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.
It’s been a quiet start for the year for Australian films at the national box office, particularly compared to last year when Peter Rabbit and Sweet Country were drawing crowds.
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.
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.
David Wenham, Aaron Pedersen, Chris Haywood and singer-songwriter Julia Stone have joined Garrett Hedlund and Kelly Macdonald in 'Dirt Music', Gregor Jordan’s adaptation of the Tim Winton novel.
Angie Fielder and Polly Staniford’s Aquarius Films has received a NSW Creative Achievement Award.
Garrett Hedlund and Kelly Macdonald are in the frame to play the leads in 'Dirt Music', Gregor Jordan’s adaptation of the Tim Winton novel.
In a further sign of consolidation in the independent film sector, Universal Pictures International will take over the theatrical marketing and distribution of Entertainment One (eOne) releases in Australia and New Zealand.