Animated feature Being Betty Flood has attracted a voice cast that includes Irish actress Evanna Lynch, best known for portraying Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter franchise, Miranda Otto and Richard Roxburgh.
First announced at Cannes Marché du film in May, the feature is based on the 13-book series The Floods by Australian author Colin Thompson – adapted for screen by Harry Cripps and Cleon Prineas.
Producing are the Sydney-based POP Family Entertainment with Germany’s Studio 100 Film and Ireland’s Telegael, with Mark Gravas directing.
Targeted at 8 to 14-year-olds and set for delivery in spring next year, the film centres on Betty, a headstrong, smart 12-year-old girl torn between her over-protective mother and her desire to prove her magical and musical abilities. As she navigates the challenges of growing up and finding her place in the world, her relationships with her family and friends echo the experiences of young girls all over the world in this universal movie full of magic and mayhem.
Lynch will play the titular character of Betty, while Otto is Aneska Flood and Roxburgh Murkhart.
Also joining the cast are Charlotte Friels as Misha, Ed Byrne as Winchflat, Ardal O’Hanlon as Nerlin, Neil Delamere as Staniel, Semisi Cheekham as Nat, Erin Choy as Abi, and Sarah Aubrey, who voices various characters.
Gerry Travers produces for POP with Cathy Ní Fhlaithearta for Telegael, with executive producers Carmel Travers, Paul Cummins, Cholmondeley Darvall and Gerry Travers.
Heads of department include composer Jason Fernandez, editor Scott Henry and production designer Abeth Dela Cruz.
The film is an official co-production between Australia and Ireland, meaning it can be marketed with full European status. Studio 100 Film is handling worldwide distribution, with sales already made to NOS Lusomondo (Portugal), Notorious (Italy), ADS (Hungary) FilmHouse (Israel), and Myndform (Iceland), with more sales to be announced at AFM.
“We are absolutely thrilled by this outstanding cast line-up which will take this project into new spheres. All actors are a true match to the characters they are voicing,” said Studio 100 Media’s director of business operations Thorsten Wegener.
“We are sure that this makes this film even more attractive to international buyers.”