Press release from ABC TV Publicity
Winner of the Caméra d’Or at Cannes Film Festival and Australia’s official entry for Best Foreign Film at the 82nd Academy Awards, the critically acclaimed, Samson & Delilah will screen on Tuesday, November 24 at 8.30pm on ABC1.
On the following Thursday, November 26 at 9.30pm – share an intimate insight into the making of this contemporary masterpiece with the documentary making Samson & Delilah.
Today, it was announced that Samson & Delilah has been nominated for eight IF Awards, including Best Film, Best Actor (Rowan McNamara), Best Actress (Marissa Gibson), Best Direction and Best Script.
Written, directed and shot by Warwick Thornton, Samson & Delilah is one of the most commercially and critically successful Australian features this year, and tells a powerful and moving love story that has resonated with audiences worldwide.
The film has just opened in New Zealand and has been sold to France, the United Kingdom, Israel, Benelux, Colombia, the Middle East and Portugal. It had its North American premiere at the prestigious Telluride Film Festival and also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Samson & Delilah is the first feature film the ABC has been involved in over a decade, coming in at script stage, as a presale.
Director of Television, Kim Dalton said; “The ABC is proud to have supported this wonderful film which has been so successful at the Australian box office as well as critically on the world stage. This is Australian feature film making at its best and we are very pleased to be able to offer Australian’s across the country another opportunity to see it.”
Warwick Thornton said; “Having access to a big audience is very important. You make these films for people to see and ABC is obviously the perfect platform for the country to go on a journey with these two very special kids. And watch out for the doco – it’s much better than the film!”
Making Samson & Delilah by Beck Cole, spans the 18-month process of the creation and release of the feature. It explores the rollercoaster experience through the eyes of Samson & Delilah’s two young stars, from the first casting calls to walking the red carpet in Cannes.