Guy Pearce will play a soon-to-be-paroled inmate who takes a young prisoner under his wing in the feature debut of writer/director Charles Williams.
Production has now wrapped on Inside, a coming-of-age story starring newcomer Vincent Miller as Mel Blight, a young man who, after being transferred from juvenile to adult prison, is taken under the wing of both Mark Shepard (Cosmo Jarvis), Australia’s most despised criminal, and Warren Murfett (Pearce), leading to a paternal triangle between the three men.
The cast also includes Toby Wallace, Tara Morice, Chloé Hayden, and Michael Logo.
Inside is produced by Marian Macgowan for Macgowan Films and Kate Glover for Never Sleep Pictures, with Thomas M. Wright serving as executive producer. The shoot took place across Melbourne and regional Victoria.
Screen Australia provided the project with production funding, and it was financed in association with VicScreen via the Victorian Screen Incentive and the Regional Assistance Fund. Further backers include Melbourne International Film Festival Premiere Fund and Screen NSW.
Bonsai Films is distributing for Australia and New Zealand with Goodfellas (Wild Bunch) handling international sales. Additional funding partners include Finnish Impact Film Fund, Aurora Studios, Obscura, Film I Väst and Soundfirm.
Williams, whose short All These Creatures won the Short Film Palme d’Or at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, said he couldn’t imagine making the film anywhere but Victoria, having spent his formative years in the state.
“It’s a part of Australia we don’t often see on screen and I’m very grateful to have had the support to shoot here – both from VicScreen and the incredible local cast, crew, and wider community,” he said.
Macgowan said VicScreen’s “early and generous” support had been pivotal in bringing Williams’ story to life.
“[VicScreen head of incentives and production support] Joe Brinkmann and his team made the application, approval, and investment process transparent, and seamless for filmmakers,” she said.
“Our thanks to them and the Victoria Government.”