Press Release from ScreenWest
A feature film script set in an apocalyptic world has been selected to receive $750,000 in production funding through a special ScreenWest initiative for emerging filmmakers. The project titled These Final Hours from writer/director Zak Hilditch and producer Liz Kearney faced a highly competitive process for the much sought after West Coast Visions grant.
Culture and the Arts Minister John Day said ScreenWest's West Coast Visions initiative was designed to uncover, inspire and develop up and coming filmmakers.
"West Coast Visions creates a pathway for WA creative teams by providing significant funding towards a low-budget feature film," Mr Day said.
"I congratulate producer Liz Kearney and writer/director Zak Hilditch on being selected for West Coast Visions 2011 with their project These Final Hours.'
"'The film is an apocalyptic thriller that follows James, who while making his way to the party to end all parties on the last day on Earth, ends up saving the life of a little girl searching for her father, who ultimately leads him on the path to redemption."
The assessment panel for West Coast Visions noted that These Final Hours is a ‘well-developed and crafted script; that it's a real page turner that has a unique take on the apocalyptic world'.
Zak won the Young Filmmaker of the Year at the 2006 WA Screen Awards. He has made three independently-funded feature films, The Actress, Plum Role and The Toll which premiered at the CinéfestOZ Film Festival.
Liz has worked in a variety of production roles on local TV series and feature films including Cloudstreet , The Circuit, Needle, Wasted on the Young and Bran Nue Dae. She and Zak recently completed shooting the short film Transmission which was funded through Screen Australia's Springboard initiative and will be delivered in July 2011.
The creative team also includes Robert Connolly (Balibo, Romulus My Father, The Boys) as executive producer and mentor. The project aims to begin filming in 2012, subject to further development and full financing.
Films made through West Coast Visions include Blame , Wasted on the Young, Stone Bros and Last Train to Freo. Blame will be released in cinemas in Perth on June 16.