Jackie van Beek and Hannah Diviney star in Natalie Bailey’s feature debut, which explores a thorny taboo with gallows humour
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The family of the titular teenager in Audrey don’t literally pop champagne when she tumbles from the roof and falls into a coma, though they might as well have: this deliciously snarky black comedy makes it brutally clear they prefer it when she’s in a vegetative state, unable to give them grief.
The film mercilessly flogs the “we’re glad she’s in a coma” joke and yet it continues to be funny – partly because of the drollery of Lou Sanz’s script, which is filled with gallows humour; partly because of the pacing, which hits a good rhythm, feeling quick but never rushed; partly because of the cast, who are oddly endearing despite portraying people behaving very badly; and...
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The family of the titular teenager in Audrey don’t literally pop champagne when she tumbles from the roof and falls into a coma, though they might as well have: this deliciously snarky black comedy makes it brutally clear they prefer it when she’s in a vegetative state, unable to give them grief.
The film mercilessly flogs the “we’re glad she’s in a coma” joke and yet it continues to be funny – partly because of the drollery of Lou Sanz’s script, which is filled with gallows humour; partly because of the pacing, which hits a good rhythm, feeling quick but never rushed; partly because of the cast, who are oddly endearing despite portraying people behaving very badly; and...
- 8/19/2024
- by Luke Buckmaster
- The Guardian - Film News
When we first meet Ronnie and Cormack Lipsick (Jackie van Beek and Jeremy Lindsay Taylor), the Australian couple has respectively reached what seems like the most miserable depths of female and male existence. She feels her dreams were stolen from her when an unwanted pregnancy forced her to abandon her acting career and devote her life to traumatizing her eldest daughter. And in an equally tragic turn of events, he can’t get an erection without jerking off into a cornucopia of increasingly elaborate sex toys.
It’s a bleak state of affairs that’s only made worse by the couple’s fraying relationships with their two teenage daughters. Audrey (Josephine Blazier) responds to her mother’s demands to become “an actress or dancer or voiceover artist” with the same enthusiasm that any high schooler puts into a task being forced upon them. Audrey’s apathy for her extracurricular activities...
It’s a bleak state of affairs that’s only made worse by the couple’s fraying relationships with their two teenage daughters. Audrey (Josephine Blazier) responds to her mother’s demands to become “an actress or dancer or voiceover artist” with the same enthusiasm that any high schooler puts into a task being forced upon them. Audrey’s apathy for her extracurricular activities...
- 3/10/2024
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
New Zealand’s funniest export Jackie Van Beek returns to SXSW atop the cast of “Audrey,” an Australian dark comedy that is headed to SXSW.
Van Beek, whose 2018 “The Breaker Upperers,” was a previous SXSW hit, portrays a forgotten former soap star whose career and life have been derailed by motherhood and suburban boredom. But when an accident puts her 18-year-old child in a coma, the woman takes on her daughter’s identity and gets a second chance at the life she actually wanted.
Other cast also include: Jeremy Lindsay Taylor (“Puberty Blues,” “The Diplomat”), Josephine Blazier (“True History of the Kelly Gang”) and disability advocate and actress Hannah Diviney (“Latecomers”).
“What begins as a light, sex-fuelled comedy about family soon takes a twisted journey into horror as, like a classic Greek tragedy, our protagonists decide that the only way to find happiness is to destroy their firstborn,” says director Natalie Bailey.
Van Beek, whose 2018 “The Breaker Upperers,” was a previous SXSW hit, portrays a forgotten former soap star whose career and life have been derailed by motherhood and suburban boredom. But when an accident puts her 18-year-old child in a coma, the woman takes on her daughter’s identity and gets a second chance at the life she actually wanted.
Other cast also include: Jeremy Lindsay Taylor (“Puberty Blues,” “The Diplomat”), Josephine Blazier (“True History of the Kelly Gang”) and disability advocate and actress Hannah Diviney (“Latecomers”).
“What begins as a light, sex-fuelled comedy about family soon takes a twisted journey into horror as, like a classic Greek tragedy, our protagonists decide that the only way to find happiness is to destroy their firstborn,” says director Natalie Bailey.
- 3/7/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
The SXSW Film & TV Festival said Wednesday that Universal’s The Fall Guy starring Ryan Gosling will serve as the 2024 edition’s Centerpiece film, and Netflix’s 3 Body Problem from David Benioff, D. B. Weiss and Alexander Woo will open the fest’s opening-night TV premiere.
