The Australian drama premiered at Cannes and stars Cate Blanchett.
Warwick Thornton’s The New Boy leads the nominations for the 2024 Aacta (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts) Awards with 12 nods, closely followed by horror Talk To Me with 11 nominations.
The New Boy is up for best film, actress for Cate Blanchett and actor for newcomer Aswan Reid while Australian Indigenous filmmaker Thornton is nominated for best director, screenplay and cinematography.
The film is set in 1940s Australia and stars Blanchett (who also serves as a producer) as a nun who takes in a nine-year-old Aboriginal orphan boy. It...
Warwick Thornton’s The New Boy leads the nominations for the 2024 Aacta (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts) Awards with 12 nods, closely followed by horror Talk To Me with 11 nominations.
The New Boy is up for best film, actress for Cate Blanchett and actor for newcomer Aswan Reid while Australian Indigenous filmmaker Thornton is nominated for best director, screenplay and cinematography.
The film is set in 1940s Australia and stars Blanchett (who also serves as a producer) as a nun who takes in a nine-year-old Aboriginal orphan boy. It...
- 12/11/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
Nicole Kidman is providing $50,000 of her own money for a TV industry award named in honor of an Australian executive who died earlier this year.
The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (Aacta) is to present the newly-created Brian Walsh Award for Emerging Talent at its annual award ceremony in February. The award aims to discover and nurture the next generation of Australian actors.
The award pays homage to the late Brian Walsh, one of Australia’s most admired screen creatives, who left a lasting impact on the entertainment industry, both in Australia and internationally. He died suddenly in March at the age of 67.
Walsh began his career in radio and later took up leadership roles at Ten in Australia and Sky in the U.K. He spent some 28 years at Australian pay-tv leader Foxtel, during which time he commissioned iconic series such as “Wentworth,” “The Twelve,” “Colin From Accounts...
The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (Aacta) is to present the newly-created Brian Walsh Award for Emerging Talent at its annual award ceremony in February. The award aims to discover and nurture the next generation of Australian actors.
The award pays homage to the late Brian Walsh, one of Australia’s most admired screen creatives, who left a lasting impact on the entertainment industry, both in Australia and internationally. He died suddenly in March at the age of 67.
Walsh began his career in radio and later took up leadership roles at Ten in Australia and Sky in the U.K. He spent some 28 years at Australian pay-tv leader Foxtel, during which time he commissioned iconic series such as “Wentworth,” “The Twelve,” “Colin From Accounts...
- 11/16/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Anousha Zarkesh and Nathan Lloyd have once again led the charge at the annual Casting Guild of Australia (Cga) Awards, scooping the major prizes across television and film at Saturday’s virtual ceremony.
Lloyd followed up his two awards from last year with Best Casting in a TV Drama, TV Miniseries and Telemovie for The Newsreader, and a second consecutive Achievement in Casting gong for web series All My Friends Are Racist.
Zarkesh – also a multiple winner in 2020 – took out Best Casting in A Feature Film for her work on High Ground.
‘High Ground’
Of the other television and film categories, Kirsty McGregor won Best Casting in a TV Comedy for Fisk, while Daisy Hicks received ‘Best Casting in a Short Film’ for Tough.
The Cga also highlighted its annual list of Rising Stars as part of the ceremony, with the 2021 group made up of Albert Mwangi (Bump), BeBe Bettencourt...
Lloyd followed up his two awards from last year with Best Casting in a TV Drama, TV Miniseries and Telemovie for The Newsreader, and a second consecutive Achievement in Casting gong for web series All My Friends Are Racist.
Zarkesh – also a multiple winner in 2020 – took out Best Casting in A Feature Film for her work on High Ground.
‘High Ground’
Of the other television and film categories, Kirsty McGregor won Best Casting in a TV Comedy for Fisk, while Daisy Hicks received ‘Best Casting in a Short Film’ for Tough.
The Cga also highlighted its annual list of Rising Stars as part of the ceremony, with the 2021 group made up of Albert Mwangi (Bump), BeBe Bettencourt...
- 11/20/2021
- by Sean Slatter
- IF.com.au
The casting directors behind Nitram, The Dry, High Ground, and The Furnace will battle it out in the feature film category of the Casting Guild of Australia Awards to be held later this month.
Nominees across eight categories were announced today ahead of the virtual ceremony on November 20.
Nikki Barrett has two nominations in the feature film, getting a nod for The Furnace and also Nitram with Alison Telford and Kate Leonard. Rounding out the category is High Ground‘s Anousha Zarkesh and The Dry‘s Jane Norris.
Barrett also features in the Best Casting in a TV Drama, TV Miniseries and Telemovie nominees for her work on Fires, going up against Eden‘s Danny Long – who has a total of four nominations – The Newsreader‘s Nathan Lloyd and Wakefield‘s Marianne Jade.
For Best Casting in a TV Comedy, Kirsty McGregor is recognised for Fisk and season two of Frayed,...
Nominees across eight categories were announced today ahead of the virtual ceremony on November 20.
Nikki Barrett has two nominations in the feature film, getting a nod for The Furnace and also Nitram with Alison Telford and Kate Leonard. Rounding out the category is High Ground‘s Anousha Zarkesh and The Dry‘s Jane Norris.
Barrett also features in the Best Casting in a TV Drama, TV Miniseries and Telemovie nominees for her work on Fires, going up against Eden‘s Danny Long – who has a total of four nominations – The Newsreader‘s Nathan Lloyd and Wakefield‘s Marianne Jade.
For Best Casting in a TV Comedy, Kirsty McGregor is recognised for Fisk and season two of Frayed,...
- 11/7/2021
- by Sean Slatter
- IF.com.au
Shannon Murphy’s Babyteeth, Leigh Whannell’s The Invisible Man and Daniel Gordon’s Adam Goodes documentary The Australian Dream may all end up in contention at this year’s BAFTA Awards.
The British Academy announced the longlist for its annual film awards on Friday, ahead of the nominations to be announced on March 9.
Babyteeth has been longlisted in the direction, adapted screenplay and casting categories, which means potential nods for Murphy, writer Rita Kalnejais and casting director Kirsty McGregor respectively.
Starring Eliza Scanlen, Toby Wallace, Ben Mendelsohn and Essie Davis, Babyteeth was Murphy’s debut feature, with Kalnejais adapting her 2012 Belvoir St stageplay for the screen. Dubbed a “bittersweet comedy”, the film produced by Alex White and EP’d by Jan Chapman premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2019, going on to win acclaim and a slew of awards, including nine AACTAs.
Australian Kitty Green, who helmed #MeToo drama The Assistant,...
The British Academy announced the longlist for its annual film awards on Friday, ahead of the nominations to be announced on March 9.
Babyteeth has been longlisted in the direction, adapted screenplay and casting categories, which means potential nods for Murphy, writer Rita Kalnejais and casting director Kirsty McGregor respectively.
Starring Eliza Scanlen, Toby Wallace, Ben Mendelsohn and Essie Davis, Babyteeth was Murphy’s debut feature, with Kalnejais adapting her 2012 Belvoir St stageplay for the screen. Dubbed a “bittersweet comedy”, the film produced by Alex White and EP’d by Jan Chapman premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2019, going on to win acclaim and a slew of awards, including nine AACTAs.
Australian Kitty Green, who helmed #MeToo drama The Assistant,...
- 2/8/2021
- by Jackie Keast
- IF.com.au
‘Babyteeth’ is the feature debut of established theatre and TV director Shannon Murphy.
Shannon Murphy’s drama Babyteeth has swept the board at the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (Aacta) awards, winning nine prizes including best film and all four acting awards.
The Australian title – which premiered in Competition at the Venice Fil Festival in 2019 – was nominated for 13 awards, also taking home best direction for Murphy, best screenplay for Rita Kalnejais, best original score for Amanda Brown and best casting for Kirsty McGregor and Stevie Ray.
Other film winners included Universal Pictures’ The Invisible Man, which picked up best cinematography,...
Shannon Murphy’s drama Babyteeth has swept the board at the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (Aacta) awards, winning nine prizes including best film and all four acting awards.
The Australian title – which premiered in Competition at the Venice Fil Festival in 2019 – was nominated for 13 awards, also taking home best direction for Murphy, best screenplay for Rita Kalnejais, best original score for Amanda Brown and best casting for Kirsty McGregor and Stevie Ray.
Other film winners included Universal Pictures’ The Invisible Man, which picked up best cinematography,...
- 11/30/2020
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Cate Blanchett-produced mini series “Stateless” and Shannon Murphy’s feature film directing debut “Babyteeth” dominated proceedings at the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards (Aacta Awards).
At a ceremony on Monday night at The Star in Sydney, immigration drama “Stateless” grabbed 13 awards including best telefeature or miniseries, best screenplay in television and all four acting awards across television drama. Outback detective series, “Mystery Road” was named best drama. In film, “Babyteeth” received nine awards on Monday including best film and best direction for Murphy.
Neither Russell Crowe, recently named as president of Aacta, nor Nicole Kidman, appointed as VP, were able to attend. Crowe however sent a video message that encouraged ambition, spoke of green shoots both after the wildfires and the Covid crisis, and hope that the recent production sector recovery can be made sustainable.
“I want to encourage the federal government to use this time...
At a ceremony on Monday night at The Star in Sydney, immigration drama “Stateless” grabbed 13 awards including best telefeature or miniseries, best screenplay in television and all four acting awards across television drama. Outback detective series, “Mystery Road” was named best drama. In film, “Babyteeth” received nine awards on Monday including best film and best direction for Murphy.
Neither Russell Crowe, recently named as president of Aacta, nor Nicole Kidman, appointed as VP, were able to attend. Crowe however sent a video message that encouraged ambition, spoke of green shoots both after the wildfires and the Covid crisis, and hope that the recent production sector recovery can be made sustainable.
“I want to encourage the federal government to use this time...
- 11/30/2020
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Bittersweet comedy Babyteeth has swept this year’s Aacta Awards, picking up seven prizes at Monday’s ceremony including Best Film and Best Direction for debut filmmaker Shannon Murphy.
