CAST & CREW

LUkE cookChris

Luke is an actor whose star is on the rise. Currently he can be seen playing ‘Lucifer Morningstar’ (AKA the Dark Lord) in Netflix’s hit show, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, and the recurring role of ‘Guy LaMontagne’ on the CW’s Katy Keene. Luke made his feature film debut in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

Hailing from Sydney, Australia, Luke made his first appearance on a major network TV with a hilarious guest spot playing opposite RuPaul on Mystery Girls. His other TV credits include Baby Daddy, MTV’s Faking It, Modern Family, Major Crimes, How To Get Away with Murder and he played ‘Dorian Gray’ in the Librarians.

Luke has many theatre credits to his name, but most notably he played opposite Al Pacino and Judith Light in Dotsan Rader’s God Looked Away, which made its world premiere in Los Angeles.

Besides acting, Luke is a writer and director who has contributed to a number of short films and web-series including the hit Zach & Dennis: How It All Began - streaming on Amazon Prime, and has also been viewed over 2 million times on YouTube.

With his penchant for celebrity imitation and creating original characters, Luke has built up an impressive Instagram following of over 700 thousand subscribers.

Lynn GilmartinDot

Lynn is an Australian actress, TV anchor and poker player, best known for her role as anchor of the World Poker Tour on Fox Sports, and as ‘Jessica Quince’ on Neighbours.

In 2020, Lynn was inducted into the Australian Poker Hall of Fame for her outstanding contributions in broadcasting for more than a decade.

She first hit Australian and UK television screens as the host of 2012 Aussie Millions Poker Championship (2013), and continued as sideline reporter for ESPN Australia’s coverage of 2013 WSOP Asia Pacific (2013).

Later in 2013, Lynn moved to Los Angeles to assume the role as anchor of the World Poker Tour on Fox Sports, alongside commentators Mike Sexton and Vincent Van Patten. At the same time, Lynn also took the roles of anchor and producer of the World Poker Tour’s high roller series, WPT Alpha8 (2014), on Fox Sports 1, alongside commentators Oliver ‘Ali’ Nejad and Olivier Busquet.

She began her film career in 2018 with the role of ‘Gemma’ in the film Museo, alongside Gael García Bernal. She then went on to star in Australian feature films, How Do You Know Chris? and Paul Hogan’s latest, The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee. More recently, Lynn played the role of ‘Gen’ in the romantic comedy This Little Love of Mine.

Tatiana QuaresmaEmi

This is Tatiana’s first leading role in a feature length film, where she plays the role of ‘Emi Mustafi’. She has acted in numerous short films, most recently appearing in the short film Junk Mail, and has won praise at the Berlin Film Festival in 2007 for her role as Nouria in the short film Love This Time.

2013, Tatiana won the worldwide acting competition ‘Hollywood Immersive’ for her performance as ‘The Cheshire Cat’ and flew over to Warner Brothers studios to screen test for the project Studio City in 2015. Appearances also include a guest role on The Doctor Blake Mysteries (ABC) as ‘Nadya’.

Tatiana is a film and TV actress who has trained with numerous teachers and schools to perfect her craft (Melbourne Actors Studio, Beverly Hills Playhouse).

Travis McMahonMike

Travis is a respected Australian actor with an impressive 20-year career. He graduated from Australia’s National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) with a degree in Performing Arts (Acting) in 1995.

At Melbourne Theatre Company, he performed in Kid Stakes, Away, Trelawny of the Wells, A Single Act and Don’s Party. At Sydney Theatre Company – A Man with Five Children and The Malthouse – Porn Cake. For NIDA, he performed in No Names No Pack Drill, The Old Fitzroy, An Unseasonable Fall of Snow and at La Mama, Us. For Hit Productions he was part of Speaking in Tongues. For Belvoir, he performed in Summer of The Seventeenth Doll and Cloudstreet and for Mollison Communications, Alone it Stands. He was in A Streetcar Named Desire for the La Boite Theatre Company.

