A range of digital, documentary, and feature productions are among the beneficiaries of a new funding round from Film Victoria, which will see $3.9 million go towards 12 productions.
The projects are expected to inject $39.8 million into the Victorian economy and generate 1,749 job opportunities.
Among the projects announced are documentaries such as Danny Ben-Moshe’s Revenge: My Dad The Nazi Killer; Lachlan Mcleod’s After Trauma, and Duy Huynh’s How To Thrive, and previously announced features such as Paul Goldman’s Kid Snow, Alena Lodkina’s Petrol, and Adam Elliot’s Memoir of a Snail.
The investment extends to the third season of Lilydale Films’ popular LGBTIQA+ YouTube series Flunk, which is currently filming in Melbourne.
Flunk follows 16-year-old Ingrid, as she starts to explore her sexuality while dealing with the pressures of a country high school and conservative Chinese-Australian family.
The series has amassed 50 million views and 200,000 subscribers since its release in 2018.
Producer Melanie Rowland says she and writer and director Ric Forster had felt there was a gap in the market for a youth series that focused on underrepresented and marginalised teens.
“Australian LGBT youth are turning to online platforms to find content which speaks to them,” she said.
“Given the huge reach, YouTube was the best platform to launch Flunk.
“The show isn’t glossy, it’s a gritty exploration of the struggles young queer people face.”
Film Victoria’s investment in Flunk follows the recent success of Scattered, a Film Victoria-supported narrative web series for TikTok which has gained more than 47,000 followers since its launch in mid-May.
Film Victoria CEO Caroline Pitcher said the agency was pleased to able to draw attention to LGBTIQ+ stories during Pride Month.
“Pride Month celebrates our LGBTIQ+ community and brings to the forefront the importance of investing in narratives that encourage inclusiveness and celebrate individuality all year round,” she said.
“Screen stories can be incredibly powerful and it’s a testament to our local creators that our home-grown content is resonating with young people across the globe.
Series 3 of Flunk is currently filming in Melbourne and will premiere on YouTube in late 2021.