The Paris sales outfit is also handling Pablo Berger’s ‘Robot Dreams’ in Official Selection.
Paris-based sales powerhouse Elle Driver has added Greek director Alexandros Avranas’ Apathy, now in pre-production, to its line-up heading into Cannes.
Apathy is a drama exploring the real-life phenomenon of ‘resignation syndrome’, a catatonic state that has affected around 700 refugee children in Sweden, sparking a wave of concern among doctors and politicians. Told from the perspective of a family, Apathy follows the parents as they struggle in their daily lives and gives a voice to the children. The multi-territory co-production is produced by France’s...
Paris-based sales powerhouse Elle Driver has added Greek director Alexandros Avranas’ Apathy, now in pre-production, to its line-up heading into Cannes.
Apathy is a drama exploring the real-life phenomenon of ‘resignation syndrome’, a catatonic state that has affected around 700 refugee children in Sweden, sparking a wave of concern among doctors and politicians. Told from the perspective of a family, Apathy follows the parents as they struggle in their daily lives and gives a voice to the children. The multi-territory co-production is produced by France’s...
- 5/11/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
The Paris sales outfit is also handling Pablo Berger’s ‘Robot Dreams’ in Official Selection.
Paris-based sales powerhouse Elle Driver has added Greek director Alexandros Avranas’ Apathy, now in pre-production, to its line-up heading into Cannes.
Apathy is a drama exploring the real-life phenomenon of ‘resignation syndrome’, a catatonic state that has affected around 700 refugee children in Sweden, sparking a wave of concern among doctors and politicians. Told from the perspective of a family, Apathy follows the parents as they struggle in their daily lives and gives a voice to the children. The multi-territory co-production is produced by France’s...
Paris-based sales powerhouse Elle Driver has added Greek director Alexandros Avranas’ Apathy, now in pre-production, to its line-up heading into Cannes.
Apathy is a drama exploring the real-life phenomenon of ‘resignation syndrome’, a catatonic state that has affected around 700 refugee children in Sweden, sparking a wave of concern among doctors and politicians. Told from the perspective of a family, Apathy follows the parents as they struggle in their daily lives and gives a voice to the children. The multi-territory co-production is produced by France’s...
- 5/11/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
French sales agency Elle Driver is giving a Cannes Market launch to “Kid Snow,” a West Australian-produced tale of redemption set in the 1970s world of tent boxing. Production starts on Monday in Australia’s Goldfields-Esperance region, making it the first feature film to kick off production in the state since its border re-opened.
Boxing tents toured Australia’s small towns from the early 1900s until the 1970s, and were venues where professional fighters faced off against local challengers. The troupes criss-crossed the outback, boasted a carnival-like atmosphere and were places where Indigenous fighters could become heroes.
Penned by writers John Brumpton and Stephen Cleary, the story involves a washed-up Irish boxer named Kid Snow who is finally given a chance to redeem himself when he is offered a rematch against the man he fought a decade prior, on a night that changed his life forever. When Kid Snow meets single mother Sunny,...
Boxing tents toured Australia’s small towns from the early 1900s until the 1970s, and were venues where professional fighters faced off against local challengers. The troupes criss-crossed the outback, boasted a carnival-like atmosphere and were places where Indigenous fighters could become heroes.
Penned by writers John Brumpton and Stephen Cleary, the story involves a washed-up Irish boxer named Kid Snow who is finally given a chance to redeem himself when he is offered a rematch against the man he fought a decade prior, on a night that changed his life forever. When Kid Snow meets single mother Sunny,...
- 5/22/2022
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Federal funding body Screen Australia confirmed its backing for a trio of Australian film projects that will now move forward into production. Director Robert Connolly (“The Dry”) is behind two of them as producer.
The funding decisions ensure that a steady stream of local films move into production, alongside the large volume of international films and TV series that are currently in Australia, taking advantage of generous incentives and good coronavirus control conditions.
Set in 1970’s Western Australia, “Kid Snow” is a drama about a washed-up Irish boxer who is offered a rematch against a man he fought 10 years ago, on a night that changed his life forever. He is faced with a chance to redeem himself when he meets a single mother and is forced to contemplate a future beyond boxing.
The film is directed by Paul Goldman (“Suburban Mayhem”) and written by John Brumpton (“Life”), Phillip Gwynne (“Australian Rules...
The funding decisions ensure that a steady stream of local films move into production, alongside the large volume of international films and TV series that are currently in Australia, taking advantage of generous incentives and good coronavirus control conditions.
Set in 1970’s Western Australia, “Kid Snow” is a drama about a washed-up Irish boxer who is offered a rematch against a man he fought 10 years ago, on a night that changed his life forever. He is faced with a chance to redeem himself when he meets a single mother and is forced to contemplate a future beyond boxing.
The film is directed by Paul Goldman (“Suburban Mayhem”) and written by John Brumpton (“Life”), Phillip Gwynne (“Australian Rules...
- 5/17/2021
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Screen Australia has announced $5.6 million of production funding for three feature films and returning seasons of Stan’s Bump and 10’s The Secret She Keeps.
The films include two Arenamedia projects: an new animation from the Oscar-winning Adam Elliot and a second feature from writer/director Alena Lodkina (Strange Colours), titled Petrol. The other film is Paul Goldman’s Western Australian feature film Kid Snow, produced by Unicorn Films.
Screen Australia CEO Graeme Mason said: “We have been blown away by the volume of applications for production funding and are heartened at the breadth of distinct Australian stories that continue to come through.
“Adam Elliot is set to delight audiences around the world with a remarkable new drama in his signature claymation style; and we’re thrilled to support writer/director Alena Lodkina whose 2017 feature Strange Colours premiered at the Venice Film Festival, as she expands on her unique voice with striking follow up Petrol.
The films include two Arenamedia projects: an new animation from the Oscar-winning Adam Elliot and a second feature from writer/director Alena Lodkina (Strange Colours), titled Petrol. The other film is Paul Goldman’s Western Australian feature film Kid Snow, produced by Unicorn Films.
Screen Australia CEO Graeme Mason said: “We have been blown away by the volume of applications for production funding and are heartened at the breadth of distinct Australian stories that continue to come through.
“Adam Elliot is set to delight audiences around the world with a remarkable new drama in his signature claymation style; and we’re thrilled to support writer/director Alena Lodkina whose 2017 feature Strange Colours premiered at the Venice Film Festival, as she expands on her unique voice with striking follow up Petrol.
- 5/16/2021
- by Staff Writer
- IF.com.au
Season one of ‘Love on the Spectrum’.
A second season of Northern Pictures/ABC’s Love on the Spectrum and a feature documentary for Sbs that goes behind the frontlines of Nsw’s child protection system are among the 12 doc projects to recently share in $1.3 million of production funding via Screen Australia.
Screen Australia head of documentary Bernadine Lim said: “The projects in this slate not only shine a light on social issues but also offer a number of personal experiences and family stories that I’m confident will inspire important conversations.”
“We’re thrilled to support a number of emerging filmmakers in this slate including first-time feature documentary directors Sari Braithwaite with Logan Documentary and Tahyna MacManus with MuM – Misunderstandings of Miscarriage. It’s also exciting to fund our first augmented reality project Rewild that will use interactive technology to engage audiences with environmental issues through their smartphones in an innovative way.
A second season of Northern Pictures/ABC’s Love on the Spectrum and a feature documentary for Sbs that goes behind the frontlines of Nsw’s child protection system are among the 12 doc projects to recently share in $1.3 million of production funding via Screen Australia.
Screen Australia head of documentary Bernadine Lim said: “The projects in this slate not only shine a light on social issues but also offer a number of personal experiences and family stories that I’m confident will inspire important conversations.”
“We’re thrilled to support a number of emerging filmmakers in this slate including first-time feature documentary directors Sari Braithwaite with Logan Documentary and Tahyna MacManus with MuM – Misunderstandings of Miscarriage. It’s also exciting to fund our first augmented reality project Rewild that will use interactive technology to engage audiences with environmental issues through their smartphones in an innovative way.
- 9/8/2020
- by jkeast
- IF.com.au
Bong Joon-ho’s ‘Parasite’.
Australia and Korea have had an official co-production treaty in place for five years now, though a project has yet to eventuate from it.
Of course, co-productions – particularly official ones under government treaties or MOUs – aren’t easy and can take a long time to come to fruition. The challenges are often numerable: finding the right partner, nuances involved in cross-cultural creative and financial collaboration, language barriers, managing talent and shoots across countries, and a lot of paperwork.
But co-productions also offer many creative and financial benefits, particularly as the marketplace for content grows increasingly global.
Collaboration between Australia and Korea’s screen industries will form a focus at tomorrow’s Asia Pacific Screen Forum in Brisbane – a new adjunct to the Asia Pacific Screen Awards (Apsa) – in a session supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Dfat)’s Australia-Korean Foundation.
Speaking on the...
Australia and Korea have had an official co-production treaty in place for five years now, though a project has yet to eventuate from it.
Of course, co-productions – particularly official ones under government treaties or MOUs – aren’t easy and can take a long time to come to fruition. The challenges are often numerable: finding the right partner, nuances involved in cross-cultural creative and financial collaboration, language barriers, managing talent and shoots across countries, and a lot of paperwork.