The film’s stars Eliza Scanlen and Toby Wallace took home the best lead actress and actor gongs, Essie Davis and Ben Mendelsohn were decorated in the supporting acting categories, and scribe Rita Kalnejais, who adapted her 2012 Belvoir Street play, also won the best screenplay award.
The prizes add to the two Babyteeth already collected at the Friday industry awards, including Best Casting, presented to Kirsty McGregor and Stevie Ray, and Best Score, to composer Amanda Brown.
Babyteeth follows Milla (Scanlen), a seriously ill teenager who falls madly in love with smalltime drug dealer, Moses (Wallace). It’s her parents’ (Mendelsohn and Essie Davis) worst nightmare – but as Milla’s love brings her a new lust for life, things get messy...
The film’s stars Eliza Scanlen and Toby Wallace took home the best lead actress and actor gongs, Essie Davis and Ben Mendelsohn were decorated in the supporting acting categories, and scribe Rita Kalnejais, who adapted her 2012 Belvoir Street play, also won the best screenplay award.
The prizes add to the two Babyteeth already collected at the Friday industry awards, including Best Casting, presented to Kirsty McGregor and Stevie Ray, and Best Score, to composer Amanda Brown.
Babyteeth follows Milla (Scanlen), a seriously ill teenager who falls madly in love with smalltime drug dealer, Moses (Wallace). It’s her parents’ (Mendelsohn and Essie Davis) worst nightmare – but as Milla’s love brings her a new lust for life, things get messy...
- 11/30/2020
- by Jackie Keast
- IF.com.au
Anousha Zarkesh and Nathan Lloyd each took home two gongs from the Casting Guild of Australia (Cga) Awards on Saturday, leading the night’s winners.
Bert and Amanda LABONTé hosted the ceremony, virtual this year due to Covid-19.
Lloyd snared Achievement in Casting for the second season of children’s series The InBestigators, as well as Best Casting in a TV drama for Wentworth.
Yet again, Zarkesh won Best Casting in a TV Comedy for the fourth season Black Comedy (she won last year for the third innings of the show), as well as Best Casting in a TV Miniseries & Telemovie for Operation Buffalo.
Following on from their Aacta win on Friday night, the feature film award went to Kirsty McGregor and Stevie Ray for Babyteeth, which stars Eliza Scanlen, Toby Wallace, Essie Davis and Ben Mendelsohn.
Best Casting in a Short Film went to Daniella Friedman for the Aacta nominated The Mirror.
Bert and Amanda LABONTé hosted the ceremony, virtual this year due to Covid-19.
Lloyd snared Achievement in Casting for the second season of children’s series The InBestigators, as well as Best Casting in a TV drama for Wentworth.
Yet again, Zarkesh won Best Casting in a TV Comedy for the fourth season Black Comedy (she won last year for the third innings of the show), as well as Best Casting in a TV Miniseries & Telemovie for Operation Buffalo.
Following on from their Aacta win on Friday night, the feature film award went to Kirsty McGregor and Stevie Ray for Babyteeth, which stars Eliza Scanlen, Toby Wallace, Essie Davis and Ben Mendelsohn.
Best Casting in a Short Film went to Daniella Friedman for the Aacta nominated The Mirror.
- 11/28/2020
- by Staff Writer
- IF.com.au
Matchbox Pictures/Dirty Films’ Stateless dominated the Aacta Industry Awards on Friday evening, scooping up all of the television drama prizes.
The six gongs the ABC production received were for: cinematography, for the work of Bonnie Elliott; costume design, to Mariot Kerr; editing, to Mark Atkin; production design, to Melinda Doring; score, to composer Cornel Wilczek, and sound, going to Tom Heuzenroeder, Pete Smith, Michael Darren and Des Kenneally.
This year’s craft and technical awards were a little different thanks to Covid-19, presented virtually in a ceremony hosted by Claire Hooper.
Presenters included Rachel Griffiths, Ed Kavalee, Rhys Nicholson, Dilruk Jayasinha, Celia Pacquola and Bernard Curry.
In film, The Invisible Man and True History of the Kelly Gang each scooped three awards, and Babyteeth two.
Kirsty McGregor and Stevie Ray took home Best Casting for assembling the cast of Babyteeth, which boasts Eliza Scanlen, Toby Wallace, Ben Mendelsohn and Essie Davis.
The six gongs the ABC production received were for: cinematography, for the work of Bonnie Elliott; costume design, to Mariot Kerr; editing, to Mark Atkin; production design, to Melinda Doring; score, to composer Cornel Wilczek, and sound, going to Tom Heuzenroeder, Pete Smith, Michael Darren and Des Kenneally.
This year’s craft and technical awards were a little different thanks to Covid-19, presented virtually in a ceremony hosted by Claire Hooper.
Presenters included Rachel Griffiths, Ed Kavalee, Rhys Nicholson, Dilruk Jayasinha, Celia Pacquola and Bernard Curry.
In film, The Invisible Man and True History of the Kelly Gang each scooped three awards, and Babyteeth two.
Kirsty McGregor and Stevie Ray took home Best Casting for assembling the cast of Babyteeth, which boasts Eliza Scanlen, Toby Wallace, Ben Mendelsohn and Essie Davis.
- 11/27/2020
- by Jackie Keast
- IF.com.au
Aacta has unveiled the final set of nominees for its upcoming awards, including the craft categories in television and documentary, as well as those up for the VFX, casting and the Best Asian Film awards.
Leading the charge in television is Matchbox Pictures/Dirty Films’ Stateless, which notched another 11 nominations today, taking its overall tally to 18.
Fellow ABC series Mystery Road, produced by Bunya Productions, follows with a total of 14 nominations.
Stateless helmers Emma Freeman and Jocelyn Moorhouse are both nominated for Best Direction in A Television Drama or Comedy. They will vie against Mystery Road‘s Wayne Blair and Warwick Thornton, and Simon Francis, who shot Anne Edmond’s Amazon stand-up special.
Thornton is a double nominee, also garnering recognition for his cinematography on Mystery Road, up against Marden Dean for The Commons; Martin McGrath for Operation Buffalo, and Bonnie Elliott for Stateless.
Nominated in the TV screenplay category...
Leading the charge in television is Matchbox Pictures/Dirty Films’ Stateless, which notched another 11 nominations today, taking its overall tally to 18.
Fellow ABC series Mystery Road, produced by Bunya Productions, follows with a total of 14 nominations.
Stateless helmers Emma Freeman and Jocelyn Moorhouse are both nominated for Best Direction in A Television Drama or Comedy. They will vie against Mystery Road‘s Wayne Blair and Warwick Thornton, and Simon Francis, who shot Anne Edmond’s Amazon stand-up special.
Thornton is a double nominee, also garnering recognition for his cinematography on Mystery Road, up against Marden Dean for The Commons; Martin McGrath for Operation Buffalo, and Bonnie Elliott for Stateless.
Nominated in the TV screenplay category...
- 11/18/2020
- by Jackie Keast
- IF.com.au
The casting directors behind Babyteeth, Measure for Measure, Paper Champions and The True History of the Kelly Gang will square off in the feature film category at the upcoming Casting Guild of Australia (Cga) Awards.
Bert and Amanda LABONTé will host the virtual ceremony on Facebook November 28, recognising casting across all mediums including film, TV, advertising, theatre and online.
In TV drama, the casting directors behind Mystery Road (season 2), The Heights (season 2), Neighbours and Wentworth (Season 8) have each been recognised with nods, while in the running for the TV Miniseries & Telemovie category are those who worked on Deadhouse Dark, Halifax: Retribution, Operation Buffalo and The Secrets She Keeps.
In contention in the TV comedy race are Black Comedy (season 4), How to Stay Married (season 2), The Other Guy (season 2) and Upright.
Leading the nominees overall are Nathan Lloyd and Natalie Jane Harvie with four nods each, while Kirsty McGregor, Stevie Ray,...
Bert and Amanda LABONTé will host the virtual ceremony on Facebook November 28, recognising casting across all mediums including film, TV, advertising, theatre and online.
In TV drama, the casting directors behind Mystery Road (season 2), The Heights (season 2), Neighbours and Wentworth (Season 8) have each been recognised with nods, while in the running for the TV Miniseries & Telemovie category are those who worked on Deadhouse Dark, Halifax: Retribution, Operation Buffalo and The Secrets She Keeps.
In contention in the TV comedy race are Black Comedy (season 4), How to Stay Married (season 2), The Other Guy (season 2) and Upright.
Leading the nominees overall are Nathan Lloyd and Natalie Jane Harvie with four nods each, while Kirsty McGregor, Stevie Ray,...
- 11/11/2020
- by Jackie Keast
- IF.com.au
(L-r) Michelle Vergara Moore, Miranda Otto and Aina Dumlao.
Filipino-born US star Aina Dumlao, Miranda Otto and Michelle Vergara Moore are playing the leads in The Unusual Suspects, Aquarius Films’ four-part heist comedy for Sbs which is now shooting in Sydney.
Scripted by Jessica Redenbach (Spirited), Roger Monk (Nowhere Boys) and Vonne Patiag, with Margarett Cortez as script consultant, the tale of female friendship and empowerment is set in Sydney’s ritzy Eastern Suburbs.
When a $10 million necklace is taken in an elaborate heist from the home of self-made Filipino businesswoman Roxanne Waters, women from vastly different walks of life come together to ensure justice is served.
The directors are Emmy Award-winning Natalie Bailey and Melvin Montalban in his TV debut.
The Melbourne-born Vergara Moore, whose parents are Filipino, plays Roxanne, with her real-life partner Toby Leonard Moore as Roxanne’s husband Jordan.
Both appeared in Condor, the thriller series...
Filipino-born US star Aina Dumlao, Miranda Otto and Michelle Vergara Moore are playing the leads in The Unusual Suspects, Aquarius Films’ four-part heist comedy for Sbs which is now shooting in Sydney.
Scripted by Jessica Redenbach (Spirited), Roger Monk (Nowhere Boys) and Vonne Patiag, with Margarett Cortez as script consultant, the tale of female friendship and empowerment is set in Sydney’s ritzy Eastern Suburbs.