On television, Travis has appeared in Good Guys Bad Guys, Halifax FP, Blue Heelers, All Saints, Stingers, Changi, Fat Cow Motel, Through My Eyes, Last Man Standing, Rush, Howzat! Kerry Packers War and most recently, ABC’s Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries (television series and film).

His feature film credits include Shot of Love, Hobby Farm, Roadman, I Love You Too, Birthday, Swerve, Cactus and Kokoda. Most recently, Travis appeared in Mile Creek: Day of Justice.

Travis has directed theatre productions of Don’s Party, The Eight: Reindeer Monologues, Single Act, and After Dinner.

Travis received an AFI nomination for Stingers and was also nominated for a Helpmann for his work on Don’s Party.

 
 

Dan HaberfieldBlucker

Since relinquishing a promising career in education in his early thirties, Dan has developed a reputation as a talented, professional and highly dedicated actor / writer who has recently completed his first film as a director, The Demon, which he also wrote, directed, produced and starred in.

Having worked for internationally renowned directors such as Larysa Kondracki (Picnic at Hanging Rock), Kriv Stenders (Jack Irish) and Mimi Leder (The Leftovers) as an actor, and opposite international stars such as Natalie Dormer (Picnic at Hanging Rock) and Guy Pearce (Jack Irish), Dan continues to challenge himself with a diverse range of experiences as creative artist.

Other credits of note include The Wrong Kind of Black, and a full season of ABC Australia series The Warriors.

Rachel Kim CrossChristal

Rachel is an Australian born actress and model with a versatile breadth of talent.

She starred as ‘Tascha’ in FX’s hit show Mr Inbetween, created by Scott Ryan and directed by Nash Edgerton. She played the lead role opposite Tom Felton (Harry Potter) in James Arthur’s Empty Space music video. Rachel also stars in the feature film How Do You Know Chris?, playing ‘Christal’, one of the lead roles.

She has also been in high demand with Australian comedy, with appearances in Monica Zanetti’s sketch series Wellness White Girl Warrior on Comedy Central, Sketchshe, La Nocquette and Foxtel’s new series, The Slot. Rachel played the recurring lead of ‘Marina’ in VODVille’s: First Date series, and the lead role of ‘Louise’ in the web series Cut.

Ellen GrimshawClaire

Ellen Grimshaw is a Melbourne based comedic-feminist writer and performer who creates experimental theatre that challenges the norm in all senses of the word. From her own personal experiences, she explores intolerable social injustices and discrimination, ripping apart gender archetypes through explosive satire and celebrating queerness, cultural diversity, and confidence unapologetically.

Ellen has been awarded for her performance in feature film Bad Behaviour, and has appeared in dozens of independent theatre productions in Brisbane and Melbourne since graduating from QUT ‘Fine Arts Acting’ in 2009. Ellen most recently appeared in Just Us Girls... What’s A Girl? in 2019, which she also wrote and produced, season 2 of series Bloom on Stan, and short film Noise by Julian Lucas.

 

Jacob MachinJustin

Jacob’s career started in regional pantomimes before finding a brief but successful calling in stand-up comedy. After winning the 2007 Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s ‘Class Clowns’ competition,

Jacob went on to various theatre productions such as Death of a Salesman, Next to Normal, Young and Jackson, directed by Wayne Harrison, and August: Osage County, with Beaumaris Theatre Company, for which he won a VDL for Best Supporting Actor.

Jacob has recently appeared in guest roles on Supernatural, iZombie, and The Twilight Zone.

Lee MasonRay

Over the last 20 years, Lee has worked in the Australian film and theatre industries, and is a multi-award-winning actor who has proven to be a unique character actor capable of lead roles and also memorable cameos.

He has worked as a director, writer and producer. He is perhaps most well-known for his portrayal of ‘Marty Browning’ in The Independent, as well as ‘Terence Walker’ in The Unlit and ‘Raskolnikov’ in Crime & Punishment. Next, he is adapting his short film KIN into a feature length film.

