RIZCEL GAGAWANAN 




FILM & TV

Almost

 Short Film (TropFest submission 2026)
Lionback Productions
in association with Full Fat Productions
Writer: Matthew Kerr
Director: Rizcel Gagawanan
Producers: Rizcel Gagawanan, Kate Jirelle,
Matthew Kerr Overcome by doubt on his wedding day, a groom flees to the place where his first love began, forcing him to confront his past and his future.
Film Poster by Jesse D’Vauz
Photography by Luke Jones

Inheritance

 Short Film (2026)
Full Fat Productions
Writer & Director: Mohammad Awad
Producer: Rizcel Gagawanan Inheritance is a drama-horror set in Western Sydney, which explores how a fathers untimely death affects Ameen, his estranged Queer Muslim son. Written and directed by award-winning poet and writer Mohammad Awad, Inheritance was honoured as the winning project of the national Queer Screen 2024 Pitch Off prize and will premiere at the 2026 Queer Screen Mardi Gras Film Festival. 

Get your tickets for My Queer Career: Australian Shorts screening here on 23 February 2026.

Image credit: Full Fat Productions


Flight Risk

 Short Film (2025)
Full Fat Productions
Writer & Director: Mohammad Awad
Producer: Rizcel Gagawanan Muhammad’s fruity holiday plans hit a roadblock when he gets stopped by airport security and is accused of running off to join ISIS. While he desperately needs to catch his flight, he’d still like to have some fun along the way. This is based on a true story.

Flight Risk premiered at Melbourne Queer Film Festival (MQFF) in 2025. Don’t miss it’s Sydney Premiere at the 2026 Mardi Gra Film Festival. Get your tickets for Queer Comedy Shorts screening here. Screening dates 17, 22 and 24 February 2026. 
Film Poster by Mohammad Awad
Photography by Kate Cornish

Press:
MQFF Pitch, Pleez!
MQFF announces the winner for Pitch, Pleez! 2025, Arts Review

Burqini Body

 Short Film (2025)
Praxis Pictures 2025
in association with Full Fat Productions
Writer/Director:  Hebah Ali
Producers: Zac Perry, Mohammad Awad,
Rizcel Gagawanan A Muslim woman makes a splash at her local swimming pool with her ‘scandalous’ modest swimwear.

Burqini Body premiered at 2025 Blacktown Shorts Film Festival at the Sydney Opera House.
Image credit: Praxis Pictures



Bad Ancestors

 Online Series (ABC iView, 2024)
Produced by: Purple Carrot Entertainment Pty Ltd
Director: Vanilla Tupu
Creator/Writer: Wendy Mocke
Producers: Jessica Magro, Rizcel Gagawanan
Animation Director: Jessica Magro
Dir. of Photography: Lucca Barone-Peters
Composer: Scott Majidi
Editor: Jesse D'vauz
VFX Artist: Gwyn Dixon

Best Friends Norah and Charli must spend their afterlife providing ancestral guidance to young black people.

Bad Ancestors, written by and starring award-winning writer and actor Wendy Mocke, was part of ABC and Screen Australia’s 2023 Fresh Blood initiative. It won Online Series Production of the Year at the 23rd Screen Producers Australia (SPA) Awards and was nominated for the AACTA Award for Best Online Drama or Comedy in 2025.

Watch the full episodes on ABC iView.

Video Credit: Purple Carrot Entertainment Pty Ltd


Like A Bird

Short Film (2022)
Producers: Amy Shelford, Rizcel Gagawanan
Writer: Amy Shelford
Director: Amy Rose Hancock
DOP: Rizcel Gagawanan
Editor: Rizcel Gagawanan
When aspiring influencer Charlie miraculously meets his fundraiser goals to help his beloved endangered ibises, he finds out who the true donors are.

Image credit: Rizcel Gagawanan


Double Debut

 Online Series (In Development)
Creator/Writer: Rizcel Gagawanan
Double Debut is a coming-of-age short-form TV dramedy series about Filipino-Australian feuding twins, Raquel and Reyna, who are forced to celebrate their milestone 18th birthday together in a traditional Debutante party. This project was selected for the 2022 NSW AFTRS Talent Camp.

AFTRS Talent Camp, in partnership with Screen Australia and state screen agencies, is a highly sought-after program designed to support diversity in the screen industry. Aimed at early-career creators from underrepresented backgrounds, it offers immersive workshops in narrative (comedy/drama) and documentary filmmaking, with state and national camps. Selected participants receive funding to produce short-form works, alongside industry networking and mentorship. This unique opportunity empowers diverse voices, with many past participants achieving success in the industry.