When a $10 million necklace is taken in an elaborate heist from the home of self-made Filipino businesswoman Roxanne Waters, women from vastly different walks of life come together to ensure justice is served.
The directors are Emmy Award-winning Natalie Bailey and Melvin Montalban in his TV debut.
The Melbourne-born Vergara Moore, whose parents are Filipino, plays Roxanne, with her real-life partner Toby Leonard Moore as Roxanne’s husband Jordan.
Both appeared in Condor, the thriller series...
- 9/28/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Natalie Bailey with her Emmy.
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.
The Melbourne-based director, who shot isolation comedy Retrograde for the ABC, readily agreed. She had long wanted to make a 4-parter for Sbs and she was intrigued by the story of immigrants working in Sydney’s affluent Eastern suburbs with strong female characters.
Scripted by Jessica Redenbach, Roger Monk and Vonne Patiag, the plot revolves around the theft of a $10 million necklace from self-made Filipino businesswoman Roxanne Waters’ home during her twins’ birthday party. The suspects include socialite Sara Beasley whose life is crumbling fast, and her long-suffering nanny, Evie De La Rosa, a godmother for other Filipino domestic workers.
Casting is underway led by casting director Kirsty McGregor,...
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.
The Melbourne-based director, who shot isolation comedy Retrograde for the ABC, readily agreed. She had long wanted to make a 4-parter for Sbs and she was intrigued by the story of immigrants working in Sydney’s affluent Eastern suburbs with strong female characters.
Scripted by Jessica Redenbach, Roger Monk and Vonne Patiag, the plot revolves around the theft of a $10 million necklace from self-made Filipino businesswoman Roxanne Waters’ home during her twins’ birthday party. The suspects include socialite Sara Beasley whose life is crumbling fast, and her long-suffering nanny, Evie De La Rosa, a godmother for other Filipino domestic workers.
Casting is underway led by casting director Kirsty McGregor,...
- 9/1/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Roger Monk.
When screenwriter Roger Monk was offered a gig on the Aquarius Films/Sbs crime caper The Unusual Suspects, he seized the opportunity to channel his favourite film, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.
Tonally he saw similarities with Pedro Almodóvar’s Oscar-winning 1988 black comedy-drama about a woman who embarks on a strange journey to try to discover why lover suddenly left her without any explanation.
Set in Sydney’s affluent Eastern suburbs, The Unusual Suspects revolves around the theft of a $10 million necklace from self-made Filipino businesswoman Roxanne Waters’ home during her twins’ birthday party,
The suspects include including socialite Sara Beasley, whose life is crumbling fast, and her long-suffering nanny, Evie De La Rosa, a godmother of sorts for other Filipino domestic workers.
“The show is about female frenemies, disparate characters who come together through circumstance and become friends,” Monk tell If.
Producers Angie Fielder...
When screenwriter Roger Monk was offered a gig on the Aquarius Films/Sbs crime caper The Unusual Suspects, he seized the opportunity to channel his favourite film, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.
Tonally he saw similarities with Pedro Almodóvar’s Oscar-winning 1988 black comedy-drama about a woman who embarks on a strange journey to try to discover why lover suddenly left her without any explanation.
Set in Sydney’s affluent Eastern suburbs, The Unusual Suspects revolves around the theft of a $10 million necklace from self-made Filipino businesswoman Roxanne Waters’ home during her twins’ birthday party,
The suspects include including socialite Sara Beasley, whose life is crumbling fast, and her long-suffering nanny, Evie De La Rosa, a godmother of sorts for other Filipino domestic workers.
“The show is about female frenemies, disparate characters who come together through circumstance and become friends,” Monk tell If.
Producers Angie Fielder...
- 8/24/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Melvin Montalban and Natalie Bailey.
Short films, music videos and Tvc director Melvin Montalban will make his TV debut on The Unusual Suspects, Aquarius Films’ four-part heist caper commissioned by Sbs.
Natalie Bailey, whose recent credits include helming three episodes of Avenue 5, Armando Iannucci’s HBO comedy starring Hugh Laurie and Run, an HBO series starring and executive produced by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, will direct the other two episodes.
Scripted by Vonne Patiag (Halal Gurls), Jessica Redenbach and Roger Monk and set in Sydney’s Eastern suburbs, the plot revolves around the theft of a $10 million necklace from self-made Filipina businesswoman Roxanne Waters’ home during her twins’ birthday party,
The ensuing police investigation exposes hidden rivalries, shady business deals and forbidden affairs. No one is safe from suspicion, including socialite Sara Beasley whose life is crumbling fast, and her long-suffering nanny, Evie De La Rosa, a godmother of sorts for other Filipino domestic workers.
Short films, music videos and Tvc director Melvin Montalban will make his TV debut on The Unusual Suspects, Aquarius Films’ four-part heist caper commissioned by Sbs.
Natalie Bailey, whose recent credits include helming three episodes of Avenue 5, Armando Iannucci’s HBO comedy starring Hugh Laurie and Run, an HBO series starring and executive produced by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, will direct the other two episodes.
Scripted by Vonne Patiag (Halal Gurls), Jessica Redenbach and Roger Monk and set in Sydney’s Eastern suburbs, the plot revolves around the theft of a $10 million necklace from self-made Filipina businesswoman Roxanne Waters’ home during her twins’ birthday party,
The ensuing police investigation exposes hidden rivalries, shady business deals and forbidden affairs. No one is safe from suspicion, including socialite Sara Beasley whose life is crumbling fast, and her long-suffering nanny, Evie De La Rosa, a godmother of sorts for other Filipino domestic workers.
- 8/16/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Imogen Banks (Photo credit: Daniel Asher Smith).
When Endemol Shine Australia’s Mark Fennessy and Imogen Banks started developing a drama inspired by the Royal Flying Doctors Service two years ago, neither could have imagined how much more topical and relevant the subject would become.
Based on the true-life heroics of the service’s doctors, nurses, pilots and support staff, the eight-part Seven Network drama Rfds (working title) started shooting in Broken Hill today with Jennifer Leacey as the set-up director. Leacey is directing four episodes and Jeremy Sims and Adrian Russell Wills are each helming two.
“The series feels very timely with what is going on in the world at the moment,” Banks, who is producing with Sara Richardson, tells If.
Banks, who co-created the series with Fennessy, based on his original idea, and Ian Meadows, continues: “We’re very lucky to be telling a story about people who...
When Endemol Shine Australia’s Mark Fennessy and Imogen Banks started developing a drama inspired by the Royal Flying Doctors Service two years ago, neither could have imagined how much more topical and relevant the subject would become.
Based on the true-life heroics of the service’s doctors, nurses, pilots and support staff, the eight-part Seven Network drama Rfds (working title) started shooting in Broken Hill today with Jennifer Leacey as the set-up director. Leacey is directing four episodes and Jeremy Sims and Adrian Russell Wills are each helming two.
“The series feels very timely with what is going on in the world at the moment,” Banks, who is producing with Sara Richardson, tells If.
Banks, who co-created the series with Fennessy, based on his original idea, and Ian Meadows, continues: “We’re very lucky to be telling a story about people who...
- 8/2/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Naomi Watts in ‘Penguin Bloom’ (Photo credit: Hugh Stewart.)
Glendyn Ivin’s Penguin Bloom, the adaptation of Bradley Trevor Greive and Cameron Bloom’s novel starring Naomi Watts, The Walking Dead’s Andrew Lincoln and Jacki Weaver, will have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.
The drama produced by Emma Cooper, Watts and Made Up Stories’ Bruna Papandrea, Jodi Matterson and Steve Hutensky is among 50 features in the line-up.
The festival’s 45th edition will run from September 10–19, a combination of physical, socially-distanced screenings, drive-ins, digital screenings, virtual red carpets, press conferences and industry talks.
Penguin Bloom’s selection is another welcome boost for Australian cinema after the news that Roderick MacKay’s The Furnace will have its world premiere in the Horizons section of the Venice International Film Festival.
Scripted by Shaun Grant and Harry Cripps, the film follows Watts as Sam Bloom, a young Sydney...
Glendyn Ivin’s Penguin Bloom, the adaptation of Bradley Trevor Greive and Cameron Bloom’s novel starring Naomi Watts, The Walking Dead’s Andrew Lincoln and Jacki Weaver, will have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.
The drama produced by Emma Cooper, Watts and Made Up Stories’ Bruna Papandrea, Jodi Matterson and Steve Hutensky is among 50 features in the line-up.
The festival’s 45th edition will run from September 10–19, a combination of physical, socially-distanced screenings, drive-ins, digital screenings, virtual red carpets, press conferences and industry talks.
Penguin Bloom’s selection is another welcome boost for Australian cinema after the news that Roderick MacKay’s The Furnace will have its world premiere in the Horizons section of the Venice International Film Festival.
Scripted by Shaun Grant and Harry Cripps, the film follows Watts as Sam Bloom, a young Sydney...
- 7/30/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Ben Mendelsohn in ‘Babyteeth’, cast by Kirsty McGregor.
Actor Ben Mendelsohn, casting director Kirsty McGregor, Australian Cinematographers Society (Acs) national president Ron Johanson and the ABC’s Sally Riley are among the Aussies recently invited to join the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Science (AMPAS).
Other invitees include Dop Nicola Daley, UTA partner Bec Smith and documentary filmmaker Violeta Ayala.
In total, the Oscars body invited 819 people to join its ranks this year, 45 per cent of which were women, 36 per cent from underrepresented ethnic/racial communities, and 49 per cent from outside the Us.
The Academy has been on quest to widen its membership base since 2016. In 2015, only 1446 or 25 per cent of its membership base were women, with the figure now at 3179, or 33 per cent. In 2015, only 10 per cent of, or 554, members were people of colour; that now stands at 1787, or 19 per cent.
The organisation has also tripled the number...
Actor Ben Mendelsohn, casting director Kirsty McGregor, Australian Cinematographers Society (Acs) national president Ron Johanson and the ABC’s Sally Riley are among the Aussies recently invited to join the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Science (AMPAS).
Other invitees include Dop Nicola Daley, UTA partner Bec Smith and documentary filmmaker Violeta Ayala.
