About Jannine

Jannine Barnes established Happening Films in 2000 and has since produced a number of award winning short films including Ray, The Drop and Swing, all of which are currently screening locally and internationally on the Film festival circuit.

She has recently completed production on the 30 minute documentary In the Raw and is in production on Tiers from Tibet.

She has recently produced the Australian Film Commission funded Fast Lane and is in late development on the feature film Scratch the Surface.

Jannine is an active and committed member of the Australian Film Industry. She is the treasurer of the Victorian Screen Technicians Association and is an Australian Film Institute Juror for the 2006 Awards. She has been a guest judge at the ACMI Diegesis Festival and Port Shorts Film Festival (where she was also Sponsorship Coordinator), and was a guest speaker at the Re@ct Wimmera Student Film Festival. 2007 sees her as Patron of the Shepparton Shorts Film Festival.

Melbourne based independent film company

Happening Films

is committed to developing and producing films and documentaries on subjects that matter through innovative and original storytelling.

The guiding principal of Happening Films is an international rather than specifically Australian outlook. Our perspective is as broad and globally based as the world's film audiences and it is our mission to make quality films that relate to and entertain audiences worldwide - Australian films for global audiences.

Happening Films is actively seeking long form projects to develop. Please visit the submissions page for further information.

Scratch the Surface, feature film, writer/director Grant Scicluna
Partnership with Retroactive Films
Developed by the Australian Film Commission and Film Victoria

After a mysterious absence of many years, an intense and powerful friendship draws teenager James back to the riverside holiday park of his childhood summers. As when they were boys, the charismatic Anthony employs psychological and emotional game playing to test James’ allegiance and to lure him into submission. When a third teenager Adrian uncovers the secret at the heart of James’ absence, the three young men find themselves dangerously entwined as brutal tensions from the past are stirred.

Rabbit, feature film, writer/director Grant Scicluna

Lance has cared for his perpetually ailing father for nine years, hoping for, but never getting, any
reconciliation after a lifetime of rejection. Into their lives comes a gospel-loving, severely disabled boy
called Rabbit, who slowly thaws both their hearts. Following the fate of their unlikely friend, an accord
 is reached just as Lance had abandoned all hope.

The Jade Buddha Project, documentary

Explores the relationship between the precious stone and Buddhism as the world’s largest piece of polar jade is lovingly hand carved into the largest Buddha in the Southern Hemisphere. Spanning three continents and five countries, the Jade Buddha will travel through south east Asia to be housed in a new home in a small Australian town.