Last weekend's broad new releases in Australian cinemas included a US crime thriller that was completed in 2018, a political satire that went straight to streaming in the US, and a melancholy UK drama about a marriage breakdown.
The launches last weekend of Gregor Jordan's 'Dirt Music' and Alister Grierson's 'Bloody Hell' underlined the challenges facing independent films in a theatrical market that is severely weakened by the Victorian shutdown, limits on seating capacity and the absence of Hollywood tentpoles.
Angie Fielder and Polly Staniford's Aquarius Films has stepped up its feature film and TV drama development slate, collaborating with such creatives as Justine Flynn, Del Kathryn Barton and Huna Amweero, Clementine Ford, Anya Beyersdorf, Roger Monk and Rhys Graham.
No North American distributor has been more aggressive in acquiring Australian films in the past few years than Samuel Goldwyn Films, continuing a relationship with Australian filmmakers that stretches for more than 20 years.
Paul Ireland’s 'Measure for Measure' will be released in North America by Samuel Goldwyn Films, the distributor's third Australian acquisition this year.
Georgie Jutland (Kelly Macdonald) is barely holding it together these days without a drink. Once a nurse, now she’s trapped in the backwater fishing port of White Point with local crayfish baron, Jim Buckridge (David Wenham) and his two sons, whose dead mother she can never hope to replace.
One hazy night she sees the lone figure of Lu Fox (Garret Hedlund) appear in the mists of the bay. A long time ago he was a dirt musician, but now he survives as a poacher - an unwise choice given Jim’s iron-grip on the local fishing trade.
Georgie is instantly drawn to Lu, and the pair begin an intense affair. What Georgie doesn’t realise is that the Foxes and the Buckridges have a long, murky history.
Fearing Jim’s fury and haunted by his tragic past, Lu flees north to Coronation Island, a place dear to Georgie’s heart. Discovering Lu has fled, Georgie decides to follow him north with the unlikely help of Jim.
Based on the critically acclaimed novel by iconic Australian writer Tim Winton, Dirt Music is a tale of love and redemption, set against the awe-inspiring backdrop of the Australian West.
"There's a very beautiful spiritual element to it, that I think is brilliant and I love. But it's a bit out there."
On the reasonable assumption that cinemas are trading in July, albeit with staggered seating, audiences can look forward to a raft of Hollywood films and, perhaps, several new Australian releases.