In total, the Oscars body invited 819 people to join its ranks this year, 45 per cent of which were women, 36 per cent from underrepresented ethnic/racial communities, and 49 per cent from outside the Us.
The Academy has been on quest to widen its membership base since 2016. In 2015, only 1446 or 25 per cent of its membership base were women, with the figure now at 3179, or 33 per cent. In 2015, only 10 per cent of, or 554, members were people of colour; that now stands at 1787, or 19 per cent.
The organisation has also tripled the number...
- 7/2/2020
- by jkeast
- IF.com.au
This year, the motion picture academy achieved its five-year goal of doubling the number of women among its membership. In all, 819 film professionals were invited to become part of the organization that hands out the Oscars. Compare this intake to the totals of the previous five years: 842 in 2019; a record 928 in 2018; 774 in 2017; 683 in 2016; 322 in 2015; and 271 in 2014.
While Academy Awards nominees are automatically eligible for consideration, the rest of the candidates must go through a fairly cumbersome process. A candidate must meet certain branch specific requirements before even being eligible.
For example, actors must “have a minimum of three theatrical feature film credits, in all of which the roles played were scripted roles, one of which was released in the past five years, and all of which are of a caliber that reflect the high standards of the Academy.” For writers, directors and producers they need have just two of these credits.
While Academy Awards nominees are automatically eligible for consideration, the rest of the candidates must go through a fairly cumbersome process. A candidate must meet certain branch specific requirements before even being eligible.
For example, actors must “have a minimum of three theatrical feature film credits, in all of which the roles played were scripted roles, one of which was released in the past five years, and all of which are of a caliber that reflect the high standards of the Academy.” For writers, directors and producers they need have just two of these credits.
- 7/1/2020
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
(L-r) McGregor Casting’s Josh Algie, Lucky Gorka Creative’s Lucky Gorka, Stevie Ray, Kirsty McGregor, Gemma Brown and Will Pearce at the 2019 Casting Guild awards.
McGregor Casting founder Kirsty McGregor expresses her support for out of work creatives and discusses her current and recent projects and her bullish outlook for Australian cinema.
Q: Which film and TV projects were you casting when productions were shut down or delayed in late March and were you able to finish each job?
A: We were working on a big TV series which had to pause production in New Zealand. And we had Endemol Shine Australia’s Rfds just about to start shooting in Broken Hill so that was halted. Other than that, most of our work was still in pre-pre-production so whilst they’ve also pushed back they weren’t as close to shooting.
Q: Since then, which projects have hired you?...
McGregor Casting founder Kirsty McGregor expresses her support for out of work creatives and discusses her current and recent projects and her bullish outlook for Australian cinema.
Q: Which film and TV projects were you casting when productions were shut down or delayed in late March and were you able to finish each job?
A: We were working on a big TV series which had to pause production in New Zealand. And we had Endemol Shine Australia’s Rfds just about to start shooting in Broken Hill so that was halted. Other than that, most of our work was still in pre-pre-production so whilst they’ve also pushed back they weren’t as close to shooting.
Q: Since then, which projects have hired you?...
- 6/23/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Sunny S. Walia.
Sunny S. Walia has been announced as the winner of the latest Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (Aacta) pitch competition.
The Melbourne-based actor won for his screen-test based on a script provided by Aacta, inspired by current circumstances, with judges rating his performance as “original” and “truthful”.
Walia will receive a mentor meeting with talent agent Aran Michael, who was on the judging panel, as well as a prize pack including a one-year premium membership to Casting Networks Australia; two tickets to the 2020 Aacta Awards presented by Foxtel Ceremony & After party; a professional headshot package, $500 cash and $500 worth of Manfrotto product.
Judges Noni Hazlehurst and Kirsty McGregor have also offered Walia mentor meetings.
“Thanks to Aacta for giving us a chance to perform and play in this time of unknown. And to win?! Wow! Not too sure what to say. Amazing experience and looking forward to reaping the rewards,...
Sunny S. Walia has been announced as the winner of the latest Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (Aacta) pitch competition.
The Melbourne-based actor won for his screen-test based on a script provided by Aacta, inspired by current circumstances, with judges rating his performance as “original” and “truthful”.
Walia will receive a mentor meeting with talent agent Aran Michael, who was on the judging panel, as well as a prize pack including a one-year premium membership to Casting Networks Australia; two tickets to the 2020 Aacta Awards presented by Foxtel Ceremony & After party; a professional headshot package, $500 cash and $500 worth of Manfrotto product.
Judges Noni Hazlehurst and Kirsty McGregor have also offered Walia mentor meetings.
“Thanks to Aacta for giving us a chance to perform and play in this time of unknown. And to win?! Wow! Not too sure what to say. Amazing experience and looking forward to reaping the rewards,...
- 5/6/2020
- by jkeast
- IF.com.au
Aacta has launched a new pitching competition designed to keep actors connected with industry while in isolation, putting a call out for screen test auditions based on a provided script inspired by current events.
The Aacta Pitch: Action! is looking for “authentic, truthful and unique performances”, with everyone from first-time performers through to established actors encouraged to apply.
Ten finalists will be shortlisted for the judging panel to review, with the winner receiving:
A mentor meeting with renowned talent agent Aran Michael from Amm One-year premium membership to Casting Networks Australia Two tickets to the 2020 Aacta Awards presented by Foxtel Ceremony & After party Professional headshot package $500 cash Interview and profile piece on Aacta Connect – Aacta’s online content hub $500 worth of Manfrotto product Written feedback from the judging panel
The judging panel includes Noni Hazlehurst, casting agent Kirsty McGregor and talent agent Aran Michael, who represents clients such as Chris Brown,...
The Aacta Pitch: Action! is looking for “authentic, truthful and unique performances”, with everyone from first-time performers through to established actors encouraged to apply.
Ten finalists will be shortlisted for the judging panel to review, with the winner receiving:
A mentor meeting with renowned talent agent Aran Michael from Amm One-year premium membership to Casting Networks Australia Two tickets to the 2020 Aacta Awards presented by Foxtel Ceremony & After party Professional headshot package $500 cash Interview and profile piece on Aacta Connect – Aacta’s online content hub $500 worth of Manfrotto product Written feedback from the judging panel
The judging panel includes Noni Hazlehurst, casting agent Kirsty McGregor and talent agent Aran Michael, who represents clients such as Chris Brown,...
- 4/3/2020
- by jkeast
- IF.com.au
Barbara Leane has been remembered by friends and colleagues as a trailblazing talent agent, an astute businesswoman and a mentor to countless actors and young agents.
Leane died on Friday on the Gold Coast after being diagnosed with cancer in January. Her age was a ‘state secret.’
Barbara Leane Management mentored some of the country’s most successful actors including Luke Ford, Wendy Hughes, Max Cullen, Kerry Armstrong, Peter Phelps, Bruce Spence, Anne Looby, Ian Stenlake and Susan Prior.
Phelps was 18 and making his debut on The Restless Years when legendary actor John Ewart asked him about his agent. “What do they do?” Phelps asked, so Ewart urged him to approach Leane, who went on to represent him for 25 years until she retired.
“Barbara was the den mother to every one of her beloved actor cubs,” Phelps tells If. “She chose her client actors on who that person was as...
Leane died on Friday on the Gold Coast after being diagnosed with cancer in January. Her age was a ‘state secret.’
Barbara Leane Management mentored some of the country’s most successful actors including Luke Ford, Wendy Hughes, Max Cullen, Kerry Armstrong, Peter Phelps, Bruce Spence, Anne Looby, Ian Stenlake and Susan Prior.
Phelps was 18 and making his debut on The Restless Years when legendary actor John Ewart asked him about his agent. “What do they do?” Phelps asked, so Ewart urged him to approach Leane, who went on to represent him for 25 years until she retired.
“Barbara was the den mother to every one of her beloved actor cubs,” Phelps tells If. “She chose her client actors on who that person was as...
- 3/22/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Kirsty McGregor and Gemma Brown won Best Casting in a Feature Film for ‘Hearts and Bones’.
The Casting Guild of Australia (Cga) named 10 actors as its top emerging talent of 2019 and celebrated the best casting of the year at its annual awards Friday evening in Melbourne.
Leading the winners was Kirsty McGregor, who took home three awards, including Best Casting in a TV Comedy for Foxtel’s Mr Inbetween (series 2) and further two with colleague Gemma Brown, including Best Casting in A Feature Film for Hearts and Bones, and Achievement in Casting for ABC children’s series The Unlisted.
Annie Murtagh-Monks won Best Casting in a TV Drama for her work on The Heights series 1, while Best Casting in a TV Miniseries and Telemovie went to Angela Heesom for Sbs’s The Hunting. Best Casting in a Short Film went to Stevie Ray for Strangers.
Annie Murtagh-Monks won Best Casting...
The Casting Guild of Australia (Cga) named 10 actors as its top emerging talent of 2019 and celebrated the best casting of the year at its annual awards Friday evening in Melbourne.
Leading the winners was Kirsty McGregor, who took home three awards, including Best Casting in a TV Comedy for Foxtel’s Mr Inbetween (series 2) and further two with colleague Gemma Brown, including Best Casting in A Feature Film for Hearts and Bones, and Achievement in Casting for ABC children’s series The Unlisted.
Annie Murtagh-Monks won Best Casting in a TV Drama for her work on The Heights series 1, while Best Casting in a TV Miniseries and Telemovie went to Angela Heesom for Sbs’s The Hunting. Best Casting in a Short Film went to Stevie Ray for Strangers.
Annie Murtagh-Monks won Best Casting...
- 12/1/2019
- by jkeast
- IF.com.au
‘Hearts and Bones’.
The casting directors behind Hearts and Bones, Judy and Punch, The Nightingale and Unsound will duke it out for the feature film prize at the upcoming Casting Guild of Australia Awards.
To be held November 29 in Melbourne, the awards will be hosted by actors Zahra Newman (Wentworth) and Mark Coles Smith (Picnic at Hanging Rock), with special guest Aacta Award-winning producer Todd Abbott from Guesswork.
