Wayne.
Feature documentary Wayne, which follows the life story of former world motorcycle champion Wayne Gardner, has begun production.
The doco is helmed by Last Cab to Darwin’s Jeremy Sims, who wrote the screen treatment alongside producer Matthew Metcalfe (Dead Lands) of the General Film Corporation.
“I love the feature doc format, and I am excited to be bringing the thrilling and complex story of Wayne Gardner’s incredible journey to cinema goers,” said Sims.
“It is a tale of speed, danger, love, adversity, dogged willpower and, eventually, triumph, all set in the heady days of Australia’s ‘coming of age’ in the late 80s. I was there, and I’m aiming to take our audience there too.”
Metcalfe said he knew Sims was the man for the job after watching Last Cab to Darwin at TIFF in 2015.
“I knew that Jeremy was the best person to approach to tell this story. His understanding of myth and drama showed me that he could bring this action and passion-filled story to light.”
Metcalfe will once again team with Fraser Brown of NZ’s FB Pictures to produce, having recently worked together on Roger Donaldson’s McLaren, due for release later this year.
Brown said: “It’s not motorcycles that got me excited about telling this story on the big screen, it’s the character of Wayne Gardner. I’m certain audiences from all walks of life, whether they ride or not, will be as captivated by Wayne’s fascinating journey from Wollongong kid to Australian hero as I was.”
Wayne has received investment from Screen Australia, as well as the New Zealand Film Commission in association with Henla Investments and White Comet Films.
Transmission Films will distribute the film across Australasia, with Paris-based Upside Distribution handling worldwide sales.