But co-productions also offer many creative and financial benefits, particularly as the marketplace for content grows increasingly global.
Collaboration between Australia and Korea’s screen industries will form a focus at tomorrow’s Asia Pacific Screen Forum in Brisbane – a new adjunct to the Asia Pacific Screen Awards (Apsa) – in a session supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Dfat)’s Australia-Korean Foundation.
Speaking on the...
- 11/19/2019
- by jkeast
- IF.com.au
Pong Su (Photo credit: ABC).
The infamous case of the North Korean cargo ship involved in Australia’s largest drug bust will be dramatised in a feature film, potentially as the first official Australian-Korean co-production.
Reg Cribb is writing the first draft of action drama The Pong Su for the producers, Unicorn Films’ Lizzette Atkins and Jonathan Kim of Korea’s Hanmac Culture Group.
The cargo ship was used to smuggle 150 kilograms of heroin into Victoria in April 2003. The Australian Federal Police monitored the operation and the ship was seized off the coast of Nsw on the orders of Prime Minister John Howard.
The film will follow eccentric defence lawyer Ian Hayden, his Korean interpreter Yuna and their relationship with their charismatic client, the ship’s master, North Korean Captain Song.
“In a story full of contradictions and moral ambiguity, the defence team is determined to see justice done,” Atkins says.
The infamous case of the North Korean cargo ship involved in Australia’s largest drug bust will be dramatised in a feature film, potentially as the first official Australian-Korean co-production.
Reg Cribb is writing the first draft of action drama The Pong Su for the producers, Unicorn Films’ Lizzette Atkins and Jonathan Kim of Korea’s Hanmac Culture Group.
The cargo ship was used to smuggle 150 kilograms of heroin into Victoria in April 2003. The Australian Federal Police monitored the operation and the ship was seized off the coast of Nsw on the orders of Prime Minister John Howard.
The film will follow eccentric defence lawyer Ian Hayden, his Korean interpreter Yuna and their relationship with their charismatic client, the ship’s master, North Korean Captain Song.
“In a story full of contradictions and moral ambiguity, the defence team is determined to see justice done,” Atkins says.
- 10/17/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
‘Celeste’
Curious Films launched Ben Hackworth’s Celeste on six screens in the capital cities last weekend after screening at a dozen international film festivals.
The international sales agent, Tine Klint’s LevelK, has sold the romantic drama, which stars Radha Mitchell, Thomas Cocquerel, Nadine Garner and Odessa Young, to HBO Central Europe, 15 territories in Eastern Europe and China’s Dd Dream International, which plans a theatrical release.
Unicorn Films’ Lizzette Atkins, who produced with Raphael Cocks, tells If a North American deal is in negotiation.
Co-written by Hackworth and the late Bille Brown, Celeste grossed $6,000 and $22,000 including advance screenings.
The regional roll-out will begin on May 9 and Curious Films’ Stephen Fitzgibbon aims to expand to 15-20 screens in the regions through May/June. Fitzgibbon is finalising streaming and other ancillary deals which he hopes to soon announce.
Mitchell plays the title role, a retired opera star who plans one...
Curious Films launched Ben Hackworth’s Celeste on six screens in the capital cities last weekend after screening at a dozen international film festivals.
The international sales agent, Tine Klint’s LevelK, has sold the romantic drama, which stars Radha Mitchell, Thomas Cocquerel, Nadine Garner and Odessa Young, to HBO Central Europe, 15 territories in Eastern Europe and China’s Dd Dream International, which plans a theatrical release.
Unicorn Films’ Lizzette Atkins, who produced with Raphael Cocks, tells If a North American deal is in negotiation.
Co-written by Hackworth and the late Bille Brown, Celeste grossed $6,000 and $22,000 including advance screenings.
The regional roll-out will begin on May 9 and Curious Films’ Stephen Fitzgibbon aims to expand to 15-20 screens in the regions through May/June. Fitzgibbon is finalising streaming and other ancillary deals which he hopes to soon announce.
Mitchell plays the title role, a retired opera star who plans one...
- 4/28/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
The film is the second feature from ‘Corroboree’ director Ben Hackworth.
LevelK has boarded Australian filmmaker Ben Hackworth’s second feature Celeste, which has its world premiere at Melbourne International Film Festival this week.
Radha Mitchell (Melinda and Melinda), Odessa Young (Assassination Nation), Thomas Cocquerel (Table 19), and Nadine Garner (The Book of Revelation) star in a tale of desire and redemption.
Lizzette Atkins of Melbourne-based Unicorn Films (Looking for Grace) developed Celeste and is producing alongside Raphael Cocks. The screenplay is written by Ben Hackworth and the late renowned Australian actor Bille Brown.
The film is financed by Screen Queensland,...
LevelK has boarded Australian filmmaker Ben Hackworth’s second feature Celeste, which has its world premiere at Melbourne International Film Festival this week.
Radha Mitchell (Melinda and Melinda), Odessa Young (Assassination Nation), Thomas Cocquerel (Table 19), and Nadine Garner (The Book of Revelation) star in a tale of desire and redemption.
Lizzette Atkins of Melbourne-based Unicorn Films (Looking for Grace) developed Celeste and is producing alongside Raphael Cocks. The screenplay is written by Ben Hackworth and the late renowned Australian actor Bille Brown.
The film is financed by Screen Queensland,...
- 8/10/2018
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Ensemble romantic thriller Andorra, also featuring Gillian Anderson secures German distribution.
Celluloid Dreams have unveiled a first round of pre-sales on Fred Schepisi’s romantic thriller Andorra which is due to start shooting in April.
It has been acquired for Austrian and Germany (Weltkino), Switzerland (Praesens-Film), Italy (01 Distribution) and Greece (Seven Films) and ex-Yugoslavia (Discovery) in Europe.
In Asia, Los Angeles-based DDDream has acquired for China and Chennai-based entertainment company Viswas bought rights for Singapore, Malaysia and India.
It has also sold to Australia (Madman Entertainment) the Middle East (Prime), Israel (Shoval Communication), the whole of Latin America (Impacto) and Airlines (CineSky Pictures).
Adapted from a novel by Peter Cameron, Andorra stars Pearce as Alexander Fox, a bookseller who leaves the Us to begin a new life abroad in small, idyllic Andorra.
Alexander’s attempts to reinvent himself take an unexpected turn after a woman’s body is found and he is a prime suspect.
The...
Celluloid Dreams have unveiled a first round of pre-sales on Fred Schepisi’s romantic thriller Andorra which is due to start shooting in April.
It has been acquired for Austrian and Germany (Weltkino), Switzerland (Praesens-Film), Italy (01 Distribution) and Greece (Seven Films) and ex-Yugoslavia (Discovery) in Europe.
In Asia, Los Angeles-based DDDream has acquired for China and Chennai-based entertainment company Viswas bought rights for Singapore, Malaysia and India.
It has also sold to Australia (Madman Entertainment) the Middle East (Prime), Israel (Shoval Communication), the whole of Latin America (Impacto) and Airlines (CineSky Pictures).
Adapted from a novel by Peter Cameron, Andorra stars Pearce as Alexander Fox, a bookseller who leaves the Us to begin a new life abroad in small, idyllic Andorra.
Alexander’s attempts to reinvent himself take an unexpected turn after a woman’s body is found and he is a prime suspect.
The...
- 2/11/2017
- ScreenDaily
Toni Collette will star in Fred Schepisi's 'Andorra' (Photo: Eva Rinaldi).
Seventeen film, TV, online and documentary projects will share in over $2.4 million in funding, thanks to the latest round of Film Victoria.s Assigned Production Investment program and the Victorian Content Initiative.
The combined projects will inject $23 million into the Victorian economy, according to a statement from Film Vic.
Film Victoria CEO Jenni Tosi said the latest projects to be supported capped off a terrific year of screen production in Victoria, with .2017 set to be bumper year with this diverse range of projects joining others already scheduled to go into production..
Projects supported through the Assigned Production Investment program include:
– Essential Media will partner with Carver Films to produce Sunshine for Sbs. The mini-series is.a crime drama that explores the world of South Sudanese refugees in Melbourne, and a young basketball star forced to fight...
Seventeen film, TV, online and documentary projects will share in over $2.4 million in funding, thanks to the latest round of Film Victoria.s Assigned Production Investment program and the Victorian Content Initiative.
The combined projects will inject $23 million into the Victorian economy, according to a statement from Film Vic.
Film Victoria CEO Jenni Tosi said the latest projects to be supported capped off a terrific year of screen production in Victoria, with .2017 set to be bumper year with this diverse range of projects joining others already scheduled to go into production..
Projects supported through the Assigned Production Investment program include:
– Essential Media will partner with Carver Films to produce Sunshine for Sbs. The mini-series is.a crime drama that explores the world of South Sudanese refugees in Melbourne, and a young basketball star forced to fight...
- 12/19/2016
- by Staff Writer
- IF.com.au
Actors join Fred Schepisi’s previously announced cast including Clive Owen and Toni Collette; Screen Australia to provide production funding.
