Animated space comedy Lesbian Space Princess has joined sci-fi thriller Monolith in being greenlit for production after being developed through South Australia’s Film Lab: New Voices initiative.
Written by Emma Hough Hobbs, Leela Varghese, and produced by Tom Phillips, the story follows an anxious space princess who is thrust out of her sheltered life and into a galactic quest to save her bounty hunter ex-girlfriend from the Straight White Maliens. Along the way, a problematic spaceship and a runaway gay-pop idol join her hazardous encounters with blade-wielding maniacs, dangerous dick turrets, and the scariest thing of all: her own self-doubt.
Production is set to commence next month on the feature film, which will premiere at next year’s Adelaide Film Festival (AFF).
It comes after Hobbs, Varghese, and Phillips were selected as one of three teams to undergo a year’s worth of skills development and mentoring last March as part of the lab, after which each team can apply for $600,000 in screen production grant funding for their low-budget scripts.
The trio described the program – delivered by the South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC), AFF, and Screen Australia – as a “career-changing moment”.
“We are so grateful for the mentorship we received throughout development that inspired, guided and pushed us to deliver a script we are all very proud of,” they said.
“It’s amazing to be given this support for our film that will put queer and culturally diverse voices to the front both on and off-screen. We can’t wait to share Lesbian Space Princess with audiences next October.”
Last February, writer Lucy Campbell, director Matt Vesely, and producer Bettina Hamilton became the first team from the lab to head into production with their project Monolith, a film that follows a headstrong journalist whose clickbaiting investigative podcast uncovers a strange artifact, an alien conspiracy, and the lies at the heart of her own story.
Shot across three weeks in the Adelaide Hills, Monolith premiered at last year’s AFF and was selected for the Midnighters section at this year’s SXSW, while securing a North American release via XYZ to go with Australian distribution through Bonsai.
The two remaining Film Lab: New Voices teams have each been awarded a $20,000 grant to further develop their scripts ready for pitching to the market. The projects are For the Record from writer/director Alies Sluiter and producer William Littleton; and The Forgotten from writer Travis Akbar, director Thibul Nettle, and producer Joshua Trevorrow.
SAFC CEO Kate Croser paid tribute to all the teams that had made it to the final stages of the initiative, which she said was “just one of the ways in which the SAFC is working to grow the capability and diversity of the South Australian screen sector”.
“After the incredible international success of Monolith, we are delighted to see the bold and original animated comedy Lesbian Space Princess go into production as the second feature film out of the Film Lab: New Voices program,” she said.
“I congratulate South Australian writers and directors, Emma Hough Hobbs and Leela Varghese, and producer Tom Phillips on their truly clever and authentic concept, which we are thrilled to support for production. I also congratulate the talented Film Lab: New Voices teams of writer/director Alies Sluiter and producer William Littleton, and writer Travis Akbar, director Thibul Nettle, and producer Joshua Trevorrow, for their exciting new projects, which we look forward to seeing developed further for the market.”
Speaking about Lesbian Space Princess, AFF CEO and creative director Mat Kesting said the event took “immense pride” in the elevation of new creative teams and new voices.
“In 2022, seven of the 15 projects AFF invested in were first time feature directors including works that are or will be in release soon – Monolith, The Last Daughter, and Talk to Me,” he said.
“AFF 2023 will see a new slate unveiled and we look forward to revealing these as we draw closer to this year’s festival which will take place October 18-29.”