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Damian Walshe-Howling hosts fundraising event for Suspended

Press release from Free Publicity

On 13th December 2011, Damian Walshe-Howling & Chaotic Pictures will host their final fund-raising event at The Alexandria Hotel for the short film SUSPENDED.

Now in the final stages of production, SUSPENDED is an Australian production written and directed by Damian Walshe-Howling (Underbelly). It follows the ‘magical awakening’ of seven year old Caleb who, confronted with his parents’ tempestuous and deteriorating relationship is driven further into his imagination where the impossible becomes possible. Suspended stars Ewen Leslie (Sleeping Beauty), Leeanna Walsman (One Perfect Day), Damon Gamea (Balibo) and Clare Bowen (The Combination) and introduces newcomer Finn Mcleod Ireland as Caleb.

SUSPENDED is 25% funded by public donations. The producers have partnered with website Pozible (www.pozible.com.au) to collect contributions from members of the public and now Chaotic Pictures host a final fundraising event that includes a night of comedy (featuring Matt Okine & Steen Rasopoulos) and music (featuring Nicky Kurta and DJ Avra Cybele) with the goal of raising a further $20,000 to put towards Editing, Visual Effects, Sound Design, Music, Colour Grading and Mastering.

Damian Walshe-Howling says: "Sprouting from a magical childhood memory, SUSPENDED, has taken on a life of its own. Some of Australia's most accomplished actors and crew have collaborated to bring this story to the screen. The journey now, with the generous support of the Australian public, is to bring the many elements together through post production so that we can share SUSPENDED with festival audiences here and overseas."

Suspended has already been put forward for the Berlin, SXSW and Cannes Critics’ Week Film Festivals and Chaotic hopes to take the movie on to the Sundance, London, Edinburgh, Clermont-Ferand, Venice, Tribeca, Sydney and Melbourne festivals in the new year.

The fund raising event will be open to all members of the general public (the films future audience) at a $25 admission charge ($15 Student Concession). For those wishing to contribute to the project but unable to attend the event on the 13th, it is still possible to make a donation at www.pozible.com.au. What’s more, contributors can keep up to date with the progress of the film via the Suspended-The-Movie Facebook page and follow the film’s life after completion in early 2012.

EVENT DETAILS…
DATE: Tuesday 13th December
TIME: 7:00pm – 12:00am
LOCATION: The Alexandria Hotel, 35 Henderson Road, Alexandria.
TICKETS: Tickets can be purchased at the door on the night – $25 or $15 for Students
PERFORMANCES: The night will be hosting by stand up comedian Matt Okine (CAN OF WORMS) and feature performances by Nicky Kurta (singer/songwriter), Steen Rasopoulos (Sketch Comedy Act) & DJ Avra Cybele.
RSVP: Please e-mail suspended@chaoticpictures.com OR via the specially created Facebook page The SUSPENDED… Fundraiser! by 10th December, 2011.
RESTRICTIONS: Event is 18 years of age and reservations are essential as numbers are limited.
TEASER TRAILER: www.pozible.com.au – SUSPENDED

ABOUT SUSPENDED…
Confronted by the stark reality that his father is in an intimate relationship with another woman, seven-year-old Caleb grapples with his sense of belonging and begins to inhabit a realm of frightening magical possibility. The cracks in his parents relationship, coupled with their drug use and inability to communicate drive Caleb further into his imagination. It is not until he meets Eddie, a blind man with a sense of mischief and a subtle inner knowing, that Caleb begins to open up and explore his own innate potential for magic, which leads ultimately, to a fulfillment of the impossible…

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS –

DAMIAN WALSHE-HOWLING, WRITER / DIRECTOR One of Australia’s most accomplished actors, Damian Walshe-Howling has an impressive list of film, television & theatre credits. Damian most recently gained critical notoriety with his performance in UNDERBELLY, Australia’s highest-ever rating television program. His personification of Melbourne’s most loved murderer, Andrew Benji Veniamin, which led to Damian winning an AFI Award in 2008 for Best Supporting Actor in a Television Drama. Damian is the host of FLICKERFEST ON EXTRA and the Nine Network’s upcoming program CUSTOMS.

SUSPENDED is Damian’s second film in the director’s chair, his short film THE BLOODY SWEET HIT, starred Sullivan Stapleton and Oliver Ackland, was mentored by Fred Schepisi and screened at festivals around the world, including Flickerfest, St Kilda Film Festival, Outback Shorts, Shorts Film Festival Adelaide, London’s SOHO Rushes, Miami Film Festival and was acquired by MTV Italy and Movie Network Australia. Damian is developing several feature scripts and works as a script editor, collaborating with writers on projects in development. He recently worked at Fred Schepisi’s director’s attachment on the upcoming film, EYE OF THE STORM.

LISA SHAUNESSY, PRODUCER (Former executive at Hugh Jackman’s Seed Productions and producer of award-winning short films, Boundless, The Clearing, Jameson’s Competition Winners, Roman’s Ark, Seamstress and Everything is Super)

NASH EDGERTON, EDITOR (Director of The Square, producer of The Magician, editor and director of Sundance and Cannes favourites, short films Fuel, Spider and Bear)

DENSON BAKER ACS, DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY (multi-AFI, IF and ACS award winning director of photography on Oranges and Sunshine, The Waiting City and The Black Balloon)