Further details have emerged of the Nicolas Cage-led production that has been shooting in WA, with The Surfer confirmed to be an Irish/Australian co-production that will premiere as a Stan Original, as well as in cinemas nationally.
The Oscar winner, known for his recent work in Renfield and The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, stars as a man who returns to Australia to buy back his family home after many years in the US only to be humiliated in front of his teenage son by a group of local surfers who claim ownership over the secluded beach of his childhood.
Wounded, he defies them and remains at the beach, demanding acceptance. As the conflict escalates he is brought right to the edge of his sanity and his entire identity is thrown into question.
Filming has now wrapped on the psychological thriller, which is directed by Lorcan Finnegan and written by Thomas Martin.
Cage was joined by a bumper Australian cast for the 10-week Yallingup shoot, including Julian McMahon, Nicholas Cassim, Miranda Tapsell, Alexander Bertrand, Justin Rosniak, Rahel Romahn, Finn Little and Charlotte Maggi.
The Surfer is being produced by Tea Shop Productions, Arenamedia, Lovely Productions, and Gramercy Park Media with support from Screenwest through the WA Production Attraction Incentive. Post-production on the film will take place in Ireland.
Producer Robert Connolly, who headed up the Australian production contingent with fellow producer James Grandison and executive producer Robert Pattison, said an “amazing confluence of events” had led to Arenamedia’s first co-production.
“To make an Australian film with local heads of department and an Australian cast except Cage is pretty interesting,” he said.
“It’s where cinema is at; there’s different permutations of how films can be made, which I love.”
He added that Cage boarded the project after being impressed by Martin’s script.
“He’s ultimately script-driven and filmmaker-driven and he loved Lorcan’s films and the script,” he said.
“When you see him in the role, you can’t imagine anyone else in the role but you never can know how an actor is going to respond to a script until they read it. He’s been doing these really interesting, independent features in recent years like Mandy, Pig, and Dream Scenario, so I think he’s enjoying seeking out these kinds of roles.”
CinemaPlus will be releasing the film theatrically in Australia, while Mossbank is handling international sales. A release date for the film is yet to be confirmed.