Set in the near future, a thirteen-year-old girl plays a deadly game of cat and mouse in a world where overpopulation has caused for a desperate law that forces citizens to kill their designated ‘Soulmate’.

Before the new law everything was different, while it may seem grim now, things were much worse before. ‘Soulmate’ explores a rather cold near future, where overpopulation has caused governments to put in new drastic measures. Directed by Nik Kacevski, the ambitious film takes on a larger-than-usual setting for a short film. The narrative bolsters several large locations and dozens of extras. But it’s the focus on the main character and the sheer rawness that comes out of her development that really stands out in this film.

The story of Soulmate was triggered by personal child-hood trauma growing up in a violent youth environment with a strict Eastern European upbringing. The making of this film became a therapeutic exploration of fear and strength. Shot in the Bulgarian winter, it was designed to introduce an audience to the world that I yearn to explore within the larger feature-length story. Our small and dedicated team traveled from Australia to Bulgaria to team up with the hard-working locals. From there we wanted to create a film that not only challenged everyone involved but also exposed the lengths we would go to in order to create an impact.

The story revolves around a thirteen-year-old girl called Mila, played by the incredible Holly May Lewis. Transforming from a scared and insecure teenager into a vigorous and feisty reckoning. Holly takes on the physical role with an obvious passion, one that fits seamlessly into Nik’s rich and gritty environments. Along with the acting, the film hits high level production on several aspects, including photography, sound design and soundtrack. Among all the others.