Stephen CarracherShane

After developing his acting skills under the direction of VCA and RMIT film graduates in Melbourne, Stephen was cast in his first feature, Little Black Dress as a support lead before grabbing the lead role in the feature film Vanished.

In 2013, Stephen graduated from the 16th Street Actors Studio full time intensive course.

From this, he was cast as ‘Gavin’ in the 2019 feature film Restoration, for which he was nominated for Best Male Actor in 7 international films festivals and won the Best Actor award at the Rio De Janeiro International Film Festival.

More recently, Stephen played the moment-breaking joker ‘Shane’ in the feature film How Do You Know Chris? and continues to chalk up an impressive list of early-career roles.

Other credits include Restoration, The Doctor Blake Mysteries and Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries.

Susan StevensonAmanda

Susan is not only an award-winning talented actor, but also a doctor who has travelled around the world helping and healing others. On top of that, she also helps run a farm, tending to over 200 animals on a daily basis.

Hailing from rural Western Australia, Susan decided to pursue her lifelong, but forbidden passion for acting in her late 40s.

She will be seen in the Australian feature film How Do You Know Chris?, and has been racking up numerous awards for her work in short films including Best Supporting Actress at the Best Indie Short LA Film awards for Darkest Age, along with an Honourable Mention Best Actress at the Top Shorts Film Festival in Indie Film (Darkest Age), Best Shorts Competition Leading Actress (Dollhouse), the IndieFEST Film Awards Winner Award of Merit Best Leading Actress (Darkest Age) and The Accolade Global Film Competition Award of Merit Best Leading Actress (Darkest Age).

She has done extensive training both in Los Angeles (Hollywood Immersive, Beverly Hills Playhouse) and in Australia.

DIRECTOR & ProducerAshley Harris

Ashley is the Founder, Creative Producer and Director of Melbourne’s Yonnie Piffen Productions.

With a background in film, education and business management, Ashley completed a post-graduate Diploma in Film and Television – Producing - at the Victorian College of the Arts in 2005. Ashley followed that course up at the same college with a Masters in Film and Television – Script Writing.

In 2011, Ashley produced a Film Victoria funded, 27-minute short film titled, Tethered, which was nominated for and won various global awards.

Ashley also released a short film Long Way Down in May 2015. How Do You Know Chris? producer Steve Jablonski and Ashley produced this project while Ashley directed it. This film received several awards and was accepted into various film festivals around the world.

Ashley has collaborated with two Melbourne-based writers on two feature films respectively entitled How do you know Chris? and Methland. Both are low budget, character-driven films. The film How do you know Chris? is ready for release and was directed by Ashley, whilst Methland will go into production at the start of 2021. Ashley will also direct this film.

WRITERZachary Perez

Zachary is a film and television writer with screenwriting credits including How Do You Know Chris? and the MIFF Audience Award Winning Best Documentary All For One (2017). He has also been a regular contributor to “Australia’s oldest and favourite newspaper” The Betoota Advocate.

Having worked as a professional copywriter and content creator in the ultra-competitive wagering industry, and for Australia’s biggest fashion retailer, Zachary has written everything from rom coms to moody feature length drama… and why that leather biker jacket will give you the ride of your life.

ProducerSteve Jablonski

Steve is a Creative Producer and Director with a long and extensive history working in the film, television and related media industries.

Having honed his craft over the last two decades, he is highly experienced across all stages of the production process from conception through to development, pre-production, production, post-production to completion, delivery and distribution.

Steve possesses a strong passion for storytelling and creating audio visual content across all platforms. With a clear understanding of audience, Steve’s ability to combine creativity and strategic thinking leads to bold, original and engaging content.

His broad range of experience spans film production (drama, documentary) and broadcast TV (scripted, factual), commercials, branded and integrated content as well as digital, live event, experiential and alternate media production.

Steve’s debut narrative feature as Producer was an independently funded film adaptation of Dostoevsky’s masterpiece novel Crime and Punishment... “a wicked tale of murder, sex, love and redemption”. The film premiered at the prestigious White Nights Festival in St Petersburg (Russia), the home of White Nights festivals and Dostoevsky’s hometown. It won numerous awards at film festivals around the world including seven best film awards, and three acting awards with more nominations and official selections adding to the list. How Do You Know Chris? is his most recent feature film with a slate of projects in development.

