A live-action adaptation of the classic Australian children’s book Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge, featuring Benita Collings and Bruce Spence, will premiere on the ABC this Sunday as part of Book Week.
Written by Mem Fox and illustrated by Julie Vivas, the 1984 book centres on a young boy that lives next door to a nursing home. When he finds out that his special friend, Nancy Alison Delacourt Cooper is losing her memory he sets out to find what a memory is.
The short film adaptation stars Mark Haroutonian as the six-year-old titular character and Collings as the 96-year-old Nancy.
It was produced at AFTRS by a creative team comprising producer Caleb Irwin, a 2022 Masters of Arts Screen (MAS) graduate, director Hattie Archibald (MAS 2018), DOP Pete Moses (MAS 2022), production and costume designer Roberto Manzini (MAS 2022), and casting director Danny Long.
The 15-minute film had its World Premiere at the Chicago International Children’s Film Festival in November 2023 and Australian Premiere at Flickerfest in January this year before touring with the 2024 Flickerfest National Tour.
Archibald said each head of department had a special connection with the book, which showed through in the project.
“It was already a dream working with such treasured source material, but then we were able to cast Benita, and with Danny Long’s help, find young Mark Haroutonian,” she said.
“We couldn’t imagine a more perfect, natural Wilfrid. Mark had never acted before and we can’t wait for audiences to become completely enamoured with him and the stunning performance he gave.”
Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge will air at 5.05pm on Sunday, August 18 on ABC Kids with a repeat broadcast on Friday, August 23 at 9:30am on ABC Entertains.