Of An Age – behind the scenes

Writer/director Goran Stolevski and the lead cast of Of An Age reveal how they filmed the coming-of-age queer drama days ahead of schedule.

Writer, director and editor Goran Stolevski had just completed his critically acclaimed horror film You Won’t Be Alone and was preparing a new feature (Housekeeping For Beginners - currently in post-production) when he was struck by an idea that stemmed from his youth in the suburbs in Melbourne.

“I was very fortunate to have this block of free time between two other films I was making and I don’t think I’ll be that lucky in life again,” Stolevski admits.

With this small window of opportunity, Stolevski and his casting team began to search for the two leading roles that ultimately went to Elias Anton and Thom Green. For Green, it was Stolevski’s naturalistic approach to filmmaking that appealed to him.

“I think it was day seven [on set] that I realised we didn’t have any shot bags on the ground for marks,” explains Green. “Then you see Matty C[haung], who’s the DOP, he’s following us around with the camera sort of finding us with these 360 degree shots. Like, what more do you want as a performer?”

In these two behind-the-scenes videos, Stolevski details the process that went into casting the lead roles and why he shoots close ups of actors first, rather than wide shots. Elias Anton, who plays Kol, talks about learning to dance for two crucial scenes while Thom Green expresses his hopes for audiences to connect with the film no matter how they identify.

Of An Age is screening in select cinemas from 23 March 2023.