Screen Australia announces feature development investment
Screen Australia today announced a round of development funding for eight feature films.
Included in the funding is Bruce Beresford’s Banjo & Matilda, as well as films by directors Adam Elliot, Nadia Tess, Eddie Martin and Richard Lowenstein, and investment in writers Alice Addison, Mark Herman and Glenda Hambly.
Banjo & Matilda is the dramatisation of Banjo Paterson’s Waltzing Matilda. Set in 1895, a young city poet and journalist travels to a remote sheep station to track down a political agitator. When the clashes between union shearers and landowners turn to violence, a man is found dead in a billabong. Was it suicide or murder? The film will be produced by Bill Leimbach (Beneath Hill 60) and written by David Roach.
Adam Elliot (Mary & Max) will write and direct Ernee, an animated adventure romance, produced by Peter Kaufmann and executive produced by Brian Rosen and Bryce Menzies.
Two musical biopics were also funded. Bon Scott, written by Sophie Edelstein and directed by Eddie Martin will tell the story of AC/DC legend Bon Scott, while Michael, written and directed by Richard Lowenstein (He Died with a Felafel in his Hand), will tell the story of Michael Hutchence. Lowenstein directed Hutchence in Dogs in Space as well as numerous documentaries on INXS. It will be produced by Lowenstein and Sue Murray and executive produced by Domenico Procacci.
Also included in the funding are two coming of age stories, The Diary of Jimmy Porter and Julian Corkle is a Filthy Liar. The first is based on a novel by Christine Harris. Produced by Lisa McCune and Gus Howard, it’s written by Tony Morphett (Packed to the Rafters, Blue Heelers) and directed by Nadia Tess (Matching Jack, Malcolm). Julian Corkle is a Filthy Liar is based on a novel by DJ Connell, written by Mark Herman and produced by Marian Macgowan and Sarah Radclyffe.
Secret Sisters is a family film written by Glenda Hambly and produced by David Rapsey and Moira Moss about five girls who have their friendship tested by a school musical.
Lastly, Under is a suspenseful drama written by Alice Addison (The Hunter) about a diver searching for a missing girl who might be his daughter, who might have been murdered and he wonders does the killer want him dead as well?