The news comes as the festival, whose 31st edition runs March 8-16 in Austin, unveiled first titles in its Feature and Short Competitions, Midnighters, Global and Xr Experience categories. See the list below, which includes berths for the world premiere of Pamela Adlon’s Babes, the Daisy Ridley-starring Magpie, Prentice Penny’s docuseries Black Twitter, Season 3 of Hacks and the final season of Star Trek: Discovery.
Organizers said today that more titles, including the opening- and closing-night films, will be announced early next month across Headliner, Narrative Feature Competition, Documentary Feature Competition, Narrative Spotlight, Documentary Spotlight, Visions, Midnighter, Global, 24 Beats Per Second,...
The news comes as the festival, whose 31st edition runs March 8-16 in Austin, unveiled first titles in its Feature and Short Competitions, Midnighters, Global and Xr Experience categories. See the list below, which includes berths for the world premiere of Pamela Adlon’s Babes, the Daisy Ridley-starring Magpie, Prentice Penny’s docuseries Black Twitter, Season 3 of Hacks and the final season of Star Trek: Discovery.
Organizers said today that more titles, including the opening- and closing-night films, will be announced early next month across Headliner, Narrative Feature Competition, Documentary Feature Competition, Narrative Spotlight, Documentary Spotlight, Visions, Midnighter, Global, 24 Beats Per Second,...
- 1/10/2024
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
The 2024 SXSW Film and TV Festival has announced its lineup, with Netflix’s splashy sci-fi series 3 Body Problem opening the fest and the Ryan Gosling and Emily Bunt action comedy The Fall Guy acting as a centerpiece screening.
David Benioff and Dan Weiss are behind 3 Body Problem, based on the book of the same name. David Leitch directed the Universal feature about a Hollywood stuntman (Gosling) who is tasked with tracking down the star of the latest movie he is working on.
The Pamela Adlon movie Babes will also act as a centerpiece screening. The narrative competition features include Crystal Moselle’s latest, The Black Sea, and Barbie Ferreira starrer Bob Trevino Likes It. Elsewhere in the lineup are a Cheech and Chong doc, Tommy Dorfman’s directorial debut, Lilly Singh comedy Doin’ It, and My Dead Friend Zoe, exec produced by NFL star Travis Kelce.
The film...
David Benioff and Dan Weiss are behind 3 Body Problem, based on the book of the same name. David Leitch directed the Universal feature about a Hollywood stuntman (Gosling) who is tasked with tracking down the star of the latest movie he is working on.
The Pamela Adlon movie Babes will also act as a centerpiece screening. The narrative competition features include Crystal Moselle’s latest, The Black Sea, and Barbie Ferreira starrer Bob Trevino Likes It. Elsewhere in the lineup are a Cheech and Chong doc, Tommy Dorfman’s directorial debut, Lilly Singh comedy Doin’ It, and My Dead Friend Zoe, exec produced by NFL star Travis Kelce.
The film...
- 1/10/2024
- by Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“6 Festivals,” a music drama film that marks the first Australian feature movie to be commissioned by Paramount+, is to get a local theatrical release.
The picture is the story of three teenage best friends who try to attend six music festivals in as many months. It gets its world premiere on Friday at the Sydney Film Festival, as part of the Sff’s Sounds on Screen section.
The picture will have a limited theatrical release in Australia through Bonsai Films from Aug. 11, 2022. Global accessibility on Paramount+ will follow at an unspecified date later in the year.
Parent company, ViacomCBS also owns Australian linear network Channel 10. Together they gave the Paramount+ platform a local launch last August by including 10’s pre-existing streaming offering, 10 All Access.
“6 Festivals” was written by Sean Nash, Macario De Souza and Lou Sanz and directed by de Souza (“Bra Boys”), who also works as recording artist Kid Mac.
The picture is the story of three teenage best friends who try to attend six music festivals in as many months. It gets its world premiere on Friday at the Sydney Film Festival, as part of the Sff’s Sounds on Screen section.
The picture will have a limited theatrical release in Australia through Bonsai Films from Aug. 11, 2022. Global accessibility on Paramount+ will follow at an unspecified date later in the year.
Parent company, ViacomCBS also owns Australian linear network Channel 10. Together they gave the Paramount+ platform a local launch last August by including 10’s pre-existing streaming offering, 10 All Access.
“6 Festivals” was written by Sean Nash, Macario De Souza and Lou Sanz and directed by de Souza (“Bra Boys”), who also works as recording artist Kid Mac.
- 6/8/2022
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
A spin-off of High Maintenance, starring Yael Stone, and a comedic crime series from Jungle Entertainment are among the 21 projects that will share in more than $600,000 in story development funding from Screen Australia.
The slate includes 14 feature films, six television dramas and an online project, with 11 titles supported through the Generate Fund and 10 through the Premium Fund.
