WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY :
Francisca Braithwaite
About the Film
In the vibrant and carefree 90's, amidst the era of colourful scrunchies, patterned dresses, and 5 boom-boxes that blare catchy tunes. Two best friends Isabelle and Lucy are inseparable, they are the epitome of teenage adventure, always sporting friendship bracelets as a token of their unbreakable bond. When Lucy and Isabelle's crushes Steve and John invite the girls to "hang out", things begin to get serious. Delving deeper into newfound friendships and young love, their carefree days of innocent laughter and flirtatious glances become a thing of the past, as their lives take an unexpected turn for the worst. Confused and terrified, the two girls have no choice but to devise a plan to hide the secret that is now growing within. A not-so innocent pregnancy that they fear must be hidden from the judgmental eyes of the world at all costs, and the failed attempts to deal with the situation in ways that only innocent 16-year-old girls would. Fast forward 31 years and their hidden past finally comes out. An innocent baby, now a full-grown woman named Addison, has come to find her birth mother. Finding Addison interweaves the lives and timelines of Isabelle, Lucy, Addison, Lynnie and Jewel in unexpected ways, and as we move from the past to the present, we watch the stories of these women unfold.
Cast:
Jeanette Cronin - Lynnie
Pez Warner - Isabelle
Bonnie Sveen - Jewel
Megan O'Connell - Dianna / Older Isabelle
Francisca Braithwaite - Addison
Aria Hart - Lucy
Nick Bolton - Mr. Stones
Review
“…it's a suspenseful drama powered by themes of identity, acceptance and forgiveness."
Genevieve Swart | The Illawarra Flame | FULL REVIEW
~
“Finding Addison is about discovering your true self…”
Dov Kornits | FilmInk | FULL REVIEW
Film Details
Completed : July 2023
Running Time : 29m
Country of Origin : Australia
Screener Link : Click HERE (password Required)
Genre : Drama
Festivals/Awards :
2024 AACTA Award Winner
St Kilda Film Festival
Perth Revelation Film Festival
French Academy Of Cinema - Les Nuits En Or
Director’s Statement
-
a naive young girl who winds up pregnant, giving her baby up for adoption, and the journey of discovering you’re adopted and searching for your birth mother. Inspired by true events, the film examines the rolling effect of a long-buried family secret, and how it can make you question everything and everyone you thought you knew. Addison’s discovery of her adoption becomes the drive for an emotional exploration of identity, belonging, and the complexity of untangling one’s roots.
At its core, Finding Addison is a story about relationships, between friends, family, and the person we see in the mirror. Through each woman’s journey, the film explores themes of love, sacrifice, and the lengths we go to in search of connection and truth. It’s about navigating the tension between loss and reconciliation, between pain and forgiveness, and the power of the human spirit to seek out hope when it is surrounded with uncertainty.
I wanted to create a film that not only connects with viewers on an emotional level but also invites reflection on our shared human experiences. Whether it's Isabelle's decision to let go, or Addison’s need to uncover her past, these are moments that reflect universal questions of identity and family. My hope is that Finding Addison will resonate with audiences, inspiring them to think about their own lives and the stories that shape who they are.
Movie Poster
Gallery