Academy Award winner Vanessa Redgrave (Howards End), Guy Pearce (Memento) and Eamon Farren (Twin Peaks) will co-star in Fred Schepisi’s romantic thriller Andorra.
The actors join the previously announced cast including Clive Owen, Toni Collette, Gillian Anderson, Joanna Lumley and Riccardo Scamarcio.
Based on the novel by Peter Cameron, Andorra stars Pearce as Alexander Fox, a bookseller who leaves the Us to begin a new life abroad in small, idyllic Andorra. When a woman’s body is found and Alexander is the suspect, an emissary from his past (Farron) threatens to envelop his newfound paradise.
Adapted by screenwriters Cameron and Jamie Bialkower, who is producing for Jump Street Films alongside Schepisi and Lizzette Atkins, the thriller is executive produced by James Ivory, Natalie Miller and Hengameh Panahi.
The feature will receive production investment from Screen Australia.
[link...
Academy Award winner Vanessa Redgrave (Howards End), Guy Pearce (Memento) and Eamon Farren (Twin Peaks) will co-star in Fred Schepisi’s romantic thriller Andorra.
The actors join the previously announced cast including Clive Owen, Toni Collette, Gillian Anderson, Joanna Lumley and Riccardo Scamarcio.
Based on the novel by Peter Cameron, Andorra stars Pearce as Alexander Fox, a bookseller who leaves the Us to begin a new life abroad in small, idyllic Andorra. When a woman’s body is found and Alexander is the suspect, an emissary from his past (Farron) threatens to envelop his newfound paradise.
Adapted by screenwriters Cameron and Jamie Bialkower, who is producing for Jump Street Films alongside Schepisi and Lizzette Atkins, the thriller is executive produced by James Ivory, Natalie Miller and Hengameh Panahi.
The feature will receive production investment from Screen Australia.
[link...
- 11/16/2016
- ScreenDaily
Toni Collette.
Jump Street Films has announced Toni Collette, Gillian Anderson, Joanna Lumley and Riccardo Scamarcio are set to star in Fred Schepisi.s new film, Andorra. They join Clive Owen, whose casting in the romantic thriller was announced in May. Andorra, based on the Peter Cameron novel of the same name, follows Alexander Fox (Owen), who leaves the United States after a personal tragedy to begin a new life abroad. The tiny country he chooses — Andorra — is an idyllic escape, offering Alexander the chance to reinvent himself. He quickly becomes entangled with Mrs. Dent (Toni Collette), an Australian who shares a first name, a large dog and a volatile secret with her husband, and Mrs. Quay (Lumley), the kayaking matriarch of an Andorran dynasty who seems to recall him from long ago.
As Alexander finds comfort in the company of her daughter, Miss Quay (Anderson), the mystery of his origin deepens.
Jump Street Films has announced Toni Collette, Gillian Anderson, Joanna Lumley and Riccardo Scamarcio are set to star in Fred Schepisi.s new film, Andorra. They join Clive Owen, whose casting in the romantic thriller was announced in May. Andorra, based on the Peter Cameron novel of the same name, follows Alexander Fox (Owen), who leaves the United States after a personal tragedy to begin a new life abroad. The tiny country he chooses — Andorra — is an idyllic escape, offering Alexander the chance to reinvent himself. He quickly becomes entangled with Mrs. Dent (Toni Collette), an Australian who shares a first name, a large dog and a volatile secret with her husband, and Mrs. Quay (Lumley), the kayaking matriarch of an Andorran dynasty who seems to recall him from long ago.
As Alexander finds comfort in the company of her daughter, Miss Quay (Anderson), the mystery of his origin deepens.
- 9/15/2016
- by Staff Writer
- IF.com.au
Riccardo Scamarcio also among cast to join Clive Owen thriller; Cellulouid Dreams to handle sales.
Toni Collette, Gillian Anderson, Joanna Lumley and Riccardo Scamarcio are joining Clive Owen in director Fred Schepisi’s thriller Andorra.
Based on the novel by Peter Cameron, Andorra follows Alexander Fox (Owen) who leaves the Us to start a new life in the small nation of Andorra. Once there he is quickly drawn to a tall Australian blonde and the heartbroken daughter of the town matriarch, but he soon finds himself the prime suspect in a murder investigation.
Production is scheduled to commence in Italy next April with David Nichols from Cineroma as the Italian production partner. Post production will take place in Australia.
The screenplay has been adapted by Cameron and Jamie Bialkower. Bialkower is producing for Jump Street Films alongside Schepisi, Lizzette Atkins and executive producer James Ivory.
Celluloid Dreams will handle international sales. Additional casting...
Toni Collette, Gillian Anderson, Joanna Lumley and Riccardo Scamarcio are joining Clive Owen in director Fred Schepisi’s thriller Andorra.
Based on the novel by Peter Cameron, Andorra follows Alexander Fox (Owen) who leaves the Us to start a new life in the small nation of Andorra. Once there he is quickly drawn to a tall Australian blonde and the heartbroken daughter of the town matriarch, but he soon finds himself the prime suspect in a murder investigation.
Production is scheduled to commence in Italy next April with David Nichols from Cineroma as the Italian production partner. Post production will take place in Australia.
The screenplay has been adapted by Cameron and Jamie Bialkower. Bialkower is producing for Jump Street Films alongside Schepisi, Lizzette Atkins and executive producer James Ivory.
Celluloid Dreams will handle international sales. Additional casting...
- 9/13/2016
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
Chasing Asylum. The first nominees for the 6th Aacta Awards have been announced, with the Australian Academy revealing those up for gongs in three categories: Best Feature Length Documentary, Best Short Animation and Best Short Fiction Film.
Nominees in feature film and television will be named later this year.
Under consideration for Best Feature Documentary is Eva Orner.s expose of Australian offshore detention, Chasing Asylum, and Dan Jackson.s debut In The Shadow of the Hill, which follows locals living in Rio de Janiero.s largest slum and their fight for justice.
They will vie against Nikolas Bird and Eleanor Sharp.s Remembering the Man, about couple Timothy Congriave and John Caleo — whose love story was the subject of feature film Holding the Man, and Snow Monkey, a portrait of daily life in Jalalabad, produced by Lizzette Atkins and directed by artist George Gittoes.
Up for the Best Short Animation gong is Joel Best,...
Nominees in feature film and television will be named later this year.
Under consideration for Best Feature Documentary is Eva Orner.s expose of Australian offshore detention, Chasing Asylum, and Dan Jackson.s debut In The Shadow of the Hill, which follows locals living in Rio de Janiero.s largest slum and their fight for justice.
They will vie against Nikolas Bird and Eleanor Sharp.s Remembering the Man, about couple Timothy Congriave and John Caleo — whose love story was the subject of feature film Holding the Man, and Snow Monkey, a portrait of daily life in Jalalabad, produced by Lizzette Atkins and directed by artist George Gittoes.
Up for the Best Short Animation gong is Joel Best,...
- 7/14/2016
- by Staff Writer
- IF.com.au
Clive Owen.
Clive Owen is set to star in director Fred Schepisi's new film.Andorra.which is based on Peter Cameron's novel of the same name.
Producers are Jamie Bialkower for Jump Street Films and Lizzette Atkins for Unicorn Films.
Andorra is the second film for Owen and Schepisi after Words and Pictures..
Schepisi said he was thrilled to have another chance to collaborate with Owen.
.Particularly on a project this intriguing," he said. "He is perfect for the role...
Academy Award nominee and BAFTA winner James Ivory (The Remains of the Day, Howards End) is the Executive Producer.
The screenplay has been adapted by Cameron and Bialkower. Production is scheduled for next spring in Europe with post production to follow in Australia..
Andorra is a romantic thriller set against a dreamscape where nothing is as it appears..
Owen will star as Alexander Fox, a bookseller who leaves...
Clive Owen is set to star in director Fred Schepisi's new film.Andorra.which is based on Peter Cameron's novel of the same name.
Producers are Jamie Bialkower for Jump Street Films and Lizzette Atkins for Unicorn Films.
Andorra is the second film for Owen and Schepisi after Words and Pictures..
Schepisi said he was thrilled to have another chance to collaborate with Owen.
.Particularly on a project this intriguing," he said. "He is perfect for the role...
Academy Award nominee and BAFTA winner James Ivory (The Remains of the Day, Howards End) is the Executive Producer.
The screenplay has been adapted by Cameron and Bialkower. Production is scheduled for next spring in Europe with post production to follow in Australia..
Andorra is a romantic thriller set against a dreamscape where nothing is as it appears..
Owen will star as Alexander Fox, a bookseller who leaves...
- 5/9/2016
- by Staff Writer
- IF.com.au
Exclusive: Clive Owen has boarded Andorra, a romantic thriller based on Peter Cameron’s novel which has Roxanne helmer Fred Schepisi directing. This is a reteam for Owen and Schepisi who previously collaborated on 2013’s Words And Pictures. Jamie Bialkower is producing for Melbourne-based Jump Street Films and Lizzette Atkins for Unicorn Films. James Ivory is exec producing with a spring 2017 production start scheduled in Europe and post-production to follow in…...
