Press release from Freshwater Pictures
The Australian comedy-drama feature film, Subdivision, has had an enthusiastic response at its initial screening in Cannes to a packed cinema of several hundred French cinephiles, at the first of four screenings at Cannes this festival.
Subdivision, a David and Goliath Story is creating its own hero story in Australian cinema history. Its selection in the Cannes Cinephiles program,
Cinema des Antipodes, at Cannes Film Festival, has resulted in a re-release of the movie in select Australian cinemas from August 20th — a year to the day after its initial release by Walt Disney Studios last year.
The film rolls out first in Western Australia in a Movie Masters exclusive in Perth and WA regional cinemas, and in Adelaide for the Wallis Cinema group.
Producer Trish Lake, from Brisbane based production company Freshwater Pictures, says recent selections by the St Tropez Film Festival and Cannes
Cinema des Antipodes, have re-ignited Subdivision's fortunes and the filmmakers, headed by legendary SUE BROOKS whose previous film JAPANESE STORY was in official competition at Cannes, couldn't be happier about it.
As well the National Film and Sound Archive has begun special screenings of the film in regional centres around Australia and audience responses have been very positive.
Subdivision, starring Gary Sweet and Brooke Satchwell, was written by Ashley Bradman, who also stars in the film.
The cast reads like a who's who of Australian actors. As well as Gary Sweet there are veterans Steve Bisley (Frontline), Bruce Spence (Mad Max, Stork), Kris McQuade (Better Than Sex, Mullet), Denise Roberts (GP) and young rising stars including James Stewart ( Packed to the Rafters), Katherine Beck( East of Everything) and Aaron Fa'aaso (East West 101).
The film's producer Trish Lake and director Sue Brooks are in Cannes to support the film which is screening with French subtitles and is aimed at French speaking cinemagoers in Cannes, as well as international audiences.
Trish Lake: "It's amazing how French audiences are responding to the film. I sat with the French audiences at the first screening and they were laughing at all the right places, and deeply engaged with the emotional story that unfolds.
“At the end of the screening, the entire audience applauded. It's often difficult to please French local audiences who see the cream of the world's offerings at Cannes.
I must admit when I heard the film was first playing mid-morning I was disappointed with the time-slot. But Sue and I were amazed to find a packed cinema when we arrived for the first screening in Cannes at 10am this morning.
"Though the audience was mainly Cannes locals, the response was so good we decided to have a market screening when there was a cancellation to play the film to distributors on Tuesday afternoon at Rivera 4 Cinema, which is in the prestigious Palais Festival complex.
“We also have two more Cannes Cinephiles screenings in Cannes early next week. "The challenge now is to let distributors, critics and media know that there is a film by a former Cannes Competition contender, Sue Brooks, screening at the Cannes Market on Tuesday.
"There are so many films for distributors to choose from; literally dozens of market screenings at anytime throughout the day and evening.
“I feel as though I should get a loud hailer and stand on the Croisette to tell everyone about Subdivision. Instead we're hitting social networks and the internet with news that it is playing.
Subdivision is a comedy-drama which has some of the funniest laugh-out-loud scenes seen in an Australian film on the big screen in recent years.
It also explores deep themes about family, loyalty and change when the characters, who work in the building trade in a coastal Queensland town, are hit
by the Global Financial Crisis. It's been compared to Local Hero and the Aussie classic, They're a Weird Mob.
As Trish Lake says, "We're telling people it is a simple film with a complex story about love, laughter, and dysfunctional men who can't talk to each other."