 

Director’s STATEMENTAshley Harris

How Do You Know Chris? is a dark and intriguing independent drama set against the unlikely backdrop of a party.

On the surface of it, How Do You Know Chris? explores the concept of initial meetings, overdue catch ups with acquaintances and the colourful dynamics within a group of people who have one thing in common – they’ve all been invited to a party hosted by the elusive character, Chris Black.

However, as the film unfolds, deeper themes emerge around unravelling identities, broken dreams, and unspoken truths that take the audience on a remarkable journey. This journey culminates in an extraordinary turn of events.

As a first-time feature filmmaker, I was attracted to this multifaceted script from writer Zachary Perez for many reasons.

I resonated with different characters from the script. Some were misfits with a sense of identity crisis in the world. Others had their youthful romanticism re-directed by circumstances beyond their control.

On another level, I was fascinated by the script’s handling of the themes of depression, suicide and anxiety. Set in only a handful of locations, How Do You Know Chris? takes a singular event – a party – and infuses it with layers upon layers of complex human interactions.

To create an intense immersion experience, we designed the film to make audience members feel like a guest at the party as they bear witness to each event unfolding as they would at a real-life gathering.

Initially, the pace is measured and conservative, with wider, establishing shots exploring how the characters work to find their place within the group dynamics. Before long though, we draw into mid and closer shots to heighten the intensity as alcohol and other mind-altering substances erode character inhibitions.

Deeply held secrets begin to unravel. Then, as the more dramatic elements unfold, we open up the canvas to a continuous stream of slow-motion action to capture the raw, emotive reactions to Chris’s final moments.

I believe How Do You Know Chris? is a film with universally appealing themes as it explores the central question each of us must face – what makes our life worth living?

 

Producer’s StatementAshLEY Harris & Steve Jablonski

How Do You Know Chris? is a story that revolves around a deceivingly simple narrative, yet is able to plunge viewers into a dark labyrinthine world they can all easily relate to. The central character, the inherently flawed chameleon Chris Black, throws a party.

Yet none of the guests have any idea why they’ve been invited. When he initially fails to show up, we discover deep-buried sentiments and long-standing secrets between several guests. Finally, Chris arrives, with dramatic consequences.

The film is set just after the turn of the new millennium, in the year 2000, a time before the ubiquitous influence of social media and smartphones. It was a milestone era, fraught with simmering uncertainty and frayed nerves over the Y2K computer ‘bug’.

The bug would supposedly cause worldwide chaos and a complete breakdown of society via disruptions to water and electricity, food delivery, banking systems and transport (of course, we know now, nothing happened). Against this unsettled backdrop, the characters in How Do You Know Chris? also experience a sense of uncertainty. They are unsure of the reasoning behind their invitation and the purpose of the occasion.

Most of the guests aren’t overly familiar with one another, and initially at great pains to mingle. But as the night goes on, that begins to change. Topics of conversation range from the intellectual and political to sexual in nature. Many are just mind-numbingly mundane. But almost every interaction leads to one question, “how do you know Chris?”.

As we discover, Chris himself is a man playing differing roles and wearing many masks to the friends, ex-lovers, potential love interests, business acquaintances and family members who attend the party.

How Do You Know Chris? is a wonderful and thought-provoking film with a constellation of colourful and complex characters, easily relatable for the intended audience.

With an all-Australian rock soundtrack spanning three decades, a talented cast ranging from 20-something to 60 years of age, and a universally recognisable story, we feel How Do You Know Chris? will attract an audience of Generation X and Millennials.

In 2018, the script was long listed for the Australian Writers Guild – Monte Miller Award, demonstrating support and interest for our project.

As the independent Australian film market continues to prosper, we believe How Do You Know Chris?, is a contemporary tale that resonates with modern audiences, will be a great success.