- 5/9/2016
- Deadline
Clive Owen has joined the cast of "Roxanne" director Fred Schepisi's film adaptation of Peter Cameron's 1997 romantic thriller novel "Andorra" at Jump Street Films and Unicorn Films.
Owen will star as Alexander Fox, an American bookseller starting life over in the tiny eponymous country. He quickly becomes entangled with the ever-present locals as the mystery of his origin deepens.
An Australian couple takes an unsettling interest, and the country's matriarch seems to recall him from long ago. A woman's body is found almost immediately upon his arrival, and a local cop becomes strangely convinced that Fox is responsible.
Jamie Bialkower and Lizzette Atkins are producing while James Ivory will executive produce. Filming begins Spring 2017 in Europe.
Source: Deadline...
Owen will star as Alexander Fox, an American bookseller starting life over in the tiny eponymous country. He quickly becomes entangled with the ever-present locals as the mystery of his origin deepens.
An Australian couple takes an unsettling interest, and the country's matriarch seems to recall him from long ago. A woman's body is found almost immediately upon his arrival, and a local cop becomes strangely convinced that Fox is responsible.
Jamie Bialkower and Lizzette Atkins are producing while James Ivory will executive produce. Filming begins Spring 2017 in Europe.
Source: Deadline...
- 5/9/2016
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Plus: Monkey King: Hero Is Back finds Us home; AFI Docs 2016 slate announced; and more…
Universal Pictures will release Pitch Perfect 3 on July 21, 2017. The comedy was originally set for August 4 of that year and will once again star Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson.
Elizabeth Banks returns to direct the threequel after her 2015 Pitch Perfect 2 (pictured) grossed $288m worldwide. Paul Brooks of Gold Circle Entertainment and Max Handelman and Banks of Brownstone Productions are the producers.
Viva Pictures and Directv have acquired Us rights to the animated feature, Monkey King: Hero Is Back. Jackie Chan voices the lead character. The film grossed $177m in China and will debut exclusively on Directv Cinema on May 26 followed by a theatrical release through Viva Pictures in late July.The American Film Institute on Monday announced the slate of films for AFI Docs 2016, running from June 22–26 in Washington, DC, and Silver Spring. As previously announced, Alex Gibney’s [link...
Universal Pictures will release Pitch Perfect 3 on July 21, 2017. The comedy was originally set for August 4 of that year and will once again star Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson.
Elizabeth Banks returns to direct the threequel after her 2015 Pitch Perfect 2 (pictured) grossed $288m worldwide. Paul Brooks of Gold Circle Entertainment and Max Handelman and Banks of Brownstone Productions are the producers.
Viva Pictures and Directv have acquired Us rights to the animated feature, Monkey King: Hero Is Back. Jackie Chan voices the lead character. The film grossed $177m in China and will debut exclusively on Directv Cinema on May 26 followed by a theatrical release through Viva Pictures in late July.The American Film Institute on Monday announced the slate of films for AFI Docs 2016, running from June 22–26 in Washington, DC, and Silver Spring. As previously announced, Alex Gibney’s [link...
- 5/9/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Documentary from Australian war artist George Gittoes centres on street kids in Afghanistan.
Tel Aviv-based sales company Cinephil has acquired the worldwide right to George Gittoes’ Snow Monkey ahead of its international premiere in competition at Idfa (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam) (Nov 18-29).
The film is a portrait of daily life in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, where art activist Gittoes recruited gangs of war-damaged children to shoot local, Pashto-style films - vibrant, colorful and infused with the violence they experience on a daily basis.
Gittoes will return to Idfa, which runs Nov 18-29, having previously screened Miscreants of Taliwood, shot in Peshawar with Taliban-besieged filmmakers, some of which have helped create Snow Monkey.
Cinephil MD Philippa Kowarsky negotiated the deal with producers Gittoes and Lizzette Atkins of Unicorn Films.
Executive producers are Norway’s Torstein Grude and Bjarte Mørner Tveit for Piraya Film.
Kowarsky said the film “offers an unprecedented understanding of the lives of the people of Jalalabad...
Tel Aviv-based sales company Cinephil has acquired the worldwide right to George Gittoes’ Snow Monkey ahead of its international premiere in competition at Idfa (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam) (Nov 18-29).
The film is a portrait of daily life in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, where art activist Gittoes recruited gangs of war-damaged children to shoot local, Pashto-style films - vibrant, colorful and infused with the violence they experience on a daily basis.
Gittoes will return to Idfa, which runs Nov 18-29, having previously screened Miscreants of Taliwood, shot in Peshawar with Taliban-besieged filmmakers, some of which have helped create Snow Monkey.
Cinephil MD Philippa Kowarsky negotiated the deal with producers Gittoes and Lizzette Atkins of Unicorn Films.
Executive producers are Norway’s Torstein Grude and Bjarte Mørner Tveit for Piraya Film.
Kowarsky said the film “offers an unprecedented understanding of the lives of the people of Jalalabad...
- 11/10/2015
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
George Gittoes. Snow Monkey and Bill Guttentag and Michael Ware.s Only the Dead will screen at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (Idfa).
Filmed in Afghanistan in 2014 when foreign forces leave and an internal power struggle begins, Snow Monkey will screen in official competition at the festival which runs November 18-29.
Produced by Lizzette Atkins and Gittoes, the final film in his What the World Needs Now! trilogy premiered at Miff this year and followed the lives of those living in the Yellow House at Jalalabad, a collective of artists, film makers and social revolutionaries as they again face the threat of a Taliban-ruled society. It was funded through Screen Australia's Signature Documentary program.
Only the Dead, which follows Ware, an Australian journalist for CNN and Time Magazine as he journeys through the deepest recesses of the Iraq War, will unspool in the Best of Fests section. Patrick McDonald produced with Ware.
Filmed in Afghanistan in 2014 when foreign forces leave and an internal power struggle begins, Snow Monkey will screen in official competition at the festival which runs November 18-29.
Produced by Lizzette Atkins and Gittoes, the final film in his What the World Needs Now! trilogy premiered at Miff this year and followed the lives of those living in the Yellow House at Jalalabad, a collective of artists, film makers and social revolutionaries as they again face the threat of a Taliban-ruled society. It was funded through Screen Australia's Signature Documentary program.
Only the Dead, which follows Ware, an Australian journalist for CNN and Time Magazine as he journeys through the deepest recesses of the Iraq War, will unspool in the Best of Fests section. Patrick McDonald produced with Ware.
- 10/13/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Australian writer-director Sue Brooks, whose latest feature Looking For Grace has premiered at the Venice Film Festival, has revealed details of her upcoming projects.
Brooks has two new features in development. One is an adaptation of Alex Miller’s novel, Lovesong. This is the story of a relationship and marriage between a young Australian man and a Tunisian woman.
It is scripted and produced by Alison Tilson (Looking For Grace). Brooks said: “It’s a love story but it is also about place and migration…it is about being displaced.”
The project is currently being financed and cast.
Brooks is also plotting a comedy-musical, Not Quite Waiting In The Wings. Also scripted by Tilson, it is described by Brooks as a story “about the folly of human endeavour.”
It centres on an amateur troupe’s courageous but faltering attempt to mount a Gilbert and Sullivan opera.
Looking For Grace stars Radha Mitchell, Richard Roxburgh and upcoming...
Brooks has two new features in development. One is an adaptation of Alex Miller’s novel, Lovesong. This is the story of a relationship and marriage between a young Australian man and a Tunisian woman.
It is scripted and produced by Alison Tilson (Looking For Grace). Brooks said: “It’s a love story but it is also about place and migration…it is about being displaced.”
The project is currently being financed and cast.
Brooks is also plotting a comedy-musical, Not Quite Waiting In The Wings. Also scripted by Tilson, it is described by Brooks as a story “about the folly of human endeavour.”
It centres on an amateur troupe’s courageous but faltering attempt to mount a Gilbert and Sullivan opera.
Looking For Grace stars Radha Mitchell, Richard Roxburgh and upcoming...
- 9/7/2015
- by geoffrey@macnab.demon.co.uk (Geoffrey Macnab)
- ScreenDaily
Sue Brooks. Looking for Grace will screen in Platform, a new competitive section of the Toronto International Film Festival which showcases films that have a strong directorial vision. The road movie starring Richard Roxburgh, Radha Mitchell, Odessa Young and Terry Norris is the only Australian title in the running for the $C25,000 prize determined by the jury of filmmakers Jia Zhang-ke, Claire Denis and Agnieszka Holland. That strengthens Australia.s profile at the event which runs September 10-20. Jocelyn Moorhouse.s The Dressmaker will have its world premiere in Gala Presentations,. Simon Stone.s The Daughter will have its North American premiere in Special Presentations and Jennifer Peedom.s Sherpa and Gillian Armstrong.s Women He.s Undressed will compete in Tiff Docs.
Young, who also stars in The Daughter, plays 16-year-old Grace, who has run away from home. Her exasperated parents head to the West Australian wheat belt...
Young, who also stars in The Daughter, plays 16-year-old Grace, who has run away from home. Her exasperated parents head to the West Australian wheat belt...
- 8/13/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Fred Schepisi is attached to direct Andorra, an adaptation of American author Peter Cameron.s thriller/dark comic novel.
