Rachel Ward’s Palm Beach, a comedy-drama about a group of lifelong friends reuniting to celebrate a special birthday, will open the Sydney Film Festival at the State Theatre on Wednesday June 5.
The box office results for the Australian films and feature docs released in cinemas this year underline yet again the deep polarisation in the indie film market between the higher earners and the also-rans.
While Jennifer Kent’s 'The Nightingale' has achieved an 86 per cent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes since the world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival, many critics have described the tale of rape, murder as revenge as harrowing and bleak.
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.
The disappearance of eOne from the theatrical distribution landscape in Australia/New Zealand is being lamented by exhibitors, producers, former staffers and even rival distributors.
Most Australian films are caught in a catch 22: Independent distributors are constrained in how much they can spend on P&A.
The 18 Australian films and feature docs released in cinemas since the start of the year, plus holdovers, have racked up a modest $14.3 million.