How do we shed old stories about how love should be and write new ones?
At forty, Sarah stands at the threshold of a life she’s never lived – one defined by her own choices rather than someone else’s expectations. As her thirteen-year-old son Otis crosses into manhood, mother and son embark on parallel journeys of self-discovery, each learning what it means to be free.
Life Could Be A Dream explores the complexity of reinvention. It’s about the intricate dance between a mother and son redefining their relationship, the fantasy worlds we retreat into when reality overwhelms, and the gradual, difficult work of reclaiming a life on her own terms.
This is about breaking cycles: A mother attempts to model strength for her son while she’s still learning for herself how much to hold on to and how much to let go.
Director's Vision
Director Jasmin Tarasin brings an intimate understanding to this story of freedom and family. Sarah yearns to live on her own terms but confronts formidable barriers, both within herself and in the relationship she's trying to escape. Through her awakening, the film explores the mythology we create around being saved, and what happens when we begin to imagine a different future for ourselves.
At the emotional core of the film is the relationship between Sarah and her son Otis. Theirs is a fierce and fragile bond as they navigate the complicated territory between dependence and independence. Having witnessed multigenerational patterns of struggle firsthand, Tarasin examines how cycles can be broken, allowing the next generation to choose differently.
Life Could Be A Dream reveals the hidden struggles many face behind closed doors and searches for a path forward. 'My hope is that this film serves as a beacon showing that liberation is within reach,' says Tarasin. 'One woman and her son finding their way towards a future defined by choice rather than fear.'
‘It’s about the messy work of discovering what is possible for ourselves and those we love.’
The Team
Jasmin Tarasin
Jasmin Tarasin is an Australian writer, director and producer whose work is defined by emotional depth, visual poetry, and a sustained commitment to stories that examine women’s interior lives, agency, and the cost of survival. Working across narrative film, documentary and installation, her practice centres on untold histories and moments of personal reckoning where identity, power and authorship are re-negotiated.
Courtney Collins
Courtney Collins is an author, screenwriter, and producer. Her debut novel, The Burial (Allen & Unwin, 2012), was published in ten countries and shortlisted for the Nita B Kibble Literary Award, NSW Premier’s Literary Awards, and the Stella Prize. It is being adapted as a feature film – THE UNTOLD STORY OF JESSIE BELL RAY – directed by Jasmin Tarasin, with Courtney co-writing the screenplay.
Good Chat: Clare Lewis
Clare is GoodChat’s Creative Director, ensuring all films are of the highest quality and fulfil their creative and strategic vision. She is absolutely passionate about storytelling, social change and making content that cuts through the noise. After working as a curator and writer in the art world, she has been making successful doco features and digital content for the large and small screen for ten years.
Good Chat: Catherine Church
GoodChat is a film production B Corp, who make high impact films for social change. Catherine Church is the Managing Director, making sure all films are on budget, delivered on time and have the wow factor. She is driven by the impact of visual storytelling as a key tool in the fight for a cleaner, safer, more just world. Co-producing and being part of the impact team for LIFE COULD BE A DREAM was an absolute dream.
Gabriella Muir
Gabriella Muir is one of Australia’s most respected freelance editors, with over twenty-five years’ experience across feature films, television series, documentaries, and premium scripted content. Known for her performance-driven, narrative-focused approach, she has built long-standing creative partnerships with leading Australian directors including Kriv Stenders and Jocelyn Moorhouse. Her feature film career began with Kriv Stenders on the independent film BLACKTOWN (2005), winner of the Sydney Film Festival Audience Award.
Malinda Wink
Malinda Wink is the Executive Director of Minderoo Pictures, the social impact film enterprise of Minderoo Foundation. Malinda was Executive Producer of several of Australia’s most high-profile social impact documentaries of recent times including 2040, THE FINAL QUARTER about Adam Goodes, and BIG DEAL: IS OUR DEMOCRACY FOR SALE? and is a highly regarded leader within the global screen industry and not-for-profit sector.
Peter Simson
Peter Simson is an accomplished entrepreneur, corporate adviser and investor with a career spanning finance, media, technology and high-growth ventures in Australia and internationally. He commenced his professional career with Coopers & Lybrand (now Pricewaterhouse-Coopers), where he worked for 11 years across Australia and overseas, before moving into senior roles with Westpac Banking Corporation in corporate and business advisory services.
Behind the scenes
