A ghost, a love story and a shot at the big screen

A ghost story filmed in Mount Duneed could be heading for the big screen.

Geelong actor and filmmaker Cassidy Krygger is using her latest project, Love in the Moonlight, to build momentum for a full-length production.

Released online last week as a proof-of-concept screener, the short introduces the world, characters and tone of a feature film Krygger has already written and hopes to bring into production.

“It’s a love letter to old Hollywood,” she said, drawing inspiration from classics like The Ghost and Mrs Muir.

“I love escaping into old Hollywood romance films. I always have, I always will.

“You can get swept away in it and pretend for a minute that Cary Grant’s going to walk in the door and fall in love with you.”

The story follows Samantha, a woman starting over in a country estate, who finds herself face-to-face with Jack Stirling – a 1950s Hollywood movie star who has haunted the property since his death.

The role of Jack is played by former Neighbours actor Matty Wilson, with Krygger starring opposite him as Samantha.

“We wanted Jack to feel like Cary Grant, to have that movie star magic,” Krygger said.

“He’s funny, he’s intelligent – he’s everything you want in that movie star man – but there’s a fragility to him.”

Shot at a private estate in Mount Duneed, the production leans into the region’s landscape while drawing on the glamour and tone of classic Hollywood cinema.

The project was co-written and directed by filmmaker Jonathan Zsofi, who also serves as executive director of the Cineverse Film Festival, bringing an international lens to the locally shot production.

“It’s always really important for me to film in Geelong and use as much local creativity as possible,” Krygger said.

While the screener runs for just a few minutes, the ambition behind it is much larger. The feature-length script is complete, with Krygger and her team now focused on building the audience needed to attract industry backing.

“Please watch it, please share it. We need as many eyeballs as we can get onto it so we can get this feature film made,” she said.

“Australian artists working is always so important because there’s not enough Australian film and television being made. We want to get something made here, so we’re going to keep pushing it out there.”

The project is already beginning to draw attention beyond the region, with growing online engagement and some unexpected industry interest – including Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin, who recently followed the film’s official social media page.

Krygger is no stranger to building an audience. She is the founder of Hollywoodland Photos, a classic film platform with more than half a million followers across social media, and her previous short film Daisy has earned national and international recognition, including multiple festival awards and consideration in the AACTA Awards.

She has also spoken openly about living with multiple sclerosis, continuing to write, produce and perform while navigating ongoing treatment.

To watch Love in the Moonlight or learn more, visit hollywoodlandphotos.com