Press release from Film Victoria
Film Victoria has confirmed a commitment to funding five new and diverse film and television projects in its first Production Investment round for 2009-10.
Film Victoria CEO, Sandra Sdraulig, confirmed the companies, Film Art Doco, Flaming Star Films, Fremantle Media Australia, Circe Films and Valarc Films will receive $668,000 in funding to produce a range of TV, documentary and feature projects in the coming year. The five projects receiving Production Investment are:
Michael Kirby – Fusion Not Exclusion – Filmed during Justice Michael Kirby’s final days before retiring from the High Court of Australia, this documentary examines the personal, moral and spiritual convictions of one of Australia’s great legal minds. Filmed in long-form interview style, KIRBY is produced by Film Art Doco’s AFI Award winning Sue Maslin and directed by Australian Human Rights Award winner Daryl Dellora, and will screen on ABC’s Compass.
Art of Walking – Produced by Sharyn Prentice for Flaming Star Films and directed by Rosie Jones, this documentary questions the demands of modern life and a man’s decision to refuse a taxi. As writer and provocateur Will Self sets out on a fifty-mile trek from LA Airport to the heart of Hollywood, he invokes the histories of others who have changed the world through the art of walking.
Killing Time – This true-crime drama TV series about Melbourne’s criminal underworld is told from the point of view of Andrew Fraser, a formerly successful criminal lawyer now serving time for drug trafficking. Surrounded by serial killers and murderers, Fraser has no choice but to think about where it all went wrong. Produced by FremantleMedia Australia’s Jason Stephens, this true crime drama is written by Ian David, Mac Gudgeon and Sean Grant, and will be directed by Matt Saville and Sian Davies.
X – A suspense thriller set on the mean streets of Kings Cross, X follows the struggle of two women to survive the night and the dangerous world they’re caught up in. This feature film will be produced by AFI Award winning producer Lizzette Atkins for Circe Films and is written by Belinda McClory, with Jon Hewitt, who will also direct and produce.
Photography Hijacked – Explores the world of contemporary photography, the lives of its subjects and the moments of inspiration that capture photographers. Based on the photography book Hijacked Volume One, Australia & America, this television project is produced by Matteo Bruno for Valarc Films and directed by photographer and filmmaker Jack Pam.
Film Victoria’s CEO, Sandra Sdraulig, said, “This round of funding commitments represents a fantastic mix of genres – a suspenseful thriller, subversive documentary, true crime drama, an exploration of artists and an examination of one of Australia’s most influential judicial figures. It’s a real indication of the diversity of stories Victoria’s screen talent are interested to tell and that audiences will appreciate.”