The protagonist is Alexander Fox, a 40-year-old Yank who ends up in the tiny nation of Andorra where he befriends an Australian couple who had moved there. Complications arise when Fox falls in love with the wife and a dead body is found floating in the harbour.
Jamie Bialkower.s Melbourne-based Jump Street Films optioned the novel in 2013 and he subsequently teamed up with Lizzette Atkins. Unicorn Films, who produced Sue Brooks. Looking for Grace. He wrote the screenplay with Cameron.
James Ivory and Natalie Miller are the executive producers. Miller.s Sharmill Films and Jump Street Films will distribute in Australia.
Bialkower tells If that filming is due to start in Europe in the first half of next year, probably in either Italy or the Czech Republic. He plans to partner with a European producer,...
The protagonist is Alexander Fox, a 40-year-old Yank who ends up in the tiny nation of Andorra where he befriends an Australian couple who had moved there. Complications arise when Fox falls in love with the wife and a dead body is found floating in the harbour.
Jamie Bialkower.s Melbourne-based Jump Street Films optioned the novel in 2013 and he subsequently teamed up with Lizzette Atkins. Unicorn Films, who produced Sue Brooks. Looking for Grace. He wrote the screenplay with Cameron.
James Ivory and Natalie Miller are the executive producers. Miller.s Sharmill Films and Jump Street Films will distribute in Australia.
Bialkower tells If that filming is due to start in Europe in the first half of next year, probably in either Italy or the Czech Republic. He plans to partner with a European producer,...
- 8/13/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Writer-director Sue Brooks' Looking for Grace will be the first film by a female Australian director to screen in competition at the Venice Film Festival since Clara Law's The Goddess Of 1967 in 2000.
Australia will have an unprecedented profile at the festival with Michael Rowe.s Early Winter and Simon Stone.s The Daughter selected for the Venice Days sidebar and Bentley Dean and Martin Butler.s Tanna screening in Venice Critics. Week.
This is the first time Australian films will be represented in all three Venice categories. That adds to the prestige of The Daughter having its North American premiere in the Special Presentations section of the 40th Toronto International Film Festival, where Jocelyn Moorhouse.s The Dressmaker will have its world premiere in the Gala Presentations section.
Wayne Blair's Us thriler Septembers Of Shiraz, which stars Salma Hayek, Adrien Brody and Shohreh Aghdashloo, will also screen in Gala Presentations.
Australia will have an unprecedented profile at the festival with Michael Rowe.s Early Winter and Simon Stone.s The Daughter selected for the Venice Days sidebar and Bentley Dean and Martin Butler.s Tanna screening in Venice Critics. Week.
This is the first time Australian films will be represented in all three Venice categories. That adds to the prestige of The Daughter having its North American premiere in the Special Presentations section of the 40th Toronto International Film Festival, where Jocelyn Moorhouse.s The Dressmaker will have its world premiere in the Gala Presentations section.
Wayne Blair's Us thriler Septembers Of Shiraz, which stars Salma Hayek, Adrien Brody and Shohreh Aghdashloo, will also screen in Gala Presentations.
- 7/29/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Gun Women: The Patriots scoops top award at Naff event.Scroll down for full awards list
The 19th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BiFan) wrapped its 8th Network of Asian Fantastic Films (Naff) industry event with the top Bucheon Award - for post-production costs - going to project Gun Women: The Patriots.
A reboot of director Mitsutake Kurando’s Gun Woman, which screened in Sitges and Fantasia, the Japan-us co-production features an intelligence agent with gun parts implanted in her body who is on a secret mission to kill the president of Japan.
Kurando (Samurai Avenger: The Blind Wolf) and his producer Yanagimoto Chiaki (Gun Woman) accepted the award which comes with KW15m ($13,000 ) cash prize.
“This award means so much especially coming from such a distinguished jury. Thank you and to Bucheon. I love the people, love the city. Special thanks to Thomas-san for guiding us to the market,” said Kurando...
The 19th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BiFan) wrapped its 8th Network of Asian Fantastic Films (Naff) industry event with the top Bucheon Award - for post-production costs - going to project Gun Women: The Patriots.
A reboot of director Mitsutake Kurando’s Gun Woman, which screened in Sitges and Fantasia, the Japan-us co-production features an intelligence agent with gun parts implanted in her body who is on a secret mission to kill the president of Japan.
Kurando (Samurai Avenger: The Blind Wolf) and his producer Yanagimoto Chiaki (Gun Woman) accepted the award which comes with KW15m ($13,000 ) cash prize.
“This award means so much especially coming from such a distinguished jury. Thank you and to Bucheon. I love the people, love the city. Special thanks to Thomas-san for guiding us to the market,” said Kurando...
- 7/22/2015
- by hjnoh2007@gmail.com (Jean Noh)
- ScreenDaily
Gun Women: The Patriots scoops top award at Naff event.Scroll down for full awards list
The 19th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BiFan) wrapped its 8th Network of Asian Fantastic Films (Naff) industry event with the top Bucheon Award - for post-production costs - going to project Gun Women: The Patriots.
A reboot of director Mitsutake Kurando’s Gun Woman, which screened in Sitges and Fantasia, the Japan-us co-production features an intelligence agent with gun parts implanted in her body who is on a secret mission to kill the president of Japan.
Kurando (Samurai Avenger: The Blind Wolf) and his producer Yanagimoto Chiaki (Gun Woman) accepted the award which comes with KW15m ($13,000 ) cash prize.
“This award means so much especially coming from such a distinguished jury. Thank you and to Bucheon. I love the people, love the city. Special thanks to Thomas-san for guiding us to the market,” said Kurando...
The 19th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BiFan) wrapped its 8th Network of Asian Fantastic Films (Naff) industry event with the top Bucheon Award - for post-production costs - going to project Gun Women: The Patriots.
A reboot of director Mitsutake Kurando’s Gun Woman, which screened in Sitges and Fantasia, the Japan-us co-production features an intelligence agent with gun parts implanted in her body who is on a secret mission to kill the president of Japan.
Kurando (Samurai Avenger: The Blind Wolf) and his producer Yanagimoto Chiaki (Gun Woman) accepted the award which comes with KW15m ($13,000 ) cash prize.
“This award means so much especially coming from such a distinguished jury. Thank you and to Bucheon. I love the people, love the city. Special thanks to Thomas-san for guiding us to the market,” said Kurando...
- 7/22/2015
- by hjnoh2007@gmail.com (Jean Noh)
- ScreenDaily
South Korea’s Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BiFan), Asia’s largest genre film fest, has announced 21 titles from 12 countries to be presented during the Network of Asian Fantastic Films (Naff) genre film project market.
Dubbed It Project, the market has in past years showcased films such as Arvin Chen’s Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? and Lisa Takeba’s Haruko’s Paranormal Laboratory, which have screened at festivals including Tribeca, Berlin and Rotterdam.
Naff will run July 19-22 during BiFan, which will run July 16-26. Previously known as PiFan, the fest changed its name earlier this year in belated accordance with the current system of Romanizing Korean names. Thus it now uses ‘Bucheon’ instead of ‘Puchon’ to indicate the pronunciation of the name of the satellite city of Seoul that hosts this fest.
Aside from arranging business meetings, Naff will hand out post-production awards and a total of KW66m ($59,300) in cash prizes.
BiFan said this...
Dubbed It Project, the market has in past years showcased films such as Arvin Chen’s Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? and Lisa Takeba’s Haruko’s Paranormal Laboratory, which have screened at festivals including Tribeca, Berlin and Rotterdam.
Naff will run July 19-22 during BiFan, which will run July 16-26. Previously known as PiFan, the fest changed its name earlier this year in belated accordance with the current system of Romanizing Korean names. Thus it now uses ‘Bucheon’ instead of ‘Puchon’ to indicate the pronunciation of the name of the satellite city of Seoul that hosts this fest.
Aside from arranging business meetings, Naff will hand out post-production awards and a total of KW66m ($59,300) in cash prizes.
BiFan said this...
- 6/3/2015
- by hjnoh2007@gmail.com (Jean Noh)
- ScreenDaily
Matchbox Pictures. Nowhere Boys was named best children.s TV series and Mindful Media.s Redesign My Brain took the prizes for best factual series and best documentary, science, technology and the environment, at the 2014 Australian Teachers of Media (Atom) awards.
The best docudrama gong went to Electric Pictures. Enigma Man: A Stone Age Mystery in the awards presented at the Vca in Melbourne on Thursday night. In other documentary categories, Scarlett Pictures. Tender won the prize for general documentary, Cordell Jigsaw Zapruder.s JFK: The Smoking Gun collected the history prize and Unicorn Films. Aim High in Creation! won for social and political issues.
Best biography docu went to iKandy Films' 35 Letters and best arts docu was Pop Pictures. Sons and Mothers.
RocKwiz.s Brian Nankervis hosted the event attended by education and screen industry professionals, higher education students, screen funding body reps and sponsors. There were more than...
The best docudrama gong went to Electric Pictures. Enigma Man: A Stone Age Mystery in the awards presented at the Vca in Melbourne on Thursday night. In other documentary categories, Scarlett Pictures. Tender won the prize for general documentary, Cordell Jigsaw Zapruder.s JFK: The Smoking Gun collected the history prize and Unicorn Films. Aim High in Creation! won for social and political issues.
