Simon Baker, Yael Stone, Josh Lawson and newcomer Julia Savage are among the key cast of director Del Kathryn Barton’s debut feature Blaze (formerly Puff), which recently wrapped shooting in Sydney.
Barton, a dual Archibald prize winner, wrote the script with Huna Amweero (Jade of Death), with the work inspired by Barton’s painting ‘sing blood-wings sing’.
A hybrid work of live-action, VFX and animation, Blaze sees Savage plays a young girl who accidentally witnesses a woman being violently attacked, leaving her catatonic with shock and struggling to make sense of what she saw.
She retreats into imaginary worlds, where Zephyr, the shimmering magic dragon who has been her companion since childhood, allows her to activate her own rage and ultimately find renewal.
Also starring are Morgan Davies, Bernie Van Tiel, Remy Hii, John Waters, Heather Mitchell and Rebecca Massey.
A Causeway Films production, the film is produced by Samantha Jennings and EP’d by Kristina Ceyton, with executive producers Deanne Weir, Daniel Besen, Chris Plater and Boris Tosic.
The director of photography is Jeremy Rouse, production designer Alex Holmes, editor Dany Cooper, costume designer Margot Wilson, sound designer Sam Petty and co-Composer Angel Olsen.
Barton said: “Words cannot express how excited I am to have grown (over many years) my studio practice into long-format filmmaking. After a not-for-the-faint-hearted three-year writing and development journey with my extraordinary producer Sam Jennings from Causeway Films we are finally WRAPPED! Working tirelessly with such talented collaborators has been exhilarating!”
Blaze has been supported via production investment from Screen Australia in association with Screen NSW, Fin Design and Spectrum Films.
Bonsai Films will distribute in Australia and New Zealand.