F.Y.I.

Strongest ever Australian line-up at Venice Film Festival

Australia’s line-up of films at the Venice Film festival is it’s strongest ever, Screen Australia has announced.

The announcement:

Four Australian features have been selected to screen at the 70th Venice Film Festival (La Biennale di Venezia). Tracks, Wolf Creek 2, Ruin and Ukraine is Not a Brothel will all have their world premiere at the festival.

Screen Australia’s Head of Marketing Kathleen Drumm said: “This year’s Venice selection represents the biggest for Australia in 18 years and marks a growing relationship between our country and the world’s oldest film festival. We are thrilled to have such a diverse, strong group of Australian films showcased in Venice.”

John Curran’s Tracks will screen in competition. Mia Wasikowska stars in the inspirational true story of Robyn Davidson, who in 1977 set out on a solo 2,700km journey on foot from the harsh centre of Australia to the Indian Ocean. This epic modern adventure is written by Marion Nelson, produced by Emile Sherman and Iain Canning, and co-produced by Antonia Barnard and Julie Ryan. The film will go on to screen at the Toronto International Film Festival later in September and will open the Adelaide Film Festival in October.

Wolf Creek 2, written, directed and produced by Greg McLean, will terrorise the Lido when it screens as part of the Midnight Program. The horror thriller sequel is co-produced by Helen Leake and Steve Topic and co-written by Aaron Sterns. John Jarratt reprises his role as crazed serial killer Mick Taylor, alongside Ryan Corr, Shannon Ashlyn and Phillipe Klaus.

Producers/writers/directors Amiel Courtin-Wilson and Michael Cody’s new feature Ruin, a low-budget drama set in Cambodia, will screen in Orizzonti, a competition section dedicated to new distinctive films from international rising talents. This will be the second time the team heads to Venice, as their feature Hail screened in Venice’s Orizzonti in 2011.

Ukraine is Not A Brothel, directed and produced by Kitty Green, will screen Out of Competition. The feature documentary, co-produced by Jonathan auf der Heide and Michael Latham, offers an intimate look into the lives of Ukraine’s topless feminist sensation Femen, a movement against patriarchy that has taken the European media by storm.

The Venice Film Festivalwill take place 28 August – 7 September 2013.

RUIN
facebook.com/ruinthefilm
Production Company Flood Projects, Hanuman Films
Writers/Directors/Producers Amiel Courtin-Wilson, Michael Cody
International Sales XYZ
Australian Distributor Madman Entertainment
Cast Rous Mony, Siek Merlang
Synopsis A fable of violence and love in modern-day Cambodia.

TRACKS
Production Company See-Saw Films
Writer Marion Nelson
Director John Curran
Producers Emile Sherman, Iain Canning
Co-producers Antonia Barnard, Julie Ryan
International Sales Hanway Films
Australian Distributor Transmission Films
Cast Mia Wasikowska, Adam Driver
Synopsis The inspirational true story of Robyn Davidson’s 2700km solo trek from the harsh centre of Australia to the Indian Ocean, aided only by her faithful canine companion Diggity, four camels and the National Geographic photographer who chronicled this epic modern adventure.

UKRAINE IS NOT A BROTHEL
ukraineisnotabrothel.com
www.facebook.com/ukraineisnotabrothel
Production Company Noise & Light
Producers Kitty Green, Jonathan auf der Heide, Michael Latham
Director Kitty Green
Synopsis Ukraine is not a Brothel reveals the truth behind Ukraine’s topless feminist sensation Femen. A movement that began in the snow-filled streets of a corrupt, post-Soviet Ukraine, Femen’s naked war against patriarchy has taken the European media by storm. An intimate look into the lives of these women however, and the bizarre revelation of the patriarchal forces that power this organisation, question whether these titillating activists are the ‘fiery feminists’ they claim to be.

WOLF CREEK 2
https://www.facebook.com/WolfCreek2
Production Company True Crime Australia Pty Ltd
Producers Helen Leake, Steve Topic
Writer/Director/Producer Greg McLean
Writer Aaron Sterns
International Sales Arclight Films
Australian Distributor Roadshow
Cast John Jarratt, Ryan Corr, Shannon Ashlyn, Phillipe Klaus
Synopsis Mick is back! The outback once again becomes a place of mind-bending horror, action and suspense as another unwitting backpacker becomes prey for crazed, serial-killing pig-shooter, Mick Taylor.

Source: Screen Australia media release

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