Best biography docu went to iKandy Films' 35 Letters and best arts docu was Pop Pictures. Sons and Mothers.
RocKwiz.s Brian Nankervis hosted the event attended by education and screen industry professionals, higher education students, screen funding body reps and sponsors. There were more than...
- 11/27/2014
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Victoria's Napthine Coalition Government has agreed to invest $3.8 million in the Melbourne International Film Festival.s (Miff) Premiere Fund over the next four years.
The announcement in the lead-up to the state election this Saturday has been widely welcomed by filmmakers and distributors.
.I strongly believe our industry in Victoria and Miff is elevated by the significant opportunities the Miff Premiere Fund provides," said Seph McKenna, head of Australian Production at Roadshow Films, which released the fund-supported Bran Nue Dae, These Final Hours and the upcoming Paper Planes.
Lizzette Atkins, who produced Sue Brooks. Looking for Grace starring Richard Roxburgh and Radha Mitchell with the fund.s assistance, said, .It is imperative for the state of filmmaking in Victoria that both the Miff Premiere Fund and Miff 37ºSouth Market continue to thrive..
Since taking office in December 2010, the Coalition Government has committed more than $9.5 million to Miff for the festival,...
The announcement in the lead-up to the state election this Saturday has been widely welcomed by filmmakers and distributors.
.I strongly believe our industry in Victoria and Miff is elevated by the significant opportunities the Miff Premiere Fund provides," said Seph McKenna, head of Australian Production at Roadshow Films, which released the fund-supported Bran Nue Dae, These Final Hours and the upcoming Paper Planes.
Lizzette Atkins, who produced Sue Brooks. Looking for Grace starring Richard Roxburgh and Radha Mitchell with the fund.s assistance, said, .It is imperative for the state of filmmaking in Victoria that both the Miff Premiere Fund and Miff 37ºSouth Market continue to thrive..
Since taking office in December 2010, the Coalition Government has committed more than $9.5 million to Miff for the festival,...
- 11/25/2014
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Screen Australia today announced investment of nearly. $965,000 for three films and a feature documentary, estimated to generate more than $6.8 million of production.
Fiona Cameron, Screen Australia.s chief operating officer, said, .This round we have backed a diverse collection of projects that promises audiences an amusing, informative and imaginative experience with innovative narratives and vivid characters..
Funding was allocated to Madman Productions for the feature A Month of Sundays from writer/director Matthew Saville (Felony, Noise, The Slap, Cloudstreet) and producers Nick Batzias and Kirsty Stark.
The film follows real estate agent Frank Mollard (played by Anthony Lapaglia), whose life takes an unexpected turn when he receives a call from his dead mother, sending him on a journey of redemption.
WildBear Entertainment will receive completion funding for Electric Boogaloo: The Wild Untold Story of Cannon Films, Mark Hartley's doco about movie-obsessed immigrant cousins, Yoram Globus and the late Menahem Golan,...
Fiona Cameron, Screen Australia.s chief operating officer, said, .This round we have backed a diverse collection of projects that promises audiences an amusing, informative and imaginative experience with innovative narratives and vivid characters..
Funding was allocated to Madman Productions for the feature A Month of Sundays from writer/director Matthew Saville (Felony, Noise, The Slap, Cloudstreet) and producers Nick Batzias and Kirsty Stark.
The film follows real estate agent Frank Mollard (played by Anthony Lapaglia), whose life takes an unexpected turn when he receives a call from his dead mother, sending him on a journey of redemption.
WildBear Entertainment will receive completion funding for Electric Boogaloo: The Wild Untold Story of Cannon Films, Mark Hartley's doco about movie-obsessed immigrant cousins, Yoram Globus and the late Menahem Golan,...
- 9/5/2014
- by Staff writer
- IF.com.au
Richard Roxburgh and Radha Mitchell are playing the parents of a 14-year-old runaway who hire a retired detective to help find her in writer-director Sue Brooks. Looking for Grace.
Formerly known as Driving Back from Dubbo, the drama starts shooting this week in Western Australia, produced by Lizzette Atkins, Sue Taylor and Alison Tilson.
Odessa Young (The Moodys, Wonderland) will play the title character who runs away with her best friend (Kenya Pearson) to see her favourite band.
The cast includes Terry Norris as the retired cop, Julia Blake as his wife and Tasma Walton. The plot follows the couple and their helper as they head off on the road to Ceduna to try to retrieve Grace.
Miranda Otto was originally in the frame to play Grace's mother and Sam Neill had been in talks to play the former detective.
The investors include Screen West, Screen Australia, Film Victoria, the...
Formerly known as Driving Back from Dubbo, the drama starts shooting this week in Western Australia, produced by Lizzette Atkins, Sue Taylor and Alison Tilson.
Odessa Young (The Moodys, Wonderland) will play the title character who runs away with her best friend (Kenya Pearson) to see her favourite band.
The cast includes Terry Norris as the retired cop, Julia Blake as his wife and Tasma Walton. The plot follows the couple and their helper as they head off on the road to Ceduna to try to retrieve Grace.
Miranda Otto was originally in the frame to play Grace's mother and Sam Neill had been in talks to play the former detective.
The investors include Screen West, Screen Australia, Film Victoria, the...
- 8/26/2014
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
After making her directing debut on micro-budgeted, B&W suspense film Johnny Ghost, Donna McRae is writing and plans to direct one segment of a horror anthology set in Tasmania.
Also, McRae and her husband Michael Vale have written the script for Le Chien qui Fume - A Smokey Life, a bizarre tale about a dog that lived in Europe in the early 20th Century, wore men.s clothing and smoked cigarettes. McRae is balancing her role as a filmmaker with lecturing in film and television at Deakin University. The untitled horror film is being produced by Unicorn Films. Lizzette Atkins and will enlist five writers-directors, all female: McRae, Ursula Dabrowsky, Isabel Peppard, Briony Kidd and Rebecca Thomson.
.The stories are all set around a small haunted Tasmanian town and are intertwined with each other,. she tells If. The tagline says: .Apocalyptic visions, bloodthirsty curses, creatures gone mad, a voodoo granny,...
Also, McRae and her husband Michael Vale have written the script for Le Chien qui Fume - A Smokey Life, a bizarre tale about a dog that lived in Europe in the early 20th Century, wore men.s clothing and smoked cigarettes. McRae is balancing her role as a filmmaker with lecturing in film and television at Deakin University. The untitled horror film is being produced by Unicorn Films. Lizzette Atkins and will enlist five writers-directors, all female: McRae, Ursula Dabrowsky, Isabel Peppard, Briony Kidd and Rebecca Thomson.
.The stories are all set around a small haunted Tasmanian town and are intertwined with each other,. she tells If. The tagline says: .Apocalyptic visions, bloodthirsty curses, creatures gone mad, a voodoo granny,...
- 3/2/2014
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Dominic Purcell, Viva Bianca and Robert Taylor are set to star in Turkey Shoot Reloaded, an action adventure set in the near future.
The director is Jon Hewitt (X, Acolytes, Bloodlust), who co-wrote the screenplay with his wife, actress-writer Belinda McClory, with whom he collaborated on X and Acolytes.
Hewitt tells If the film is in the spirit of Brian Trenchard-Smith.s 1982 cult item Turkey Shoot but is not a reboot. .I loved Turkey Shoot but I did not want to remake it," he says. "This is a complete reinvention..
Principal photography starts in Melbourne on February 5. The Post Lounge is handling the visual effects and investing in the film. The producer is Antony I. Ginnane, who produced Turkey Shoot, with David Lightfoot as line producer and Lizzette Atkins as associate producer. Trenchard-Smith is an executive producer.
Turkey Shoot (also known outside Australia as Escape 2000 and Blood Camp Thatcher...
The director is Jon Hewitt (X, Acolytes, Bloodlust), who co-wrote the screenplay with his wife, actress-writer Belinda McClory, with whom he collaborated on X and Acolytes.
Hewitt tells If the film is in the spirit of Brian Trenchard-Smith.s 1982 cult item Turkey Shoot but is not a reboot. .I loved Turkey Shoot but I did not want to remake it," he says. "This is a complete reinvention..
Principal photography starts in Melbourne on February 5. The Post Lounge is handling the visual effects and investing in the film. The producer is Antony I. Ginnane, who produced Turkey Shoot, with David Lightfoot as line producer and Lizzette Atkins as associate producer. Trenchard-Smith is an executive producer.
Turkey Shoot (also known outside Australia as Escape 2000 and Blood Camp Thatcher...
- 1/10/2014
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Gregory Peck and Ava Gardner in On the Beach.
.
When the distributor that had agreed to release Fallout pulled out, director Lawrence Johnston and producer Peter Kaufmann decided to self-distribute the documentary which celebrates the life and work of Australian novelist Nevil Shute.
That strategy entails a lot of time and effort to book cinemas but so far it.s paying off. Fallout premiered at Melbourne.s Cinema Nova on October 31 and ran for three weeks and it screened in Adelaide. The film opens on December 5 at the Dendy Newtown in Sydney and at the Arc cinemas in Canberra.
