MOVIE | With or Without You starring Marta Dusseldorp – With or Without You, a powerful new Australian film, is set to hit cinemas nationally this May (8 May) – just in time for Mother’s Day.
Starring Marta Dusseldorp (Janet King, A Place to Call Home, Bay of Fires) and Melina Vidler (800 Words, Kidnapped), With or Without You follows Chloe, a young woman determined to reconnect with her free-spirited mother Sharon.
When Chloe’s caravan is destroyed in an act of revenge by her ex-boyfriend, the pair are forced onto the road, where they cross paths with Dalu (Albert Mwangi – Bump, Tom Swift, NCIS: Sydney), a mysterious West African man also seeking a new beginning. Set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Australian countryside, their journey is one of reckoning, renewal and ultimately, hope. Each finding their own way to grow, personally and together.
“This story felt incredibly intimate,”
– says Marta Dusseldorp.
“It explores the fierce, flawed love between mothers and daughters, and how powerful it can be when we choose to show up for ourselves and each other, especially in the messiest moments.”
The film marks the feature directorial debut of Kelly Schilling, who also wrote the screenplay. As one of the few women to write and direct a feature film in Australia, Schilling is a rising voice in Australian cinema, offering raw and emotionally resonant storytelling that reframes how female-driven stories are told on screen.
“This is a story about love in all its messy, complicated forms but most importantly, the love we learn to give ourselves,”
– says Schilling.
“I hope audiences walk away with a sense of hope and belief that healing is always possible, and that no matter who they are or where they come from, they deserve it.”
From the producers of Angel of Mine and the Academy Award–nominated Tanna, With or Without You continues the tradition of celebrated Australian dramas such as Last Cab to Darwin, Rabbit-Proof Fence, and Ride Like a Girl.
Highlighting themes of resilience, reconciliation, and self-worth, the film offers a deeply moving reflection on the often complicated but fiercely loving bonds between mothers and daughters. With its release days ahead of Mother’s Day, the film offers the kind of heartfelt storytelling that’s sure to move audiences.
Rising star Albert Mwangi joins Dusseldorp and Vidler, whose performance adds an additional layer of heart and humanity to the story.
With or Without You is produced by Su Armstrong and Carolyn Johnson, with Kelly Schilling writing and directing. The film is distributed in Australia by Icon Film Distribution.
With or Without You – in cinemas 8 May
Media Release – Adhesive
Link to Icon Films HERE
TV Central Cinema Previews HERE
MOVIE | With or Without You starring Marta Dusseldorp
