A newspaper reporter attempts to uncover the secrets of a covert memory manipulation program.
Act I Enter
The Film
What is
Project Bluebird?
A newspaper reporter, Ed Jones, records a clandestine meeting of corrupt officials who discuss an operation being used for psychological warfare, they term “Project Bluebird.”
Ed’s obsession to uncover the truth puts his life in danger as he refuses to heed the warnings from those closest to him, including his girlfriend, Carol.
Ed becomes convinced that Bluebird is a brainwashing operation and the cause of his mental torment, and his investigations lead him back onto a factory slab and into a brainwashing nightmare. Carol takes up the cause to help Ed, and she cracks a code that puts the officials in check to discover a lead to Ed’s whereabouts, but what will justice look like when the very system meant to dispense it stands accused?
- Neo-noir
- Psychological thriller
- Mystery
- Sci-Fi
The World
1948.
A world of paranoia and suspicion
The film is set in Adelaide in 1948 and focuses on a pivotal time in the country’s history, when Cold War paranoia was on the rise. In this world where espionage meets psychological warfare, control is ever present — wired into systems of power and shaping character relationships.
The film invites us into the protagonist’s fractured psyche and unfolds with an evocative visual and sound design. It evokes a dream-like quality that blurs the lines between reality and illusion. The interplay of shadows and light serves as a visual metaphor for this division.
The Inspiration
Inspired by an extraordinary true mystery.
The film is set against one of Australia’s most profound and enduring mysteries: the case of the Somerton Man. In 1948, an unidentified man was found dead on Somerton Beach, Adelaide. There was no ID and cause of death was unknown. In his pocket was a scrap of paper reading “Tamám Shud,” torn from a book of Persian poetry. The book, once located, contained a handwritten code that remains undecipherable to this day. Renewed interest, including a recent DNA identification, has kept the case fresh for a global audience.
The mystery is the background to a film that remains a work of fiction about memory, belief, and the people caught inside both.
The Vision
Writer / Director Statement
This is my debut feature after many short films: a fictionalised story set against one of Australia’s most enduring true mysteries. The mystery is the frame; what the film really investigates is character relationships and their pursuit to unlock the truth of a fictionalised memory manipulation and brainwashing program. The film has the potential to contribute to the contemporary discourse on ideological polarisation.
Project Bluebird doesn’t behave like a conventional period piece. It drags the past into the present by using a modern cinematic language, so the audience shares the protagonist’s disorientation — through memories in monochrome, visions, déjà vus, and even a time-loop that pulls the rug from underneath to question the very nature of reality.
A period psychological thriller with sci-fi elements and a mind bending structure with a conspiracy at its centre is rare territory and overdue for Australian cinema
Why this film // why now
Project Bluebird arrives at a moment when audiences have rejected the safe middle of the market and are rewarding distinctive films that push the boundaries of creativity. Industry data reflects this shift, with buyers, distributors and streamers actively seeking work of this kind. With its unique structure, design and themes, Bluebird sits firmly within this space.
The film is set against one of the most enduring and famous mysteries in Australian history, and has recently attracted fresh interest with the exhumation of the body, drawing worldwide press coverage alongside podcasts and videos with millions of views… all pointing to a market-ready audience.
The film’s themes tap into a current worldwide discourse surrounding ideological polarisation. Project Bluebird doesn’t behave like a conventional period film, it drags the past into the present.
From the film’s feed
Follow the journey on the @project_bluebird_film Instagram
Development
The film is currently in late stage development
- Creative development Screenplay completed
- Industry development Distribution interest secured
- Current stage — seeking Finance partners
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Pre-Production
- Engage cast
- Engage crew
- Screen agency applications
Project Bluebird welcomes conversations with producers, distributors, sales agents and collaborators aligned with the film.
Industry Access
Project materials are available on request
Requests are reviewed personally; materials are shared at the filmmaker’s discretion.
The Filmmaker
Behind the film, two decades of industry experience.
Scott Lewis is a writer, director and producer with two decades of industry experience.
Meet the Filmmaker