Johnston and Kaufmann are arranging four screenings at Melbourne.s Acmi in December/January and a one-off showing at the George Cinema in St Kilda on December 14. They.re discussing with exhibitors engagements in other states. International sales are being handled by Paris-based Melimedia.
The film focuses on Shute.s most famous work,...
.
When the distributor that had agreed to release Fallout pulled out, director Lawrence Johnston and producer Peter Kaufmann decided to self-distribute the documentary which celebrates the life and work of Australian novelist Nevil Shute.
That strategy entails a lot of time and effort to book cinemas but so far it.s paying off. Fallout premiered at Melbourne.s Cinema Nova on October 31 and ran for three weeks and it screened in Adelaide. The film opens on December 5 at the Dendy Newtown in Sydney and at the Arc cinemas in Canberra.
Johnston and Kaufmann are arranging four screenings at Melbourne.s Acmi in December/January and a one-off showing at the George Cinema in St Kilda on December 14. They.re discussing with exhibitors engagements in other states. International sales are being handled by Paris-based Melimedia.
The film focuses on Shute.s most famous work,...
- 12/3/2013
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
As a solo producer, Unicorn Films. Lizzette Atkins has a remarkably diverse and prolific development slate.
Atkins is preparing projects for directors Sue Brooks, Matthew Saville and Ana Kokkinos plus a slate of low-budget horror movies. While they span a variety of genres, Atkins says there is a common thread: all are director-driven.
She founded Unicorn Films last year after nine years as a partner in Circe Films, whose credits include Jon Hewitt.s steamy thriller X, Lawrence Johnston.s Night and Eddie Martin.s Lionel, a feature documentary on Aboriginal boxer Lionel Rose.
Her latest production, Anna Broinowski.s Aim High in Creation! had its world premiere on Wednesday at the Melbourne International Film Festival.
The most advanced project on her slate is Brooks. Driving Back from Dubbo, the saga of a 15-year-old girl who runs away with her best friend to see her favourite band, prompting her parents...
Atkins is preparing projects for directors Sue Brooks, Matthew Saville and Ana Kokkinos plus a slate of low-budget horror movies. While they span a variety of genres, Atkins says there is a common thread: all are director-driven.
She founded Unicorn Films last year after nine years as a partner in Circe Films, whose credits include Jon Hewitt.s steamy thriller X, Lawrence Johnston.s Night and Eddie Martin.s Lionel, a feature documentary on Aboriginal boxer Lionel Rose.
Her latest production, Anna Broinowski.s Aim High in Creation! had its world premiere on Wednesday at the Melbourne International Film Festival.
The most advanced project on her slate is Brooks. Driving Back from Dubbo, the saga of a 15-year-old girl who runs away with her best friend to see her favourite band, prompting her parents...
- 8/7/2013
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
This article first appeared in If Magazine issue #150
Producer Lizzette Atkins justifies the theatrical nature of Aim High In Creation! on several levels: the scale and scope of the ideas; its experimental style; the broad interest in the closed society of North Korea; and director Anna Broinowski.s cinematic eye.
.And Anna has proven she can sustain a story for 90 minutes,. says Atkins, referring to the bold Forbidden Lie$..
If the various threads can be woven neatly together, this intriguing project could be a pearler. Cinematic propaganda is the key theme and the film follows Broinowski as she travels to North Korea to meet with that industry.s leading lights and examine former leader Kim Jong-il.s passion for cinema and the filmmaking manifesto he published. Back in Australia, applying the advice she got on a script she took with her, Broinowski makes a short about a community overcoming gas frackers . after all,...
Producer Lizzette Atkins justifies the theatrical nature of Aim High In Creation! on several levels: the scale and scope of the ideas; its experimental style; the broad interest in the closed society of North Korea; and director Anna Broinowski.s cinematic eye.
.And Anna has proven she can sustain a story for 90 minutes,. says Atkins, referring to the bold Forbidden Lie$..
If the various threads can be woven neatly together, this intriguing project could be a pearler. Cinematic propaganda is the key theme and the film follows Broinowski as she travels to North Korea to meet with that industry.s leading lights and examine former leader Kim Jong-il.s passion for cinema and the filmmaking manifesto he published. Back in Australia, applying the advice she got on a script she took with her, Broinowski makes a short about a community overcoming gas frackers . after all,...
- 3/14/2013
- by Sandy George
- IF.com.au
Screen Australia says it has not mismanaged its finances by spending its annual production funding in just six months - a state of affairs which it says reflects the strength of the local film industry.
The government screen agency revealed in mid-December 2012 that it had spent its entire annual $42 million drama production allocation due to the unprecedented number of quality feature film and television projects seeking support. The shock announcement was reminiscent of the agency's abrupt decision to cut its investment cap in 2009 while several films were mid-financed. That decision.threw several major Australian productions into dissaray including The Tree and the biggest box office hit of.2010, Tomorrow When the War Began (Omnilab Media had to increase its investment at the last minute to ensure production).
Overspending on such a scale has never occurred before, even going back to the era of Screen Australia.s predecessor funding arm, the Film Finance Corporation.
The government screen agency revealed in mid-December 2012 that it had spent its entire annual $42 million drama production allocation due to the unprecedented number of quality feature film and television projects seeking support. The shock announcement was reminiscent of the agency's abrupt decision to cut its investment cap in 2009 while several films were mid-financed. That decision.threw several major Australian productions into dissaray including The Tree and the biggest box office hit of.2010, Tomorrow When the War Began (Omnilab Media had to increase its investment at the last minute to ensure production).
Overspending on such a scale has never occurred before, even going back to the era of Screen Australia.s predecessor funding arm, the Film Finance Corporation.
- 2/6/2013
- by Brendan Swift
- IF.com.au
An Australian feature documentary has found a Us theatrical release five years after being released in Australian cinemas.
Lawrence Johnston’s Night will be distributed through Moustrap Films as part of the distributor’s Film Festival Flix campaign.
Producer Lizzette Atkins told Mumbrella: “Mousetrap was looking for films that they could take to an audience as an event screening. Lawrence is going over and he’ll be doing a Q&A after the screenings. It’s a great way of rolling out a niche product to the audience.”
When released in 2008, the film – about nighttime – struggled to attract an audience. Atkins said: “It was modest – kind of disappointing. I’d say it opened across 12-16 screens. Dendy did an extraordinary job on publicity but it didn’t connect with audiences.”
The Us deal was struck by Odin’s Eye Entertainment’s Michael Favelle.
It will be released across 25 theatres in...
Lawrence Johnston’s Night will be distributed through Moustrap Films as part of the distributor’s Film Festival Flix campaign.
Producer Lizzette Atkins told Mumbrella: “Mousetrap was looking for films that they could take to an audience as an event screening. Lawrence is going over and he’ll be doing a Q&A after the screenings. It’s a great way of rolling out a niche product to the audience.”
When released in 2008, the film – about nighttime – struggled to attract an audience. Atkins said: “It was modest – kind of disappointing. I’d say it opened across 12-16 screens. Dendy did an extraordinary job on publicity but it didn’t connect with audiences.”
The Us deal was struck by Odin’s Eye Entertainment’s Michael Favelle.
It will be released across 25 theatres in...
- 2/6/2013
- by Colin Delaney
- Encore Magazine
Don Groves is a Deadline contributor based in Sydney Hugo Weaving and Don Hany will star in Healing, an Australian drama about a sympathetic prison warden and his efforts to rehabilitate an Iranian-born prisoner, one of four features agency Screen Australia agreed to co-finance at its board meeting today. The other films that secured Screen Australia investment are Aim High in Creation, a hybrid documentary-drama celebrating “the cinematic genius” of the late North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il, from writer/director Anna Broinowski and producer Lizzette Atkins; and the previously announced The Rover, a futuristic Western from Animal Kingdom writer/director David Michôd, starring Robert Pattinson and Guy Pearce; and Felony, which will star Joel Edgerton as a decorated cop who knocks down a young cyclist while driving home after celebrating a drug bust, scripted by Edgerton and directed by Mathew Saville. Healing will be directed by Craig Monahan, who co-scripted with Alison Nisselle.
- 7/26/2012
- by THE DEADLINE TEAM
- Deadline TV
David Michod
David Michod’s new film has received funding from Screen Australia, as part of almost $20m of investment from the screen agency.
The investment is expected to trigger $100m worth of production across four feature films, five TV dramas and three children’s dramas.
The Rover is written and directed by Michod, with a story by Michod and Joel Edgerton.
The film has cast Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson in the lead roles.
Michod will also produce the film alongside his Animal Kingdom producing partner Liz Watts for Porchlight Films and David Linde, Ep on Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon for his Lava Bear Films.
The film will be distributed by Village Roadshow with international sales by FilmNation.
The Rover, set in the Australian desert in the dangerous near-future sees Eric, a man who has lost almost everything in life, have his car stolen by a gang of criminals.
David Michod’s new film has received funding from Screen Australia, as part of almost $20m of investment from the screen agency.
The investment is expected to trigger $100m worth of production across four feature films, five TV dramas and three children’s dramas.
