"THE LIFEGUARD" Upcoming Short

Presidential Productions New Project Filming in Queensland

Announcing new short film project THE LIFEGUARD © Presidential Productions

Australian writer-director James Cunningham has announced his next short film, THE LIFEGUARD, a psychologically charged character study that examines heroism, guilt, and the corrosive pressure of a truth kept submerged. To be produced by Presidential Productions and set against the sunlit coastline of North Queensland, the film will shoot in Airlie Beach, Queensland, this January and marks Cunningham’s most intimate and unsettling work to date.

THE LIFEGUARD centres on Damocles, a volunteer lifesaver publicly celebrated for an act of bravery that has cemented his status as a local hero. Beneath the surface, however, Damocles is unravelling. As public praise mounts and scrutiny intensifies, the film follows his internal collapse, exploring the fragile boundary between performance and truth, and the psychological toll of living inside a carefully maintained lie.

Rather than functioning as a conventional thriller, THE LIFEGUARD is designed as a slow, pressure-filled descent. The narrative is driven less by plot mechanics than by mood, repetition, and internal tension. Cunningham’s approach emphasises stillness, restraint, and behavioural detail, allowing unease to accumulate organically as the audience is drawn deeper into the protagonist’s fractured psyche.

“The film is interested in what happens after the applause,” Cunningham said. “It’s about the suffocating weight of being seen as something you no longer recognise yourself as, or perhaps never were. Damocles is trapped between who the world believes him to be and what he knows is lurking underneath. The film examines the heavy weight of anxiety.”

The film will be anchored by Cunningham's minimalist visual language that mirrors the character’s internal state. Sun-drenched exteriors, controlled compositions, and an emphasis on routine and physical discipline will contrast with the mounting psychological instability at the story’s core. The beach—typically associated with freedom, safety, and leisure—becomes an ironic backdrop to a narrative about surveillance, exposure, and moral erosion.

THE LIFEGUARD continues Cunningham’s ongoing interest in contained, character-driven storytelling. Like his previous work, the film prioritises psychological realism over spectacle, trusting the audience to engage with ambiguity and discomfort. The result is intended to be an unsettling portrait of masculinity, authority, and the quiet violence of repression.

Pre-production is currently underway, with casting and rehearsals focusing heavily on performance precision and emotional authenticity. The production will work closely with a lead actor to develop a portrayal grounded in physical control, internal conflict, and restraint—qualities essential to sustaining the film’s slow-burn tension.

With THE LIFEGUARD, Cunningham aims to deliver a short film that lingers well beyond its runtime, challenging audiences to interrogate the stories society tells about heroism and the cost of maintaining them. Along with Presidential Productions other films Beneath the Waves (2018), The Assignment (2022) and Savage Sands (2024), this bold new project continues the company's tradition of exploring theme of modern masculinity. The film is slated for a festival run following completion, positioning it as a bold and unsettling addition to contemporary Australian short cinema.

For more information, visit presproductionsco.com/the-lifeguard

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