In 2005 Kent directed her short film '' Monster '' , which was screened at over 50 festivals around the world . In 2014 she adapted her short into a feature-length film '' The Babadook '' starring Essie Davis whom Kent had known through drama school . The film tells the story of a single mother played by Davis who must confront a sinister presence in her home while dealing with the death of her husband . '' The Babadook '' premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival in the prestigious Midnight section . The film was quickly picked up for distribution in the U.S. by IFC Films . Kent did five drafts of the feature script , received most of her funding from the Australian government , then conducted a Kickstarter campaign to help raise US$ 30,000 to pay for set construction . '' The Babadook '' received widespread critical acclaim , with '' The Exorcist '' director William Friedkin tweeting that he ’d never seen a more terrifying film , and doubled its budget with $ 4.9 million in worldwide box office . '' The Babadook '' script won the Betty Roland Prize for Scriptwriting at the 2015 New South Wales Premier 's Literary Awards
2014 Sundance Film Festival
2014 Sundance Film Festival
Jennifer Kent