Three Australian films Toronto-bound
Screen Australia have announced three Australian films have been selected for the 36th Toronto International Film Festival. The festival takes place from 8 to 18 September.
Fred Schepisi’s The Eye of the Storm, Jonathan Teplitzky’s Burning Man and Daniel Nettheim’s The Hunter have all been selected into the Special Presentations program, designed to showcase world-class films by established talent.
Toronto will be Burning Man and The Hunter‘s world premieres while The Eye of the Storm will have its international debut.
Screen Australia’s Head of Marketing, Kathleen Drumm said “We’re thrilled that original and vibrant stories from talented Australian filmmakers continue to gain recognition on the international stage. 2011 has been a stellar year for Australia at international A-list festivals. Toronto provides a high-profile opportunity to launch these films in the North American market.”
Footage of Burning Man was first screened at last year’s TIFF while still in post. The Hollywood Reporter suggested then it would be hot at the American Film Market. It’s the story of story of Tom, an English chef at a chic Bondi Beach restaurant, who is trying to reconnect with his son while contending with all the women in his life. It stars Matthew Goode, Kerry Fox, Rachel Griffiths and Essie Davis.
The Eye of the Storm sees Fred Schepisi return to Australia to direct Geoffrey Rush, Judy Davis and Charlotte Rampling in a film about family and the undercurrents of love, hate, comedy and tragedy that define them. It’s produced by Antony Waddington, Gregory Read and Schepisi.
The Hunter is a psychological thriller about a mercenary (Willem Dafoe) sent from Europe by an anonymous biotech company to hunt down the last Tasmanian Tiger. It also stars Frances O’Connor, Sam Neill, and Morgana Davies. It is Nettheim’s directorial debut based on Alice Addison’s adaptation of a Julie Leigh novel.