Screen Australia’s head of development Nerida Moore, who will depart the agency in December after nine years, said she felt privileged to support more many creative projects and people during the time she has left in the role.
“This is an exciting mix of projects and it’s great to support creatives expand on their careers and take on new challenges, including producer Alex White working on her first TV series, and writer Arka Das and writer/director Hannah Hilliard on their debut feature films,” he said.
“The shared vision we are...
The slate includes 14 feature films, six television dramas and an online project, with 11 titles supported through the Generate Fund and 10 through the Premium Fund.
Screen Australia’s head of development Nerida Moore, who will depart the agency in December after nine years, said she felt privileged to support more many creative projects and people during the time she has left in the role.
“This is an exciting mix of projects and it’s great to support creatives expand on their careers and take on new challenges, including producer Alex White working on her first TV series, and writer Arka Das and writer/director Hannah Hilliard on their debut feature films,” he said.
“The shared vision we are...
- 10/18/2021
- by Staff Writer
- IF.com.au
Orange Entertainment Co. has optioned Asphyxia’s YA novel Future Girl, which explores what it means to come of age as a Deaf teenager against the backdrop of a near-future Melbourne facing an environmental catastrophe.
With Oec, Asphyxia will co-develop the project, currently being prepped as a series, serving as writer, creator, and EP.
Published last year via Allen & Unwin Australia, Future Girl has been described by writer and appearance activist Carly Findlay as “a life-changing book for young Deaf and disabled people…demonstrating the importance of the #OwnVoices movement.”
Asphyxia is excited to bring authentic Deaf characters to the screen, providing a positive representation for the 1 in 6 Australians who have hearing loss.
“I have never even seen a movie in my own language, Auslan, which is poetically beautiful and expressive and begging to shine on the big screen. At last, in Future Girl, it will,” she says.
The aim...
With Oec, Asphyxia will co-develop the project, currently being prepped as a series, serving as writer, creator, and EP.
Published last year via Allen & Unwin Australia, Future Girl has been described by writer and appearance activist Carly Findlay as “a life-changing book for young Deaf and disabled people…demonstrating the importance of the #OwnVoices movement.”
Asphyxia is excited to bring authentic Deaf characters to the screen, providing a positive representation for the 1 in 6 Australians who have hearing loss.
“I have never even seen a movie in my own language, Auslan, which is poetically beautiful and expressive and begging to shine on the big screen. At last, in Future Girl, it will,” she says.
The aim...
- 9/22/2021
- by Jackie Keast
- IF.com.au
Fresh faces lead the cast of the ABC and Fremantle Australia’s children’s comedy-drama The Pm’s Daughter, now shooting in Canberra.
Cassandra Helmot will play Cat Parkes Pérez, a young activist whose relatively normal teen life is thrown into disarray when political turmoil strikes and her mother (Claire Fearon) is unexpectedly thrust into the role of Prime Minister.
Major disruptions begin to occur at Canberra landmarks – all seemingly designed to directly sabotage the Pm. Cat and her new friends, Sadie (Natalie English) and Ollie, set out to track down and unmask a rogue faction within a youth action group called Action Uprising. The clues will take them across every inch of the capital and lead them to investigate even their own schoolmates.
Nya Cofie (The Unlisted) and Amelie James-Power also star as Cat’s classmates Miro and Georgina, joining an adult cast of Anthony Brandon Wong (The Family Law...
Cassandra Helmot will play Cat Parkes Pérez, a young activist whose relatively normal teen life is thrown into disarray when political turmoil strikes and her mother (Claire Fearon) is unexpectedly thrust into the role of Prime Minister.
Major disruptions begin to occur at Canberra landmarks – all seemingly designed to directly sabotage the Pm. Cat and her new friends, Sadie (Natalie English) and Ollie, set out to track down and unmask a rogue faction within a youth action group called Action Uprising. The clues will take them across every inch of the capital and lead them to investigate even their own schoolmates.
Nya Cofie (The Unlisted) and Amelie James-Power also star as Cat’s classmates Miro and Georgina, joining an adult cast of Anthony Brandon Wong (The Family Law...
- 7/5/2021
- by Jackie Keast
- IF.com.au
Australian indie producer Aquarius Films is to develop and produce a comedy drama series adapted from the acclaimed feminist manifesto book “Fight Like A Girl.”
The book, a memoir and expose of how unequal the world continues to be for women, was published in 2016 by feminist writer and online sensation Clementine Ford. It earned Ford the Matt Richell Award for new writer of the year, a prize given by Australian Book Industry Awards.
