The Night Moses Died
2026

The Night Moses Died

World Premiere.

Weighed down by others' ideas of who they should be, nineteen-year-old Moses carries more responsibility than most while searching for space to become themselves. An unlikely kinship with retired showgirl Carmel opens the door to another life, where sequins and stories illuminate a nuanced coming-of-identity story celebrating selfhood and survival.

Director

Lilah Benetti

Runtime

14 Minutes

Country

Australia

Classification

Unclassified 15+

Weighed down by others' ideas of who they should be, nineteen-year-old Moses carries more responsibility than most. Between caring for their younger sibling and supporting an overworked mother, little room remains to discover who they might become. An unlikely kinship is found in the downstairs flat of retired showgirl Carmel, where stories and sequins offer another way of imagining life. As one extraordinary night brushes against the surreal, The Night Moses Died becomes a nuanced coming-of-identity story about survival, selfhood and the courage to leave behind the version of themselves the world had already written.

This co-commission is a joint initiative between Pride Foundation Australia and Adelaide Film Festival.

Screening with Queer shorts:
Sugar (Simon Croker)
Delay (Wang Han-Xuan)
The Wind in Ash (Sun Kun)
Baby Talk (Lizzie Cater)
The Night Moses Died (Lilah Benetti)
Stallion and a Crystal Ball (Christian Avilés)

logologo

Film Credits

Director

Lilah Benetti

Year

2026

Country

Australia

Language

English

Type

Short Fiction

Program Strand

Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund & Shorts

Producer

Mimo Mukii

Writer

Lilah Benetti & Maxine Ellah

Cinematographer

Jesse Lane

Editor

Lilah Benetti

Cast

Rewran John, Julie Louise Bates, Lina Joky & Ivy Burnet & Serkan Tokgoz

Music

Reihara

Film Source

TEN DAYS

Genre

Coming of Age, Drama & LGBTQIA+

Filmmakers in attendance

Purchase Tickets