A young woman struggles to have her distressing medical symptoms taken seriously, leading her to believe that she has been possessed by the devil. When You Hear Hoofbeats is a surreal dive into the horrors of misdiagnosis and the stigma of rare conditions

As a disabled writer living with a rather impressive list of rare genetic mutations, Millie Donaldson’s work delves into the abnormal and fantastical, often exploring themes of disability and absurdity. Set in an alternate-universe version of 1950s Melbourne, When You Hear Hoofbeats tells the darkly satirical story of Nell, a young woman grappling with a horrifying and inexplicable condition. Her symptoms - projectile green vomit, 360-degree head turns, and a pair of horns - baffle every doctor she visits. What begins as a comedic series of misdiagnosis spirals into tragedy. 

As Nell's frustration grows, so do the mounting bills and the severity of her transformation. Passed from one bewildered specialist to another, she faces a system ill-equipped to confront the demonic - or the unknown. The longer she remains untreated, the more monstrous she becomes. Desperate for answers and out of options, Nell has one last hope... an exorcist. 

In this stylised fever dream, hapless doctors, mystifying symptoms, and exorbitant costs for simple procedures are all, unfortunately, very common experiences. The transformation into a demon serves as a metaphor for how neglect and misdiagnosis can allow problems to escalate, unchecked, until they become catastrophic or unmanageable. This film is for young women who have faced the frustration of being dismissed or misdiagnosed by the medical system - a system that often overlooks their voices until it’s too late. It speaks to the emotional and financial toll of navigating costly medical care while still trying to understand their own bodies.

This film was partially inspired by a re-watch of The Exorcist where Millie discovered that, if you took out the supernatural elements, her symptoms and experience with doctors lined up closely to the movie’s plot. Many moments are taken directly from her own and other women’s experiences, such as the never-ending pregnancy tests and constantly having to appear emotionless in order to be taken seriously. Some of Nell’s more demonic symptoms even mirror her own, such as contortionist abilities. Our team of passionate, dedicated, and experienced filmmakers are excited to complete this short film by November 2025. We plan to take it to prominent film festivals around Australia and internationally.