Press Release from The Lantern Group
Screen Australia has announced production investment approval for 13 projects generating $26.4 million worth of production. $8.6 million has been committed to a diverse slate comprising of a feature film, television dramas and documentaries including National Documentary Projects (NDP) following yesterday’s Board meeting.
Director Jeremy Sims will team up with producer Bill Leimbach and writer David Roach to tell the true story of Australia’s secret silent war beneath the Western Front in the feature Beneath Hill 60. The picture stars Brendan Cowell in the lead role of Captain Oliver Woodward and is slated to shoot in Townsville in July.
The makers of Underbelly received finance approval for the true-crime story of The Killing of Caroline Byrne. The telemovie for the TEN Network will explore whether model Caroline Byrne jumped or was pushed from the Gap in 1995. It will be executive produced by Greg Haddrick and Des Monaghan, written by Peter Gawler and directed by Tony Tilse.
John Edwards, Claudia Karvan and Jacquelin Perske, the award-winning team behind Love My Way, have teamed up again to produce Spirited, an eight-part love/ghost story. The series will screen on Foxtel.
Also approved was the fifth installment in the documentary series following the lives, hopes and dreams of three ordinary/extraordinary Adelaide girls since they were 14. Director Gillian Armstrong and producer Jenny Day catch up with their subjects at the age of 47 in Not 14 but 47. The project received funding through the NDP.
Features
BENEATH HILL 60
The Silence Productions
Producer Bill Leimbach
Writer David Roach
Director Jeremy Sims
Sales and Distribution Transmission, Intandem
Synopsis The gripping story of Australia’s secret silent war beneath the Western Front.
Television drama
SPIRITED
Northside Productions
Producers John Edwards, Claudia Karvan, Jacquelin Perske
Writers Jacquelin Perske, Ian Meadows
Directors Jessica Hobbs, Stuart McDonald
Sales and Distribution Foxtel, Southern Star International
Synopsis An eight x 1-hour ghost/love story from the makers of Love My Way and starring Claudia Karvan.
THE KILLING OF CAROLINE BYRNE (working title)
Screentime for the TEN Network
Executive Producers Greg Haddrick, Des Monaghan
Writer Peter Gawler
Director Tony Tilse
Sales and Distribution Screentime
Synopsis In 1995 model Caroline Byrne’s body was recovered from the Gap in Sydney: did she jump or was she pushed? A true-crime story from the makers of Underbelly.
WILFRED 2
Renegade Films
Producer Jenny Livingston
Executive Producers Joe and Ken Connor
Writers Jason Gann, Adam Zwar
Director Tony Rogers
Sales and Distribution SBS Content Sales, SBS TV
Synopsis A boy, a girl and a bong smoking dog that thinks he is human … continue their dysfunctional love triangle.
National Documentary Program (NDP)
MOTHER OF ROCK: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF LILLIAN ROXON
Lowlands Media
Producer Robert de Young
Director Paul Clarke
Sales and Distribution SBS Content Sales and Distribution
Synopsis Follows the story of the Australian rock journalist of the 1960s and 1970s who achieved international success in the fiercely competitive New York rock music scene.
NOT 14 BUT 47
Spirited Films and Big Picture Company
Producers Jenny Day and Gillian Armstrong
Writer/Director Gillian Armstrong
Sales and Distribution ABC TV, Beyond Home Entertainment
Synopsis Not 14 but 47 will be the fifth film in the documentary series Gillian Armstrong has been making about the lives, hopes and dreams of three ordinary/extraordinary Adelaide girls since they were 14 in 1976.
A ROYAL ROMANCE
Electric Pictures
Producer Andrew Ogilvie and Andrea Quesnelle
Writer/Director Trevor Graham
Sales and Distribution ABC TV
Synopsis A Royal Romance is an informed, probing and affectionate look at Queen Elizabeth’s relationship with her Australian Realm and its people.
THE TRIAL
360 Degree Films
Producer John Moore
Director Joan Robinson
Writers Joan Robinson, Dennis Smith, John Moore
Sales and Distribution SBS TV
Synopsis Since the horrific events of 9/11, governments across the world have been scrambling to introduce laws designed to pre-empt terrorist attacks. This is the inside story of the first big trial under Australia’s new anti-terrorism laws.
Documentary – Domestic Door
MR SIN – THE ABE SAFFRON STORY
Evershine Pty Ltd
Producer/DOP Helen Barrow
Writer/Director Hugh Piper
Sales and Distribution ABC TV, DVI Ovation
Synopsis This is a story of bribery, blackmail and corruption that examines how, like a spider in his web, Australia’s enigmatic crime boss Abe Saffron remained untouchable for so long.
WORLD CHAMPION SANTA
Fury Productions Pty Ltd
Producer Veronica Fury
Writer/Director David Downey
Sales and Distribution Indigo Films
Synopsis After 15 years on Santa’s ‘naughty list’ Australian filmmaker Dave Downey has decided to redeem himself and get back in touch with his Christmas spirit – going for gold in the ‘Santa Clause Winter Games’.
Documentary – International Door
ASYLUM FC
Renegade Films
Producers James Maiden and Lucy Maclaren
Executive Producer Alex West
Director Helen Gaynor
Sales and Distribution SBS TV, Al Jazeera, SBS Content Sales
Synopsis Asylum FC follows nine young Zimbabwean soccer players from the slums of Harare in their quest to seek asylum and establish new lives in Australia.
MIRACLE
Essential Media and Entertainment
Producer Nial Fulton
Executive Producer Chris Hilton
Directors Leo Faber, Jen Peedom
Sales and Distribution ABC TV, France 5, National Geographic Television International
Synopsis Following the success of Miracle on Everest comes a continuing series of miraculous survival stories.
TERROR IN MUMBAI
Electric Pictures
Producers Andrew Ogilvie, Andrea Quesnelle
Writer/Director Victoria Pitt
Sales and Distribution ABC TV, Discovery Communications, More 4 UK, History Channel UK, ABC Commercial
Synopsis Told entirely from the perspective of the survivors of the Mumbai terrorist attack, this is the revealing story of the emotions we experience, the decisions we make and the desperate actions we take when death is staring us in the face.
Producer Offset
As of 31 March 2009, 216 projects have been issued with provisional certificates: 85 features, 88 non-feature documentaries and 43 other projects (eg TV series, telemovies, direct-DVD/online, short-form animation). Nineteen final certificates have been issued (two features, 10 non-feature documentaries and seven other projects) with a total determined QAPE of A$40,914,416m. Eight further applications for final certificates are under consideration.