Screen Australia and WA government fund Sam Worthington surf movie

Screen Australia has invested in two Western Australian features including Drift, a surf drama starring Sam Worthington

The Western Australia Government has also allocated $1m of Royalties for Regions funding and investment funding of up to $500,000 through ScreenWest’s Production Attraction Fund towards the $11m Drift.

According to Western Australian regional development minister Brendon Grylls, the film will provide an economic and promotional boost to the state’s south west.

“Drift is a unique opportunity to put the international spotlight on Margaret River and the south west region,” he said.

With its support of Drift – as well as the Indigenous coming-of-age story Satellite Boy – Screen Australia’s 2011 investment in 17 projects has reached $12.6m – with a production value of $43m.

“The unique combination of surfing and performance expertise gives Drift the potential to be the first character-driven action movie set in the surfing world since Kathryn Bigelow’s Point Break,” said the federal agency’s acting chief executive Fiona Cameron.

“Indigenous filmmaking is going from strength to strength with Satellite Boy as the latest instalment in world-class Indigenous storytelling. Satellite Boy, told through the distinctive cultural lens of the Kimberley region, has the ability to make a significant contribution to screen culture and the national cultural life,” she added.

Drift
World-Wide-Mind Films
Producer Michele Bennett, Tim Duffy, Myles Pollard
Executive Producer Joan Peters
Writer Morgan O’Neill
Co-directors Morgan O’Neill, Ben Nott
International Sales TF1
Distributor Hopscotch
Synopsis: It’s 1972 and after escaping their brutal past, the Fisher brothers start a new life in a remote Australian coastal town. Now they must battle suspicious locals, killer waves and ruthless bikers as they struggle to kick-start a business from their greatest passion – surfing.
Satellite Boy
Satellite Pictures
Producers David Jowsey, Sue Seeary
Writer/Director Catriona McKenzie
International Sales Celluloid Dreams
Distributors Hopscotch, ABC TV
Synopsis: Satellite Boy is a film about a small boy, Pete, who tries to save his home from developers. It’s a story about courage and friendship that reveals how powerful a dream can be… if you don’t understand it’s meant to be impossible.