In TV drama, the casting directors behind Diary of an Uber Driver, The Heights (series 1), Total Control and Wentworth (Season 7) have each been recognised with nods, while in the TV Miniseries & Telemovie category it will be a battle between those who worked on Lambs of God, On the Ropes, Secret Bridesmaids Business and The Hunting.
Casting Guild of Australia president Kirsty McGregor leads with seven nominations, three of which are shared with Gemma Brown and one with Stevie Ray (Diary of an Uber Driver...
The casting directors behind Hearts and Bones, Judy and Punch, The Nightingale and Unsound will duke it out for the feature film prize at the upcoming Casting Guild of Australia Awards.
To be held November 29 in Melbourne, the awards will be hosted by actors Zahra Newman (Wentworth) and Mark Coles Smith (Picnic at Hanging Rock), with special guest Aacta Award-winning producer Todd Abbott from Guesswork.
In TV drama, the casting directors behind Diary of an Uber Driver, The Heights (series 1), Total Control and Wentworth (Season 7) have each been recognised with nods, while in the TV Miniseries & Telemovie category it will be a battle between those who worked on Lambs of God, On the Ropes, Secret Bridesmaids Business and The Hunting.
Casting Guild of Australia president Kirsty McGregor leads with seven nominations, three of which are shared with Gemma Brown and one with Stevie Ray (Diary of an Uber Driver...
- 11/17/2019
- by jkeast
- IF.com.au
‘Top End Wedding’, ‘Hearts and Bones’ and ‘The King’ are among the 34 longlisted films.
Some 34 feature films will compete for nominations for this year’s Aacta Awards, and the longlist covers a diverse range of titles, from box office earners like Top End Wedding and Storm Boy, through to critically lauded films like The Nightingale and micro budget indies such as Suburban Wildlife.
However, perhaps the most notable inclusion in the longlist is David Michôd’s Netflix Original The King, which premiered at Venice Film Festival last week to an eight-minute standing ovation.
Typically, to be eligible for Aacta Awards, a film – even when made for a streaming platform – must have paid cinema screenings in Australia or local festival play.
Aacta has made an exception for The King, which is not due to play in Australian cinemas or in festivals before its release on Netflix later this year, because of...
Some 34 feature films will compete for nominations for this year’s Aacta Awards, and the longlist covers a diverse range of titles, from box office earners like Top End Wedding and Storm Boy, through to critically lauded films like The Nightingale and micro budget indies such as Suburban Wildlife.
However, perhaps the most notable inclusion in the longlist is David Michôd’s Netflix Original The King, which premiered at Venice Film Festival last week to an eight-minute standing ovation.
Typically, to be eligible for Aacta Awards, a film – even when made for a streaming platform – must have paid cinema screenings in Australia or local festival play.
Aacta has made an exception for The King, which is not due to play in Australian cinemas or in festivals before its release on Netflix later this year, because of...
- 9/10/2019
- by jkeast
- IF.com.au
Natesha Somasundaram.
Growing up in Parramatta as the daughter of South Asian parents, Natesha Somasundaram never saw people like her on television.
She blames that invisibility for making it tough to develop a sense of her own identity – until she started writing for a living several years ago.
Her Sri Lankan Tamil parents emigrated to Australia in the late 1980s to escape the country’s civil war. “We grew up in a predominantly white area and I was the only person of colour at my school level,” she tells If.
“I had a very difficult time navigating my identity. I decided I never wanted to be associated with Sri Lanka or its culture. I shut that out of my system until the past couple of years as a writer when I reconnected with my culture.”
Intending initially to be an actor, she did a Bachelor of Performing Arts degree at Monash University,...
Growing up in Parramatta as the daughter of South Asian parents, Natesha Somasundaram never saw people like her on television.
She blames that invisibility for making it tough to develop a sense of her own identity – until she started writing for a living several years ago.
Her Sri Lankan Tamil parents emigrated to Australia in the late 1980s to escape the country’s civil war. “We grew up in a predominantly white area and I was the only person of colour at my school level,” she tells If.
“I had a very difficult time navigating my identity. I decided I never wanted to be associated with Sri Lanka or its culture. I shut that out of my system until the past couple of years as a writer when I reconnected with my culture.”
Intending initially to be an actor, she did a Bachelor of Performing Arts degree at Monash University,...
- 9/9/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Lincoln Younes (centre) in ‘Grand Hotel.’
Lincoln Younes auditioned for multiple Us roles during six pilot seasons without success – but his persistence paid off when he was invited to join the ensemble cast of Grand Hotel.
Younes plays enigmatic hotel waiter Danny Garibaldi in the Us ABC network series set in Miami, which follows an Hispanic family as they pursue the American dream.
Inspired by a Spanish series and executive produced by Eva Longoria, the show premieres on the Nine Network at 8.40 pm this Wednesday, following The Block.
Ironically the actor, now 27, nearly pulled out of the audition in Sydney. In the space of three days during pilot season he did 12 self-tapes with the Australian casting directors and had so little time to prepare that he nearly cancelled the Grand Hotel audition, but he decided to give it a shot.
He did a 12-page scene from the pilot script. Two...
Lincoln Younes auditioned for multiple Us roles during six pilot seasons without success – but his persistence paid off when he was invited to join the ensemble cast of Grand Hotel.
Younes plays enigmatic hotel waiter Danny Garibaldi in the Us ABC network series set in Miami, which follows an Hispanic family as they pursue the American dream.
Inspired by a Spanish series and executive produced by Eva Longoria, the show premieres on the Nine Network at 8.40 pm this Wednesday, following The Block.
Ironically the actor, now 27, nearly pulled out of the audition in Sydney. In the space of three days during pilot season he did 12 self-tapes with the Australian casting directors and had so little time to prepare that he nearly cancelled the Grand Hotel audition, but he decided to give it a shot.
He did a 12-page scene from the pilot script. Two...
- 8/26/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Jacki Weaver.
Jacki Weaver is starring alongside Naomi Watts and The Walking Dead’s Andrew Lincoln in Penguin Bloom, the adaptation of Bradley Trevor Greive and Cameron Bloom’s novel directed by Glendyn Ivin.
Lincoln plays Cameron Bloom, the husband of Watt’s Sam Bloom in the drama based on the true story of a young Sydney family who struggle to come to terms with a near-fatal accident that left their mother paralyzed.
An unlikely ally enters their lives in the form of an injured Magpie chick, which the family dubbed ‘Penguin’ due to her black and white plumage.
Weaver portrays Jan, Sam’s mother. Newcomers Griffin Murray-Johnston, Felix Cameron and Abe Clifford-Barr, who were discovered in a nationwide search by casting directors Kirsty McGregor and Stevie Ray, play the Bloom’s children.
Rounding out the cast are Rachel House as Sam’s Kiwi kayak coach Gaye Hatfield, Leeanna Walsman...
Jacki Weaver is starring alongside Naomi Watts and The Walking Dead’s Andrew Lincoln in Penguin Bloom, the adaptation of Bradley Trevor Greive and Cameron Bloom’s novel directed by Glendyn Ivin.
Lincoln plays Cameron Bloom, the husband of Watt’s Sam Bloom in the drama based on the true story of a young Sydney family who struggle to come to terms with a near-fatal accident that left their mother paralyzed.
An unlikely ally enters their lives in the form of an injured Magpie chick, which the family dubbed ‘Penguin’ due to her black and white plumage.
Weaver portrays Jan, Sam’s mother. Newcomers Griffin Murray-Johnston, Felix Cameron and Abe Clifford-Barr, who were discovered in a nationwide search by casting directors Kirsty McGregor and Stevie Ray, play the Bloom’s children.
Rounding out the cast are Rachel House as Sam’s Kiwi kayak coach Gaye Hatfield, Leeanna Walsman...
- 7/31/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Andrew Lincoln in ‘The Walking Dead.’
The Walking Dead‘s Andrew Lincoln will star opposite Naomi Watts in Penguin Bloom, the adaptation of Bradley Trevor Greive and Cameron Bloom’s novel to be directed by Glendyn Ivin.
Lincoln will portray Cameron Bloom, the husband of Watt’s Sam Bloom in the drama based on the true story of a young Sydney family who struggle to come to terms with a near-fatal accident that left their mother paralyzed.
An unlikely ally enters their lives in the form of an injured Magpie chick, which the family dubbed ‘Penguin’ due to her black and white plumage.
Scripted by Shaun Grant and Harry Cripps and produced by Watts, Emma Cooper and Made Up Stories’ Bruna Papandrea, Jodi Matterson and Steve Hutensky, the production will start shooting in early August.
The producers said: “We were all captivated by this heart-warming story of resilience, the power of family and hope.
The Walking Dead‘s Andrew Lincoln will star opposite Naomi Watts in Penguin Bloom, the adaptation of Bradley Trevor Greive and Cameron Bloom’s novel to be directed by Glendyn Ivin.
Lincoln will portray Cameron Bloom, the husband of Watt’s Sam Bloom in the drama based on the true story of a young Sydney family who struggle to come to terms with a near-fatal accident that left their mother paralyzed.
An unlikely ally enters their lives in the form of an injured Magpie chick, which the family dubbed ‘Penguin’ due to her black and white plumage.
Scripted by Shaun Grant and Harry Cripps and produced by Watts, Emma Cooper and Made Up Stories’ Bruna Papandrea, Jodi Matterson and Steve Hutensky, the production will start shooting in early August.
The producers said: “We were all captivated by this heart-warming story of resilience, the power of family and hope.
- 7/25/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Kate Mulvany as Frankie in ‘Lambs of God’ (Photo: Mark Rogers).
Kate Mulvany has a stellar CV as a playwright, screenwriter and stage, film and TV actor – but several years ago she was afraid that screen roles were drying up.
Happily that changed when she was cast as an Army captain who suspects the death of her husband in Afghanistan was covered up in the Foxtel/Goalpost Pictures’ drama Fighting Season.
Now she is on screen in Foxtel/Lingo Pictures’ miniseries Lambs of God as Frankie, the sister of Father Ignatius (Sam Reid), who is kidnapped by nuns played by Ann Dowd, Jessica Barden and Essie Davis.