The Rover is written and directed by Michod, with a story by Michod and Joel Edgerton.
The film has cast Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson in the lead roles.
Michod will also produce the film alongside his Animal Kingdom producing partner Liz Watts for Porchlight Films and David Linde, Ep on Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon for his Lava Bear Films.
The film will be distributed by Village Roadshow with international sales by FilmNation.
The Rover, set in the Australian desert in the dangerous near-future sees Eric, a man who has lost almost everything in life, have his car stolen by a gang of criminals.
- 7/26/2012
- by Colin Delaney
- Encore Magazine
Screen Australia will invest almost $20 million across 12 screen projects including futuristic Western The Rover, starring Robert Pattinson and Guy Pearce.
The film is the latest collaboration between producer Liz Watts and writer-director David Michôd, following the success of their crime-thriller Animal Kingdom in 2010. FilmNation Entertainment acquired the majority of worldwide rights to The Rover at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year while Village Roadshow will distribute the film in Australia.
Screen Australia has also backed three other feature films: drama Felony, written by Joel Edgerton and directed by Matthew Saville (Noise); Healing, a redemptive prison drama starring Don Hany (East West 101) and Hugo Weaving; and Aim High in Creation, a hybrid documentary-drama about the late Kim Jong-il from writer/director Anna Broinowski (Forbidden Lie$).
Screen Australia chief executive Ruth Harley said the four Australian features have huge potential. "The Rover is a powerful, well-crafted script from a talented team with an impressive cast,...
The film is the latest collaboration between producer Liz Watts and writer-director David Michôd, following the success of their crime-thriller Animal Kingdom in 2010. FilmNation Entertainment acquired the majority of worldwide rights to The Rover at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year while Village Roadshow will distribute the film in Australia.
Screen Australia has also backed three other feature films: drama Felony, written by Joel Edgerton and directed by Matthew Saville (Noise); Healing, a redemptive prison drama starring Don Hany (East West 101) and Hugo Weaving; and Aim High in Creation, a hybrid documentary-drama about the late Kim Jong-il from writer/director Anna Broinowski (Forbidden Lie$).
Screen Australia chief executive Ruth Harley said the four Australian features have huge potential. "The Rover is a powerful, well-crafted script from a talented team with an impressive cast,...
- 7/25/2012
- by Brendan Swift
- IF.com.au
At the end of last year we reported that the Fantasia Film Festival is gearing up to become the next hot spot to acquire unproduced projects being sold as part of its film market - the Frontières International Co-Production Market. And now we have additional details.
From the Press Release
Montreal’s Fantasia International Film Festival, widely acclaimed as one of the largest and most influential genre film festivals in the world, is embarking on its 16th edition with a major new industry-driven venture: the Frontières International Co-Production Market. Frontières is the first international co-production market to connect North American with Europe and Australasia in an environment focused specifically on genre film production.
The projects to be presented in the market have now been chosen and feature an exciting array of filmmakers, from gifted newcomers to world-renowned maestros, as well as numerous established international producers.
Blood Borne (Australia) Director / Writer:...
From the Press Release
Montreal’s Fantasia International Film Festival, widely acclaimed as one of the largest and most influential genre film festivals in the world, is embarking on its 16th edition with a major new industry-driven venture: the Frontières International Co-Production Market. Frontières is the first international co-production market to connect North American with Europe and Australasia in an environment focused specifically on genre film production.
The projects to be presented in the market have now been chosen and feature an exciting array of filmmakers, from gifted newcomers to world-renowned maestros, as well as numerous established international producers.
Blood Borne (Australia) Director / Writer:...
- 5/7/2012
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Australian feature film X will get a local cinematic release later this year.
Director Jon Hewitt told Encore, despite the film being finished for over a year the plan was always to give X the time to release internationally first.
The film will be distributed by Potential Films, beginning with November 24 in Melbourne and Adelaide before opening in Sydney December 1.
Hewitt, whose other films include Acolytes and Bloodlust, told Encore: “We always had distribution, but it was a matter of when it would get a release.”
“It’s tougher than it’s ever been to get a non-Hollywood or tentpole film out there, be it tentpole commercial or tentpole art house. X is a film that needs a careful and nurtured release. The one thing I wanted to do was release it internationally first. The fact it recently got to 14 on IMDBs movie metre (a week by week hottest search...
Director Jon Hewitt told Encore, despite the film being finished for over a year the plan was always to give X the time to release internationally first.
The film will be distributed by Potential Films, beginning with November 24 in Melbourne and Adelaide before opening in Sydney December 1.
Hewitt, whose other films include Acolytes and Bloodlust, told Encore: “We always had distribution, but it was a matter of when it would get a release.”
“It’s tougher than it’s ever been to get a non-Hollywood or tentpole film out there, be it tentpole commercial or tentpole art house. X is a film that needs a careful and nurtured release. The one thing I wanted to do was release it internationally first. The fact it recently got to 14 on IMDBs movie metre (a week by week hottest search...
- 10/28/2011
- by Colin Delaney
- Encore Magazine
Jon Hewitt’s erotic thriller X has been acquired by Senator (Germany), Revolver (UK) and Mongrel (Canada) for distribution in their territories.
Sales agent Celluloid Nightmares pre-sold these territories at the American Film Market, and expects to make further announcements soon.
Produced by Lizzette Atkins, X stars Viva Bianca and Hanna Mangan-Lawrence as a high class escort and a teenage runaway respectively, who are thrown together on a job that goes horribly wrong. They find themselves on an out-of-control roller-coaster ride through the seedy clubs, strip joints and back alleys of the red-light district. If they can get through the night, they might just have a chance at a fresh start.
The November 2010 issue of Encore includes a set visit for this film, and interviews with Hewitt and Atkins.
X was shot in Sydney, with finance from Screen Australia, Film Victoria and private investment, and will be released next year.
Sales agent Celluloid Nightmares pre-sold these territories at the American Film Market, and expects to make further announcements soon.
Produced by Lizzette Atkins, X stars Viva Bianca and Hanna Mangan-Lawrence as a high class escort and a teenage runaway respectively, who are thrown together on a job that goes horribly wrong. They find themselves on an out-of-control roller-coaster ride through the seedy clubs, strip joints and back alleys of the red-light district. If they can get through the night, they might just have a chance at a fresh start.
The November 2010 issue of Encore includes a set visit for this film, and interviews with Hewitt and Atkins.
X was shot in Sydney, with finance from Screen Australia, Film Victoria and private investment, and will be released next year.
- 11/10/2010
- by Miguel Gonzalez
- Encore Magazine
Six teams have been accepted into Screen Australia’s Springboard short development initiative, with the projects Please Explain, Bon Scott, The Last Hurrah, Scratch the Surface, Cat Night Morning and Dieback.
The teams will participate in two workshops to develop their short and revisit their feature script. Three projects will go into production, with a budget of up to $150,000.
Springboard will be run by screenwriting teachers and script consultants Simon van der Borgh and Jonathan Rawlinson.
The six teams are:
Leanne Tonkes (p), Steve Kearney (p), Anna Broinowski (w/d) with political satire Please Explain Lizzette Atkins (p), Sophie Edelstein (w), Eddie Martin (d) with biopic Bon Scott Sheila Jayadev (p), Matthew Zeremes (w), Oliver Torr (w), Martha Goddard (d) with drama The Last Hurrah Jannine Barnes (p), Grant Scicluna (w/d) with psychological thriller Scratch the Surface · Annmaree Bell (p), Cj Johnson (w/d) with caper Cat Night Morning...
The teams will participate in two workshops to develop their short and revisit their feature script. Three projects will go into production, with a budget of up to $150,000.
Springboard will be run by screenwriting teachers and script consultants Simon van der Borgh and Jonathan Rawlinson.
The six teams are:
Leanne Tonkes (p), Steve Kearney (p), Anna Broinowski (w/d) with political satire Please Explain Lizzette Atkins (p), Sophie Edelstein (w), Eddie Martin (d) with biopic Bon Scott Sheila Jayadev (p), Matthew Zeremes (w), Oliver Torr (w), Martha Goddard (d) with drama The Last Hurrah Jannine Barnes (p), Grant Scicluna (w/d) with psychological thriller Scratch the Surface · Annmaree Bell (p), Cj Johnson (w/d) with caper Cat Night Morning...
- 11/4/2010
- by Miguel Gonzalez
- Encore Magazine
SYDNEY -- The federal government's Film Finance Corp. is following a worldwide trend by financing a feature-length documentary, Night, aimed for a theatrical release. Two additional fictional features, two children's television series and eight documentaries also were approved for funding at the FFC's October board meeting Friday. The FFC describes Night as "a visually lush feature-length documentary, which will explore the universal nature of night and how we experience it." Writer-director Lawrence Johnston created the award-winning documentary Eternity and feature film Life. Johnston is producing with Lizzette Atkins, with sales and distribution going through SBS Independent. Night has been selected by the FFC through its evaluation process. Films chosen through evaluation receive a letter of intent containing the terms and conditions of proposed FFC funding. The FFC board makes a formal commitment to fund evaluation projects only when the producers have satisfied the terms and conditions set out in the letter.
- 10/31/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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