This is a clip from the short film Joy, which portrays an evening in the life of a teenage girl (Joy Clay), set in the neon world of a late-night shopping centre in Sydney.

Director Cate Shortland defltly creates an intense and complex portrait of the title character and her world. In some ways the short feels like a study for her first feature film, Somersault (2004).

Like Somersault the film is suffused with a stunning, saturated-colour aesthetic and explores themes of family breakdown, coming-of-age, love and sexual relationships.

Cate made Joy (2000) while she was a directing student at the Australian Film Television and Radio School. The film stars Joy Clay and features Barbara Gouskos as a shop owner.

Joy won awards for best student film at Aspen Shortsfest, Melbourne International Film Festival and WOW: Women on Women Film Festival.