Her acting career continues to flourish as she makes her Us TV series debut in Amazon’s The Hunt, which follows a group of Nazi-hunters living in New York City in 1977.
“I thought roles might dry up for actors who are over...
Kate Mulvany has a stellar CV as a playwright, screenwriter and stage, film and TV actor – but several years ago she was afraid that screen roles were drying up.
Happily that changed when she was cast as an Army captain who suspects the death of her husband in Afghanistan was covered up in the Foxtel/Goalpost Pictures’ drama Fighting Season.
Now she is on screen in Foxtel/Lingo Pictures’ miniseries Lambs of God as Frankie, the sister of Father Ignatius (Sam Reid), who is kidnapped by nuns played by Ann Dowd, Jessica Barden and Essie Davis.
Her acting career continues to flourish as she makes her Us TV series debut in Amazon’s The Hunt, which follows a group of Nazi-hunters living in New York City in 1977.
“I thought roles might dry up for actors who are over...
- 7/22/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Duncan Fellows and Alison Bell.
Fans of ABC TV’s The Letdown who enjoy watching Duncan Fellows as Jeremy, partner and foil of Alison Bell’s oft-stressed Audrey, can look forward to his next series Fam Time.
Fellows is playing John, aka ‘Handy Andy’, second husband of Michala Banas’ Belinda Box, matriarch of a dysfunctional blended family in the Seven Studios’ narrative comedy.
Created by Michael Horrocks and scripted by Erica Harrison and Jack Yabsley, the sitcom features Benson Jack Anthony as Belinda’s son Rylan, Karina Banno as her step-daughter Tahnee, Chloe De Los Santos as her adopted half-Filipino daughter Cherry, Rhonda Burchmore as grandma Viv and Tainui Tukiwaho as handyman Bill.
While everyone else in the family is obsessed with the online world, Handy Andy prefers fixing and inventing things, although he’s not very good at either.
There are some similarities between the two characters. “Neither is...
Fans of ABC TV’s The Letdown who enjoy watching Duncan Fellows as Jeremy, partner and foil of Alison Bell’s oft-stressed Audrey, can look forward to his next series Fam Time.
Fellows is playing John, aka ‘Handy Andy’, second husband of Michala Banas’ Belinda Box, matriarch of a dysfunctional blended family in the Seven Studios’ narrative comedy.
Created by Michael Horrocks and scripted by Erica Harrison and Jack Yabsley, the sitcom features Benson Jack Anthony as Belinda’s son Rylan, Karina Banno as her step-daughter Tahnee, Chloe De Los Santos as her adopted half-Filipino daughter Cherry, Rhonda Burchmore as grandma Viv and Tainui Tukiwaho as handyman Bill.
While everyone else in the family is obsessed with the online world, Handy Andy prefers fixing and inventing things, although he’s not very good at either.
There are some similarities between the two characters. “Neither is...
- 6/16/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Travis Fimmel.
Saban Films has snapped up North American rights to Kriv Stenders’ Vietnam War movie Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan.
Travis Fimmel stars as Major Harry Smith, who led a largely inexperienced company of 108 men who held off about 2,500 Viet Cong and North Vietnamese soldiers for three and a half hours in torrential rain on August 18 1966.
The drama scripted by Stuart Beattie, based on a story by James Nicholas, Jack Brislee, Karel Segers and Paul Sullivan, co-stars Luke Bracey, Richard Roxburgh, Daniel Webber, Nicholas Hamilton, Aaron Glenane, Anthony Hayes and Stephen Peacocke.
Transmission Films will launch the film produced by Red Dune Productions’ Martin Walsh and Deeper Water Films’ John and Michael Schwarz on August 8. It will premiere at the Sydney Film Festival.
The key crew includes Dop Ben Nott, costume designer Lizzie Gardiner, production designer Sam Hobbs, special effects supervisor Brian Cox, composer Caitlin Yeo and...
Saban Films has snapped up North American rights to Kriv Stenders’ Vietnam War movie Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan.
Travis Fimmel stars as Major Harry Smith, who led a largely inexperienced company of 108 men who held off about 2,500 Viet Cong and North Vietnamese soldiers for three and a half hours in torrential rain on August 18 1966.
The drama scripted by Stuart Beattie, based on a story by James Nicholas, Jack Brislee, Karel Segers and Paul Sullivan, co-stars Luke Bracey, Richard Roxburgh, Daniel Webber, Nicholas Hamilton, Aaron Glenane, Anthony Hayes and Stephen Peacocke.
Transmission Films will launch the film produced by Red Dune Productions’ Martin Walsh and Deeper Water Films’ John and Michael Schwarz on August 8. It will premiere at the Sydney Film Festival.
The key crew includes Dop Ben Nott, costume designer Lizzie Gardiner, production designer Sam Hobbs, special effects supervisor Brian Cox, composer Caitlin Yeo and...
- 5/17/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
‘Palm Beach.’
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.
Scripted by Ward and Joanna Murray-Smith, the film stars Bryan Brown, Sam Neill, Greta Scacchi, Richard E Grant, Jacqueline McKenzie, Claire van der Boom, Aaron Jeffrey, Heather Mitchell, Matilda Brown and new faces Frances Berry and Charlie Vickers.
The good times roll at a Palm Beach house with loads of laughter, lavish meals, wine and music until tensions mount and new and old resentments surface over three days. Brown, Neill and Grant play former members of a one hit wonder band called Pacific Sideburns.
The inspiration stemmed from a Christmas in Wales which Brown and his wife Rachel spent with three other couples five years ago. It was a funny and warm occasion but when they...
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.
Scripted by Ward and Joanna Murray-Smith, the film stars Bryan Brown, Sam Neill, Greta Scacchi, Richard E Grant, Jacqueline McKenzie, Claire van der Boom, Aaron Jeffrey, Heather Mitchell, Matilda Brown and new faces Frances Berry and Charlie Vickers.
The good times roll at a Palm Beach house with loads of laughter, lavish meals, wine and music until tensions mount and new and old resentments surface over three days. Brown, Neill and Grant play former members of a one hit wonder band called Pacific Sideburns.
The inspiration stemmed from a Christmas in Wales which Brown and his wife Rachel spent with three other couples five years ago. It was a funny and warm occasion but when they...
- 4/29/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Tina Bursill and Rodger Corser.
Dustin Clare, Kate Jenkinson and Robyn Nevin are the new additions to the cast of season 4 of the Nine Network’s Doctor Doctor, which started production in Sydney today.
Clare plays Jarred, the manager of a mining company who is the new beau of Dr Penny (Hayley McElhinney).
Jenkinson is Tara, a new medical intern at the Whyhope clinic who is on probation for reasons yet to be revealed. A wild spirit, she could lead Dr Hugh Knight (Rodger Corser) back to his bad boy past.
Nevin is Diana, the American mother of Hugh’s deceased former partner Harriet. Diana comes to Oz as a mother-in-law from hell because she believes Knight is unfit to look after his infant daughter Eliza.
Among the returning cast are Nicole da Silva (Charlie), Ryan Johnson (Matt), Tina Bursill (Meryl), Matt Castley (Ajax), Chloe Bayliss (Hayley), Belinda Bromilow (Betty...
Dustin Clare, Kate Jenkinson and Robyn Nevin are the new additions to the cast of season 4 of the Nine Network’s Doctor Doctor, which started production in Sydney today.
Clare plays Jarred, the manager of a mining company who is the new beau of Dr Penny (Hayley McElhinney).
Jenkinson is Tara, a new medical intern at the Whyhope clinic who is on probation for reasons yet to be revealed. A wild spirit, she could lead Dr Hugh Knight (Rodger Corser) back to his bad boy past.
Nevin is Diana, the American mother of Hugh’s deceased former partner Harriet. Diana comes to Oz as a mother-in-law from hell because she believes Knight is unfit to look after his infant daughter Eliza.
Among the returning cast are Nicole da Silva (Charlie), Ryan Johnson (Matt), Tina Bursill (Meryl), Matt Castley (Ajax), Chloe Bayliss (Hayley), Belinda Bromilow (Betty...
- 4/29/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Travis Fimmel as Major Harry Smith.
Transmission Films has released two images and the trailer of Kriv Stenders’ Vietnam War movie Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan.
Travis Fimmel plays Major Harry Smith, who led a largely inexperienced company of 108 men who held off about 2,500 Viet Cong and North Vietnamese soldiers for three and a half hours in torrential rain on August 18 1966.
The drama scripted by Stuart Beattie, based on a story by James Nicholas, Jack Brislee, Karel Segers and Paul Sullivan, co-stars Luke Bracey, Richard Roxburgh, Daniel Webber, Nicholas Hamilton, Aaron Glenane, Anthony Hayes and Stephen Peacocke.
Transmission Films will launch the film produced by Red Dune Productions’ Martin Walsh and Deeper Water Films’ John and Michael Schwarz on August 8.
“To see the battle portrayed on screen for the first time is a heart pounding and emotional experience for audiences. The passion and expertise of the filmmaking team...
Transmission Films has released two images and the trailer of Kriv Stenders’ Vietnam War movie Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan.
Travis Fimmel plays Major Harry Smith, who led a largely inexperienced company of 108 men who held off about 2,500 Viet Cong and North Vietnamese soldiers for three and a half hours in torrential rain on August 18 1966.
The drama scripted by Stuart Beattie, based on a story by James Nicholas, Jack Brislee, Karel Segers and Paul Sullivan, co-stars Luke Bracey, Richard Roxburgh, Daniel Webber, Nicholas Hamilton, Aaron Glenane, Anthony Hayes and Stephen Peacocke.
Transmission Films will launch the film produced by Red Dune Productions’ Martin Walsh and Deeper Water Films’ John and Michael Schwarz on August 8.
“To see the battle portrayed on screen for the first time is a heart pounding and emotional experience for audiences. The passion and expertise of the filmmaking team...
- 4/24/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Nicholas Verso (l) and Samuel Ireland on the ‘Itch’ set (Photo credit: David Dare Parker).
Nicholas Verso has worked with children so often since his 2016 debut feature Boys in the Trees the writer-director says it’s a blessing whenever an adult appears on set.