The story charts the political awakening of 15-year-old future feminist icon on the suburban grounds of her 1990s high school as she attempts to rally those around her to the cause. She soon discovers that her message will be met with opposition every step of the way, and she must choose between fitting in or fighting for a future world she wants to live in.
Aquarius is planning a six-part TV series adaptation with episodes of 30 minutes each,...
The book, a memoir and expose of how unequal the world continues to be for women, was published in 2016 by feminist writer and online sensation Clementine Ford. It earned Ford the Matt Richell Award for new writer of the year, a prize given by Australian Book Industry Awards.
The story charts the political awakening of 15-year-old future feminist icon on the suburban grounds of her 1990s high school as she attempts to rally those around her to the cause. She soon discovers that her message will be met with opposition every step of the way, and she must choose between fitting in or fighting for a future world she wants to live in.
Aquarius is planning a six-part TV series adaptation with episodes of 30 minutes each,...
- 6/16/2021
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
The ABC has commissioned two new live-action children’s series, Aquarius Films’ Parent Up and Fremantle Australia’s The Pm’s Daughter.
Both supported by Screen Australia, the series will go into production this year, joining MaveriX, Itch season 2 and Hardball season 2 on ABC Me’s narrative drama slate.
A comedy action series for 8-13 year olds, Parent Up is created and executive produced by Justine Flynn (The Unlisted). It follows Yu Na and Min Park, who want more excitement in their lives. However, they don’t realise just how crazy their lives will become when they discover their once unremarkable parents are actually international spies and have disappeared in suspicious circumstances.
Writing with Flynn are Michelle Lim Davidson, Andrew Lee, Tiffany Zehnal, Melissa Lee Speyer, Tristram Baumber, Sophia Chung, Hyun Lee, Alice McCredie-Dando and David Park.
Directors will include Nick Verso, Chase Lee, Hyun Lee, Darlene Johnson, Neil Sharma and Flynn.
Both supported by Screen Australia, the series will go into production this year, joining MaveriX, Itch season 2 and Hardball season 2 on ABC Me’s narrative drama slate.
A comedy action series for 8-13 year olds, Parent Up is created and executive produced by Justine Flynn (The Unlisted). It follows Yu Na and Min Park, who want more excitement in their lives. However, they don’t realise just how crazy their lives will become when they discover their once unremarkable parents are actually international spies and have disappeared in suspicious circumstances.
Writing with Flynn are Michelle Lim Davidson, Andrew Lee, Tiffany Zehnal, Melissa Lee Speyer, Tristram Baumber, Sophia Chung, Hyun Lee, Alice McCredie-Dando and David Park.
Directors will include Nick Verso, Chase Lee, Hyun Lee, Darlene Johnson, Neil Sharma and Flynn.
- 2/25/2021
- by Jackie Keast
- IF.com.au
Natalie Bailey with her Emmy.
Natalie Bailey was set to shoot feature comedy Sumo in South Africa when the pandemic struck, which turned out to be a blessing as she was then asked to serve as set-up director on Aquarius Films’ Sbs miniseries The Unusual Suspects.
The Melbourne-based director, who shot isolation comedy Retrograde for the ABC, readily agreed. She had long wanted to make a 4-parter for Sbs and she was intrigued by the story of immigrants working in Sydney’s affluent Eastern suburbs with strong female characters.
Scripted by Jessica Redenbach, Roger Monk and Vonne Patiag, the plot revolves around the theft of a $10 million necklace from self-made Filipino businesswoman Roxanne Waters’ home during her twins’ birthday party. The suspects include socialite Sara Beasley whose life is crumbling fast, and her long-suffering nanny, Evie De La Rosa, a godmother for other Filipino domestic workers.
Casting is underway led by casting director Kirsty McGregor,...
Natalie Bailey was set to shoot feature comedy Sumo in South Africa when the pandemic struck, which turned out to be a blessing as she was then asked to serve as set-up director on Aquarius Films’ Sbs miniseries The Unusual Suspects.
The Melbourne-based director, who shot isolation comedy Retrograde for the ABC, readily agreed. She had long wanted to make a 4-parter for Sbs and she was intrigued by the story of immigrants working in Sydney’s affluent Eastern suburbs with strong female characters.
Scripted by Jessica Redenbach, Roger Monk and Vonne Patiag, the plot revolves around the theft of a $10 million necklace from self-made Filipino businesswoman Roxanne Waters’ home during her twins’ birthday party. The suspects include socialite Sara Beasley whose life is crumbling fast, and her long-suffering nanny, Evie De La Rosa, a godmother for other Filipino domestic workers.
Casting is underway led by casting director Kirsty McGregor,...
- 9/1/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Andrea Denholm.
