Tasmania will welcome production on crime/thriller drama series Bay of Fires next year after the ABC greenlit the project.
Produced by Archipelago Productions and Fremantle, the story follows single mother of two Stella Heikkinen (Marta Dusseldorp) as she experiences a spectacular and life-threatening fall from grace.
Betrayed by her own company and in immediate danger, Stella has no option but to move her young family to a small town in the Tasmanian wilds tiny amidst a community rife with simmering feuds, crime, and sometimes, murder.
Dusseldorp, who signed an exclusive development and production partnership with Fremantle in 2018, created the series with Andrew Knight and Max Dann, both of whom are writers alongside Sarah Bassiuoni.
She also produces for Archipelago Productions, alongside Sally Riley for the ABC, and Yvonne Collins. Executive producing are Greg Sitch, alongside Louise Smith for the ABC, and Chris Oliver-Taylor for Fremantle.
Major production investment has come from Screen Australia, in association with the ABC and Screen Tasmania. The series will be financed with support from Film Victoria.
Dusseldorp described creating the series as an “amazing journey”.
“My company Archipelago Productions partnering with Chris Oliver-Taylor at Fremantle is a natural fit and with Screen Tasmania, Screen Australia and Film Victoria’s belief and investment we are now preparing for production on the beautifully rugged West Coast of Tasmania in 2022.”
ABC head of drama, entertainment and Indigenous Sally Riley said Dusseldorp had long been a favourite of ABC audiences.
“Bay of Fires is a drama with heart, dark humour, and unique characters that will take audiences into a world full of intrigue, truffle pigs and oh yeah, murder of necessity,” she said.
Filming will commence in Tasmania in mid-2022 and the series will air on ABC TV and ABC iview in 2023. Bay of Fires will be distributed by Fremantle International.