Not that he is complaining: Verso has relished nurturing young talent in Matchbox Pictures’ Nowhere Boys, Magpie Pictures’ Grace Beside Me, Aquarius Films’ The Unlisted and the ABC Me-commissioned action-adventure Itch.
However he looks forward to getting into adult territory with horror movie The Ice Cream Man, The Lairdbalor adapted from Kathleen Kaufman’s dark fantasy novel, and psychological thriller Sleep to Dream.
In addition he is developing with producer Joanna Werner Crazy Fun Park, a TV series set in an abandoned amusement park populated by the corpses of kids who died there. That isn’t as dark as it sounds, he explains, observing: “It’s...
Nicholas Verso has worked with children so often since his 2016 debut feature Boys in the Trees the writer-director says it’s a blessing whenever an adult appears on set.
Not that he is complaining: Verso has relished nurturing young talent in Matchbox Pictures’ Nowhere Boys, Magpie Pictures’ Grace Beside Me, Aquarius Films’ The Unlisted and the ABC Me-commissioned action-adventure Itch.
However he looks forward to getting into adult territory with horror movie The Ice Cream Man, The Lairdbalor adapted from Kathleen Kaufman’s dark fantasy novel, and psychological thriller Sleep to Dream.
In addition he is developing with producer Joanna Werner Crazy Fun Park, a TV series set in an abandoned amusement park populated by the corpses of kids who died there. That isn’t as dark as it sounds, he explains, observing: “It’s...
- 4/15/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
‘The Unlisted.’
Netflix has acquired global rights outside Australia to The Unlisted, an action sci-fi thriller which follows two 13-year-old identical twins who team up with a group of underground vigilante to stop a powerful corporation from imposing control over the world’s youth.
Aquarius Films’ Angie Fielder and Polly Staniford are producing the 15-part half-hour series created by Justine Flynn, who is serving as executive producer and directs two episodes.
The ABC commissioned the series last year with funding from Screen Australia and Create Nsw. Toronto-based Sinking Ship Entertainment brokered the deal with Netflix, which becomes co-commissioner.
Discovered by casting director Kirsty McGregor, Ved and Vrund Rao play the twins, Dru and Kal, alongside Miah Madden and Abigail Adriano.
Rhys Graham, Nick Verso, Lucy Gaffy, Neil Sharma and Rebecca O’Brien directed the other episodes. The writers include Mithila Gupta, Timothy Lee, Tristram Baumber, Jane Allen and Greg Waters.
Netflix has acquired global rights outside Australia to The Unlisted, an action sci-fi thriller which follows two 13-year-old identical twins who team up with a group of underground vigilante to stop a powerful corporation from imposing control over the world’s youth.
Aquarius Films’ Angie Fielder and Polly Staniford are producing the 15-part half-hour series created by Justine Flynn, who is serving as executive producer and directs two episodes.
The ABC commissioned the series last year with funding from Screen Australia and Create Nsw. Toronto-based Sinking Ship Entertainment brokered the deal with Netflix, which becomes co-commissioner.
Discovered by casting director Kirsty McGregor, Ved and Vrund Rao play the twins, Dru and Kal, alongside Miah Madden and Abigail Adriano.
Rhys Graham, Nick Verso, Lucy Gaffy, Neil Sharma and Rebecca O’Brien directed the other episodes. The writers include Mithila Gupta, Timothy Lee, Tristram Baumber, Jane Allen and Greg Waters.
- 4/3/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
(L-r) Jeffrey Walker, Sarah Lambert and Jason Stephens at Series Mania.
Lingo Pictures’ Lambs of God didn’t win any prizes at Series Mania but the comedic drama adapted from Marele Day’s novel was warmly received by audiences and French critics.
The first two hours of the Foxtel-commissioned miniseries created by Sarah Lambert and directed by Jeffrey Walker had their world premiere in the International Panorama section of the festival staged in Lille, northern France.
Starring Essie Davis, Ann Dowd, Jessica Barden and Sam Reid, Lambs of God follows three nuns, the last survivors of the order of St. Agnes, who live in a convent on a remote island. Reid plays Father Ignatius, an ambitious young priest who plans to turn the property into a money-making luxury resort and is kidnapped by the nuns.
The cast includes John Bell as a bishop, Damon Herriman as Father Bob, Daniel Henshall...
Lingo Pictures’ Lambs of God didn’t win any prizes at Series Mania but the comedic drama adapted from Marele Day’s novel was warmly received by audiences and French critics.
The first two hours of the Foxtel-commissioned miniseries created by Sarah Lambert and directed by Jeffrey Walker had their world premiere in the International Panorama section of the festival staged in Lille, northern France.
Starring Essie Davis, Ann Dowd, Jessica Barden and Sam Reid, Lambs of God follows three nuns, the last survivors of the order of St. Agnes, who live in a convent on a remote island. Reid plays Father Ignatius, an ambitious young priest who plans to turn the property into a money-making luxury resort and is kidnapped by the nuns.
The cast includes John Bell as a bishop, Damon Herriman as Father Bob, Daniel Henshall...
- 4/1/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Claudia Karvan, Noni Hazlehurst and Stephen Curry. (Photo credit: Andreas Bommert)
Writer-director Jj Winlove could not have wished for a better cast for his debut feature June Again.
Now shooting in Sydney, the comedy-drama stars Noni Hazlehurst as June, a woman who experiences a medical miracle, after which she has only a few days to bring together her estranged children, save the family’s wallpaper business and rekindle an old flame.
Claudia Karvan and Stephen Curry are playing her children in the movie produced by Jamie Hilton, Michael Pontin, Drew Bailey and Isabel Stanfield for See Pictures.
The Wellington-born Winlove wrote the screenplay in 2017, aiming to appeal to older cinemagoers. His La-based agent, Verve’s Parker Davis, and his manager Scott Carr shopped the project and Hilton pounced.
He wrote several more drafts until the producers started the casting process via casting director Kirsty McGregor. The three leads all sparked...
Writer-director Jj Winlove could not have wished for a better cast for his debut feature June Again.
Now shooting in Sydney, the comedy-drama stars Noni Hazlehurst as June, a woman who experiences a medical miracle, after which she has only a few days to bring together her estranged children, save the family’s wallpaper business and rekindle an old flame.
Claudia Karvan and Stephen Curry are playing her children in the movie produced by Jamie Hilton, Michael Pontin, Drew Bailey and Isabel Stanfield for See Pictures.
The Wellington-born Winlove wrote the screenplay in 2017, aiming to appeal to older cinemagoers. His La-based agent, Verve’s Parker Davis, and his manager Scott Carr shopped the project and Hilton pounced.
He wrote several more drafts until the producers started the casting process via casting director Kirsty McGregor. The three leads all sparked...
- 2/4/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
‘Top End Wedding’
Wayne Blair’s Top End Wedding has been hailed by reviewers at the Sundance Film Festival as a charming and funny cross-cultural romantic comedy which deals with love and family and second chances.
Produced by Goalpost Pictures’ Rosemary Blight and Kylie du Fresne and Kojo’s Kate Croser, the film co-written by Miranda Tapsell and Joshua Tyler was also praised for its depiction of Indigenous Australians and culture.
Tapsell plays Sydney lawyer Lauren, who is engaged to fellow lawyer Lee (Gwilym Lee). Their wedding plans are disrupted when Lauren’s mother Daffy (Ursula Yovich) walks out on her husband Trevor (Huw Higginson), leaving a cryptic note and her mobile phone. They have 10 days to find her and to pull off their wedding amid the chaos.
Universal will launch the film in Australia on May 2 after taking over eOne’s theatrical marketing and distribution in April. Films Boutique is handling international sales.
Wayne Blair’s Top End Wedding has been hailed by reviewers at the Sundance Film Festival as a charming and funny cross-cultural romantic comedy which deals with love and family and second chances.
Produced by Goalpost Pictures’ Rosemary Blight and Kylie du Fresne and Kojo’s Kate Croser, the film co-written by Miranda Tapsell and Joshua Tyler was also praised for its depiction of Indigenous Australians and culture.
Tapsell plays Sydney lawyer Lauren, who is engaged to fellow lawyer Lee (Gwilym Lee). Their wedding plans are disrupted when Lauren’s mother Daffy (Ursula Yovich) walks out on her husband Trevor (Huw Higginson), leaving a cryptic note and her mobile phone. They have 10 days to find her and to pull off their wedding amid the chaos.
Universal will launch the film in Australia on May 2 after taking over eOne’s theatrical marketing and distribution in April. Films Boutique is handling international sales.
- 1/31/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
It’s awards week in Oz as the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts handed out its major prizes. In a departure from years past, and in a win for the métier, Aacta for the first time recognized casting directors.
At a Monday luncheon ahead of the main prizes today, the inaugural Aacta Award for Best Casting went to Allison Meadows for period drama Riot. While the category was a combined race between film and TV professionals, it marks an important step forward for the industry, says Kirsty McGregor, President of the Casting Guild of Australia, whose credits include Lion, Thor: Ragnarok and Top Of The Lake.
She tells me it was a long road to getting the prize added, but after digging down this past year, and with the support of Casting Networks as a sponsor, the academy acquiesced.
Support also came from the industry at large with...
At a Monday luncheon ahead of the main prizes today, the inaugural Aacta Award for Best Casting went to Allison Meadows for period drama Riot. While the category was a combined race between film and TV professionals, it marks an important step forward for the industry, says Kirsty McGregor, President of the Casting Guild of Australia, whose credits include Lion, Thor: Ragnarok and Top Of The Lake.
She tells me it was a long road to getting the prize added, but after digging down this past year, and with the support of Casting Networks as a sponsor, the academy acquiesced.
Support also came from the industry at large with...
- 12/5/2018
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
The male cast of ‘Fighting Season’ (Photo: Mark Rogers).
The casting directors of 1%, Breath, Sweet Country and The Merger are the finalists in the feature film category of the Casting Guild of Australia Awards.
The Cga has also announced the 10 winners of this year’s Rising Stars awards, who are nominated by Cga members and chosen by a committee comprising Kirsty McGregor, Nikki Barrett, Anousha Zarkesh, Tom McSweeney, Faith Martin and Nathan Lloyd.
