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Strongest Australian film line-up in almost two decades

Press Release

Four Australian features have been selected to screen at the 70th Venice Film Festival (La Biennale di Venezia). Tracks, Wolf Creek 2, Ruin and Ukraine is Not a Brothel will all have their world premiere at the festival.

Screen Australia’s Head of Marketing Kathleen Drumm said, "This year’s Venice selection represents the biggest for Australia in 18 years and marks a growing relationship between our country and the world's oldest film festival. We are thrilled to have such a diverse, strong group of Australian films showcased in Venice."

John Curran’s Tracks will screen in competition. Mia Wasikowska stars in the inspirational true story of Robyn Davidson, who in 1977 set out on a solo 2,700km journey on foot from the harsh centre of Australia to the Indian Ocean. This epic modern adventure is written by Marion Nelson, produced by Emile Sherman and Iain Canning, and co-produced by Antonia Barnard and Julie Ryan. The film will go on to screen at the Toronto International Film Festival later in September and will open the Adelaide Film Festival in October.

Wolf Creek 2, written, directed and produced by Greg McLean, will terrorise the Lido when it screens as part of the Midnight Program. The horror thriller sequel is co-produced by Helen Leake and Steve Topic and co-written by Aaron Sterns. John Jarratt reprises his role as crazed serial killer Mick Taylor, alongside Ryan Corr, Shannon Ashlyn and Phillipe Klaus.

Producers/writers/directors Amiel Courtin-Wilson and Michael Cody’s new feature Ruin, a low-budget drama set in Cambodia, will screen in Orizzonti, a competition section dedicated to new distinctive films from international rising talents. This will be the second time the team heads to Venice, as their feature Hail screened in Venice’s Orizzonti in 2011.

Ukraine is Not A Brothel, directed and produced by Kitty Green, will screen Out of Competition. The feature documentary, co-produced by Jonathan auf der Heide and Michael Latham, offers an intimate look into the lives of Ukraine’s topless feminist sensation Femen, a movement against patriarchy that has taken the European media by storm.

The Venice Film Festival will take place 28 August – 7 September 2013.