The third season of ‘Mustangs FC’ is underway in Melbourne (Photo: Sarah Enticknap).
The third season of Matchbox Pictures’ children’s series Mustangs FC is currently shooting in Melbourne for the ABC and new co-commissioning partner NITV.
Season three, supported by Film Victoria, sees all-girl soccer team The Mustangs enter a harsh new league in which they’re forced to merge with their nemesis, The Wildcats.
Mustangs FC is produced by Amanda Higgs and Rachel Davis, who have promoted women on set each season; more than 60 per cent of the cast and crew for the third series are female.
The scripts were penned by Kirsty Fisher, Magda Wozniak, Rae Earl, Alix Beane, Shanti Gudgeon and Marisa Nathar, and director Beck Cole joins this season alongside the returning directors Ana Kokkinos, Roger Hodgman and Corrie Chen. Further, Amie Batalibasi, who completed a Film Victoria Key Talent Placement on Mustangs FC season two, will direct alongside Hodgman under the Australian Directors’ Guild Shadow Directing Scheme.
Returning cast include Emmanuelle Mattana, Ashleigh Marshall, Monique Heath, Molly Broadstock, Gemma Chua Tran, Celine Ajobong and Tharanya Tharan, alongside adult cast Jacek Koman and Pia Miranda, and narrator Celia Pacquola as narrator. Joining the cast are newcomers, Lucy Garwood and Kate Moore, and there will also be a guest spot from Dave Lawson as the boys coach.
ABC head of children’s production Libbie Doherty said: “Mustangs FC has been a huge hit with our audience. Girls and boys are captivated with the trials and tribulations of this incredibly diverse team of soccer players. Following on from the momentum generated globally by the Women’s World Cup, this series is more captivating than ever, and we’re thrilled to be working with Matchbox Pictures again.”
NITV channel manager Tanya Orman said: “NITV is committed to celebrating and championing the production of diverse children’s content, both in front of, and behind the camera, and is delighted to welcome Mustangs FC to NITV’s content offering. We recognise the importance of young people, in particular, young women, seeing themselves reflected positively on screen and can’t wait to see what this new season delivers.”
Higgs and Davis said, “We are very proud to be making a third series of Mustangs FC in what is a challenging and competitive funding landscape for children’s television. It’s wonderful to be receiving ongoing support from ABC ME, Film Victoria and NBCU, and we are thrilled to welcome NITV to the Mustangs squad this season. We’ve heard so many stories about young girls taking up soccer as a result of watching the show and we are immensely proud of all our team, both in front of and behind the camera.”
NBCU International Distribution is handling international sales; series one and two have screened on CBBC in the UK and Universal Kids in North America.