The recipients are George Pullar (Fighting Season), Michael Sheasby (The Nightingale), Harry Greenwood (True History of the Kelly Gang), Tess Haubrich (Bad Mothers), Markella Kavenagh (The Cry), George Zhao (The Family Law), Milly Alcock (Upright), Kimie Tsukakoshi (The Bureau of Magical Things), Harvey Zielinski and Alexandra Jensen.
McSweeney tells If: “I’ve watched Kimie grow as a performer over the past decade from a kid with a fantastic singing voice to an actress of conviction, dedication and positivity.
The casting directors of 1%, Breath, Sweet Country and The Merger are the finalists in the feature film category of the Casting Guild of Australia Awards.
The Cga has also announced the 10 winners of this year’s Rising Stars awards, who are nominated by Cga members and chosen by a committee comprising Kirsty McGregor, Nikki Barrett, Anousha Zarkesh, Tom McSweeney, Faith Martin and Nathan Lloyd.
The recipients are George Pullar (Fighting Season), Michael Sheasby (The Nightingale), Harry Greenwood (True History of the Kelly Gang), Tess Haubrich (Bad Mothers), Markella Kavenagh (The Cry), George Zhao (The Family Law), Milly Alcock (Upright), Kimie Tsukakoshi (The Bureau of Magical Things), Harvey Zielinski and Alexandra Jensen.
McSweeney tells If: “I’ve watched Kimie grow as a performer over the past decade from a kid with a fantastic singing voice to an actress of conviction, dedication and positivity.
- 11/8/2018
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Jeremy Sims (L) with Sam Neill on the set of ‘Rams’ (Photo credit: Merlyn Moon).
Jeremy Sims was promoting his drama Last Cab to Darwin on the international film festival circuit in 2015 when he noticed Icelandic film Hrútar featured in nearly every program.
His curiosity piqued, he watched writer-director Grímur Hákonarson’s film – the tale of two warring brothers, both sheep farmers – at the Busan festival in Korea, and was hugely impressed. The same year it won best film at Un Certain Regard in Cannes.
So it was a fortuitous coincidence when one of the producers, Wbmc’s Aidan O’Bryan rang his agent earlier this year to ask if he would direct a re-imagining of the film entitled Rams after acquiring the adaptation rights.
Sims loved the screenplay by Western Australian-born writer Jules Duncan, which is a complete reinterpretation of the original, and readily accepted the offer. Produced by O’Bryan and Janelle Landers,...
Jeremy Sims was promoting his drama Last Cab to Darwin on the international film festival circuit in 2015 when he noticed Icelandic film Hrútar featured in nearly every program.
His curiosity piqued, he watched writer-director Grímur Hákonarson’s film – the tale of two warring brothers, both sheep farmers – at the Busan festival in Korea, and was hugely impressed. The same year it won best film at Un Certain Regard in Cannes.
So it was a fortuitous coincidence when one of the producers, Wbmc’s Aidan O’Bryan rang his agent earlier this year to ask if he would direct a re-imagining of the film entitled Rams after acquiring the adaptation rights.
Sims loved the screenplay by Western Australian-born writer Jules Duncan, which is a complete reinterpretation of the original, and readily accepted the offer. Produced by O’Bryan and Janelle Landers,...
- 10/22/2018
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
David Wenham (Photo: Albin Olsson via Wikimedia Commons).
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.
Now shooting in Bardi Jawi country in the Kimberley, Western Australia, it’s described as a gritty, sexy drama overlaid with a haunting love story.
As If reported, Macdonald is playing Georgie, a sometime sailor, diver and nurse who is stranded in a remote fishing town with Jim (Wenham), a man she doesn’t love, and his young sons whose dead mother she can never replace.
A reckless moment leads Georgie to an intense, sexually charged affair with Lu Fox (Hedlund), an enigmatic loner, musician and poacher who is traumatised by a tragic accident from his past.
When Lu retreats into the wilderness, Georgie embarks on a journey to bring him back with the unlikely help of Jim,...
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.
Now shooting in Bardi Jawi country in the Kimberley, Western Australia, it’s described as a gritty, sexy drama overlaid with a haunting love story.
As If reported, Macdonald is playing Georgie, a sometime sailor, diver and nurse who is stranded in a remote fishing town with Jim (Wenham), a man she doesn’t love, and his young sons whose dead mother she can never replace.
A reckless moment leads Georgie to an intense, sexually charged affair with Lu Fox (Hedlund), an enigmatic loner, musician and poacher who is traumatised by a tragic accident from his past.
When Lu retreats into the wilderness, Georgie embarks on a journey to bring him back with the unlikely help of Jim,...
- 10/9/2018
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Principal photography commences this week in Australia on Gregor Jordan’s (Buffalo Soldiers) movie Dirt Music, adapted from Tim Winton’s novel by Jack Thorne (The Aeronauts).
As we previously revealed, Kelly Macdonald (No Country for Old Men) and Garrett Hedlund (Mudbound) will star in the film. They will be joined by David Wenham (Lion). Additional cast includes singer Julia Stone of Oz duo Angus & Julia Stone, Aaron Pederson (Mystery Road), Chris Haywood (Muriel’s Wedding), George Mason (Home and Away) and Dan Wyllie (Animal Kingdom).
Producers are Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey (Brooklyn) of Wildgaze Films and Angie Fielder (Lion) and Polly Staniford (Berlin Syndrome) of Australian entity Aquarius Films.
Film4 developed the project with Wildgaze Films and are financing along with Screen Australia, the West Australian Regional Film Fund, Screenwest and Ingenious Media. Cornerstone Films will handle international rights and distribution and will commence sales at the upcoming American Film Market.
As we previously revealed, Kelly Macdonald (No Country for Old Men) and Garrett Hedlund (Mudbound) will star in the film. They will be joined by David Wenham (Lion). Additional cast includes singer Julia Stone of Oz duo Angus & Julia Stone, Aaron Pederson (Mystery Road), Chris Haywood (Muriel’s Wedding), George Mason (Home and Away) and Dan Wyllie (Animal Kingdom).
Producers are Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey (Brooklyn) of Wildgaze Films and Angie Fielder (Lion) and Polly Staniford (Berlin Syndrome) of Australian entity Aquarius Films.
Film4 developed the project with Wildgaze Films and are financing along with Screen Australia, the West Australian Regional Film Fund, Screenwest and Ingenious Media. Cornerstone Films will handle international rights and distribution and will commence sales at the upcoming American Film Market.
- 10/9/2018
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
After a record number of entries, Australians in Film announced Charmaine Bingwa as the winner of this year’s Heath Ledger Scholarship.
The Australian/Zimbabwean actor is the first woman of color to be honored with the scholarship and the 10th winner of the award which was founded five months after Ledger’s death. The scholarship honors Ledger’s legacy and is awarded to an actor who exhibits distinctive and unique potential. It offers assistance for young and emerging Australian actors to kick-start their careers, break into Hollywood or train internationally.
“I’m completely taken aback and so honored to be 2018’s winner of the Heath Ledger Scholarship,” said Bingwa after receiving the award. “I heard the other day someone say that the most powerful currency you have is the impact you have on other people and I think Heath epitomizes that. Heath personally taught me what the power of a performance can do.
The Australian/Zimbabwean actor is the first woman of color to be honored with the scholarship and the 10th winner of the award which was founded five months after Ledger’s death. The scholarship honors Ledger’s legacy and is awarded to an actor who exhibits distinctive and unique potential. It offers assistance for young and emerging Australian actors to kick-start their careers, break into Hollywood or train internationally.
“I’m completely taken aback and so honored to be 2018’s winner of the Heath Ledger Scholarship,” said Bingwa after receiving the award. “I heard the other day someone say that the most powerful currency you have is the impact you have on other people and I think Heath epitomizes that. Heath personally taught me what the power of a performance can do.
- 9/21/2018
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Charmaine Bingwa.
Born in Western Australia to Zimbabwean parents, Charmaine Bingwa is the first openly gay and woman of colour to win the $US30,000 Heath Ledger Scholarship presented by Australians in Film.
“I’m stunned; this is an incredible platform,” Bingwa told If after accepting the award from Heath Ledger’s father Kim Ledger today at a dinner attended by eight of the 10 finalists at the Chateau Marmon in Los Angeles.
In her acceptance speech she told how Heath touched her life when she saw Brokeback Mountain. His character’s lines about ‘the pain of a life not lived’ inspired her to come out as a gay woman, she said.
“I heard the other day someone say that the most powerful currency you have is the impact you have on other people and I think Heath epitomises that. Heath personally taught me what the power of a performance can do,...
Born in Western Australia to Zimbabwean parents, Charmaine Bingwa is the first openly gay and woman of colour to win the $US30,000 Heath Ledger Scholarship presented by Australians in Film.
“I’m stunned; this is an incredible platform,” Bingwa told If after accepting the award from Heath Ledger’s father Kim Ledger today at a dinner attended by eight of the 10 finalists at the Chateau Marmon in Los Angeles.
In her acceptance speech she told how Heath touched her life when she saw Brokeback Mountain. His character’s lines about ‘the pain of a life not lived’ inspired her to come out as a gay woman, she said.
“I heard the other day someone say that the most powerful currency you have is the impact you have on other people and I think Heath epitomises that. Heath personally taught me what the power of a performance can do,...
- 9/21/2018
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Greenlit means a project is officially a go, so all you have to do is follow these leads to stay up to date. You never know where you’ll find an opportunity to land an audition! “The King” Timothée Chalamet broke out with last year’s “Call Me By Your Name,” and, as a result, the world’s hottest platform has made a role for him to star. Chalamet, alongside Joel Edgerton, will lead the new Netflix Original “The King,” based on Shakespeare’s plays “Henry IV” and “Henry V.” Chalamet will portray “a young, disgraced prince who inherits the crown and must learn what it means to be a king, guided by his one true friend, Falstaff (Edgerton).” “War Machine” director David Michôd, who is also currently working on Hulu and George Clooney’s “Catch-22” miniseries, will helm this one and marks the continuation of a long collaboration with him and Edgerton.
- 3/26/2018
- backstage.com
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