By Philippa Maclachlan
An all-star cast including TV comedian Peter Helliar will start shooting the new Australian romantic comedy I Love You Too next week in Melbourne.
The film, which received production funding approval from Screen Australia last December, will be directed by Daina Reid (City Homicide) and produced by Laura Waters and Yael Bergman (Summer Heights High). Helliar, who also wrote the screenplay, said making the jump from TV to features had been his ultimate goal.
“This is really what I want to do. It’s really pure. With other stuff like writing for weekly TV, it feels a bit like a production line,” he said. “We’ve had time to cultivate it and really get it right.”
I Love You Too has an estimated budget of about $5 million. Helliar conceived the film almost 10 years ago and pitched it to Waters when they worked on the pilot for Rove.
The cast includes award-winning actor Brendan Cowell (Love My Way, Noise) as Jim, a commitment-phobic who tries to win back the woman he loves, with Helliar as his best mate, Blake.
They are joined by Yvonne Strahovski, the Australian star of the hit US drama series Chuck, American actor Peter Dinklage (The Station Agent, Elf), former McLeod’s Daughters star Bridie Carter, Travis McMahon (Kokoda, Good Guys Bad Guys) and Steve Bisley (Water Rats, Sea Patrol).
Helliar said the film blended romantic comedy with deeper sentiments. “I think it’s going to surprise people. We wouldn’t have got the cast we got if it was just a silly comedy,” he said.