Marcus Gillezeau has been appointed head of production and development for Studiocanal Australia and New Zealand.
In his new role, Gillezeau will oversee the company’s growing local production slate, which includes features Helena!, to be directed by Gracie Otto, and Kangaroo, to be directed by Kate Woods.
Gillezeau is one of the producers of Helena!, which came through Studiocanal’s Cultivator Fund in 2018, and has also consulted for the company in the past.
He tells IF he jumped at the chance to formally work with Studiocanal as it looks to ramp up production in ANZ; the broader company produces about 30 projects across the other territories it operates in.
“I love the team here; they’re great to work with,” he says. “Our CEO Elizabeth Trotman and Greg Denning [head of sales and acquisitions] are genuine about working with Australian producers, as is demonstrated by the films that we acquire and currently distributing. That also runs all the way through to our global CEO, Anna Marsh.”
As an independent producer, Gillezeau has won numerous awards, including AACTA for Best Feature Documentary for Storm Surfers 3D in 2013 and an International Digital Emmy and an Australia Directors Guild Award in 2009 for Scorched. He has also been honoured by Screen Producers Australia (SPA) for Best New Media and Interactive Producer of the Year twice.
His recent projects include theatrical feature documentaries Own the Sky and Living Universe and he was EP on Motorkite Dreaming and Nerve. Across his career, he has also served on the SPA Council and the board of Metro Screen.
Gillezeau tells IF the primary focus of Studiocanal’s slate initially will be on scripted features with commercial potential, across a broad range of genres, including family, psychological thrillers and elevated horror, and dramas pitched at older demographics.
Written by Katherine Thomson, Helena! is a biopic about the Polish-Australian-American cosmetics businesswoman, art collector and philanthropist Helena Rubinstein, who created a global empire. Antony Waddington is also producing.
Kangaroo, first announced last May, is inspired by the real-life story of The Kangaroo Sanctuary founder Chris ‘Brolga’ Barns. Written by Harry Cripps, it follows a man who becomes stranded in an Outback town after a car accident. There, he teams up with 11-year-old Indigenous girl Charlie, and the pair form an unlikely friendship working together to rescue and rehabilitate orphaned joeys, an endeavour that proves to be life-changing for both of them.
Bunya Production’s David Jowsey and Greer Simpkin and Brindle Film’s Rachel Clements and Trisha Morton-Thomas producing, with Louise Smith and Marian Macgowan executive producers.
Both features were announced as receiving Screen Australia development funding last August.
Gillezeau says Studiocanal’s aim is to produce two film a year, while developing four to five. He’ll be at Ready, Steady, Pitch this week at Screen Forever and heading to MIFF 37º South Market later this year to find projects. Further down the track, the company will also look into developing TV series and is open to theatrical documentaries, as long as they are a commercial proposition.
Trotman tells IF that Gillezeau brings a wealth of experience to the role.
“We are excited that he has joined the team and is driving forward our productions with great professionalism, enthusiasm and expertise,” she says.
“We are thrilled to have someone of his calibre leading our in house production and development.”