The restructure of Princess Pictures is nearing completion with the pending departures of producer/partner Andrea Denholm and MD Jenni Tosi.
Denholm finishes up this Friday after 10 years with the production company founded by Laura Waters in 2003.
Tosi, the former Film Victoria CEO who joined a year ago, will depart in mid-November after handing the reins to commercial director and partner Emma Fitzsimons.
These moves follow the exit earlier this year of producer/partner Paul Walton after seven years with Princess Pictures.
The final elements of the revamp are expected to entail an injection of fresh blood. Waters tells If: “These changes have happened organically. I’m quite buoyant about the future: there are exciting things ahead.”
Waters flagged a review of the company’s structure and business strategy and the decision to consolidate rather than expand a few months ago when she told If: “It’s made...
The restructure of Princess Pictures is nearing completion with the pending departures of producer/partner Andrea Denholm and MD Jenni Tosi.
Denholm finishes up this Friday after 10 years with the production company founded by Laura Waters in 2003.
Tosi, the former Film Victoria CEO who joined a year ago, will depart in mid-November after handing the reins to commercial director and partner Emma Fitzsimons.
These moves follow the exit earlier this year of producer/partner Paul Walton after seven years with Princess Pictures.
The final elements of the revamp are expected to entail an injection of fresh blood. Waters tells If: “These changes have happened organically. I’m quite buoyant about the future: there are exciting things ahead.”
Waters flagged a review of the company’s structure and business strategy and the decision to consolidate rather than expand a few months ago when she told If: “It’s made...
- 8/18/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
‘How to Stay Married.’
Princess Pictures founder/producer Laura Waters and MD Jenni Tosi have repositioned the production company.
Facing two choices – continue to expand or to consolidate – they chose the latter. “Reviewing our structure and business strategy has been such a healthy process,” Waters, who founded the company in 2003, tells If. “It’s made us go back to our roots and our original purpose. I am feeling re-energised about the company.
“We are passionate and hands-on about unique projects and finding new ways of working with international and local partners.”
The company’s slate includes the second season of Network 10’s How to Stay Married, a co-production with Pablo Pictures, which is in the final stages of financing. Created by Peter Helliar, the first series followed Helliar and Lisa McCune as Greg and Em Butler, who had been married for 14 years and whose lives take unexpected turns after...
Princess Pictures founder/producer Laura Waters and MD Jenni Tosi have repositioned the production company.
Facing two choices – continue to expand or to consolidate – they chose the latter. “Reviewing our structure and business strategy has been such a healthy process,” Waters, who founded the company in 2003, tells If. “It’s made us go back to our roots and our original purpose. I am feeling re-energised about the company.
“We are passionate and hands-on about unique projects and finding new ways of working with international and local partners.”
The company’s slate includes the second season of Network 10’s How to Stay Married, a co-production with Pablo Pictures, which is in the final stages of financing. Created by Peter Helliar, the first series followed Helliar and Lisa McCune as Greg and Em Butler, who had been married for 14 years and whose lives take unexpected turns after...
- 6/12/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Imogen Banks and Asher Keddie, who will produce ‘The Sisters Antipodes’.
Screen Australia has announced more than $600,000 of story development funding for seven feature films, four television dramas and five online series.
The slate includes a currently untitled feature film from Little Monsters‘ Abe Forsythe, Jodi Matterson and Bruna Papandrea, based on a real missing person case in a remote Northern Territory town; TV series The Sisters Antipodes, produced by Asher Keddie and Imogen Banks, about estranged families who are pushed to opposite sides of the world; and an online series from writer/director Kauthar Abdulalim, Salma and the City, about a mother who sets her sights on winning the Australian Open
Screen Australia’s head of development Nerida Moore said: “It’s fantastic to see such strong applications coming through, and in this round we’ve noticed an increase in series as well as a lot of female writers attached to projects.
Screen Australia has announced more than $600,000 of story development funding for seven feature films, four television dramas and five online series.
The slate includes a currently untitled feature film from Little Monsters‘ Abe Forsythe, Jodi Matterson and Bruna Papandrea, based on a real missing person case in a remote Northern Territory town; TV series The Sisters Antipodes, produced by Asher Keddie and Imogen Banks, about estranged families who are pushed to opposite sides of the world; and an online series from writer/director Kauthar Abdulalim, Salma and the City, about a mother who sets her sights on winning the Australian Open
Screen Australia’s head of development Nerida Moore said: “It’s fantastic to see such strong applications coming through, and in this round we’ve noticed an increase in series as well as a lot of female writers attached to projects.
- 4/10/2019
- by jkeast
- IF.com.au
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