A slate of 15 television dramas, 11 feature films, and five online series will share in more than $1 million of development funding from Screen Australia.
Aquarius Films is developing a feature film based on journalist Abdul Karim Hekmat's The Monthly article 'True Love in Nauru', about two gay refugees who meet and fall in love while in offshore detention.
Aquarius Films' comedy heist drama 'The Unusual Suspects' is heading to more European territories after co-producer and distributor About Premium Content secured a raft of new broadcast partners for the series.
Nearly 30 projects will share in $975,000 of story development funding from Screen Australia, including a television series inspired by the 1999 film 'Two Hands' from director Gregor Jordan, and a family feature film from the producers of 'Bluey'.
Aquarius Films' Sydney-set heist caper 'The Unusual Suspects' will premiere June 3 at 8:30pm on SBS and SBS On Demand, with all episodes available to stream at the same time of the premiere.
Many feature producers fear the Federal Government's sweeping media reforms will spell the death knell of Australian features, forcing them and some writers and directors to focus on content for streamers or free-to-air broadcasters.
Filipino-born US-star Aina Dumlao, Miranda Otto and Michelle Vergara Moore are playing the leads in 'The Unusual Suspects', Aquarius Films' 4-part heist comedy for SBS which is now shooting in Sydney.
Natalie Bailey was set to shoot feature comedy 'Sumo' in South Africa when the pandemic struck, which turned out to be a blessing as she was then asked to serve as set-up director on Aquarius Films' SBS miniseries 'The Unusual Suspects'.