’m Not Hurting You, which premiered at Sydney Film Festival and screened at numerous local and international film festivals including Flickerfest and Austin Film Festival.
It will be released nationally on October 17 via Bonsai Films.