26 11 2014 - Media release
Screen Australia supports remarkable stories inspired by Aussie events, books and icons
Screen Australia today announced its support of 11 television and film projects. Funding of close to $10.7 million will be allocated to a range of screen stories that will trigger production to the value of nearly $59 million.
Sally Caplan, Screen Australia’s Head of Production, said, “We are thrilled to support such a great range of film businesses and filmmakers making a sensational mix of stories. In this round we will back the story of an iconic Australian entertainer in Peter Allen: Not the Boy Next Door from the award-winning team behind this year’s highest-rating TV drama, INXS: Never Tear Us Apart. An award was made to creator Shelley Birse and the highly admired team behind the popular political drama series, The Code, for its follow-up series. We are delighted to have multi-award winner of over 56 industry awards, Andrew Knight, on two projects. Andrew will work on one of these projects with The Sapphires director Wayne Blair, who will return to Australia from an international project to take the helm on a charming rom com with the Australian Muslim community at its heart.
“Audiences will be spoilt for choice with a great range of stories – from a string of projects based on true events like the hilarious black comedy based on the antics of Chinese-Australian Benjamin Law to favourite crime mysteries Jasper Jones and the new Jack Irish TV series starring Guy Pearce, to an edge-of-your-seat Amazon adventure starring Kevin Bacon. We expect the combination of favourite characters in local stories along with some fresh new faces will appeal to all walks of life.”
Support will be given to four adult TV dramas and one children’s TV drama.
The second series of The Code from Playmaker Media will receive support. The acclaimed first series won the major AWGIE award and drew national and international praise. Set to be broadcast on the ABC, series 2 brings together writers Shelley Birse (The Code, Satisfaction) and Sean Cook. The political thriller will reunite director Shawn Seet (Hiding, Love Child) with producers Shelley Birse, Di Haddon (Hiding), David Maher (Love Child) and David Taylor (Love Child). Series 2 opens with Ned and Jesse Banks facing possible extradition charges to the US, fortunately Australian National Security need Jesse to figure out a dilemma they can’t solve.
The Family Law, written by Benjamin Law and Marieke Hardy (Laid, Wonderland), will be produced by Matchbox Pictures’ Julie Eckersley (Maximum Choppage) and Sophie Miller (Maximum Choppage) for SBS. The unique story, based on Chinese-Australian Law’s memoir, is a black comedy set on the Sunshine Coast over a summer where we meet 14-year-old Law determined to be a TV star while simultaneously trying to prevent his parents from splitting up.
Favourite telemovie Jack Irish will be made into a gripping new TV series, starring Guy Pearce (Iron Man 3, The King’s Speech) and Marta Dusseldorp (A Place to Call Home). The series is written by Matt Cameron (Old School, Molly), Andrew Knight (The Water Diviner, Siam Sunset, Rake, Jack Irish) and Andrew Anastasios (The Water Diviner). It will be produced by Essential Media and Entertainment’s Ian Collie (Saving Mr Banks) and Andrew Knight with Jeffrey Walker, Daniel Nettheim and Jonathan Teplitzky (The Railway Man) set to direct. ABC will broadcast the crime story which follows Jack Irish’s life of secrets, scams, romance and mystery.
From the maker of the high-rating INXS biopic, Shine Australia’s Kerrie Mainwaring (Paper Giants, Puberty Blues), comes the remarkable story of Australian icon Peter Allen, the boy from the bush whose talent, determination and drive propelled him to become Hollywood royalty – the only Australian to win an Oscar®, a Grammy and a Golden Globe®. Peter Allen: Not the Boy Next Door will reacquaint audiences with some much-loved tunes from the past. The mini-series was written by Justin Monjo (The Turning) and Michael Miller with Shawn Seet set to direct for the Seven Network.
Children’s favourite underwater fantasy Mako: Islands of Secrets returns with a third series. The usual characters return to defeat a fearsome magical creature threatening the Mako pod. From Jonathan M Shiff Productions and the team behind the popular Mako story-world comes the latest series from writers Mark Shirrefs (story producer), Sam Carroll, Anthony Morris, Phil Enchelmaier and Max Dann. It will be directed by Evan Clarry (Mako Mermaids) and John Hartley (The Doctor Blake Mysteries) for local broadcast on Network Ten and Disney Channel Australia.
Production investment support will be given to six feature films.
A bold new comedy to be directed by award-winning Wayne Blair (The Sapphires, Septembers of Shiraz), Ali’s Wedding is based on true events and written by Andrew Knight and Osamah Sami (Saved). The story follows the son of a Muslim cleric who, caught between his sense of duty and love, tells a lie that unfolds a catastrophic chain of events. Matchbox Productions’ Sheila Jayadev and Helen Panckhurst (Old School, The Straits) will produce the film.
Based on the best-selling novel and successful play by Craig Silvey, Jasper Jones is a coming-of-age murder mystery adapted for the screen by the writer of The Snowtown Murders, Shaun Grant. Porchlight Films’ Vincent Sheehan (Animal Kingdom, The Hunter) and Bunya Productions’ David Jowsey (Mystery Road) will produce and Rachel Perkins (Bran Nue Dae) will direct.
Fandango Australia will make the chilling true story Joe Cinque’s Consolation, a tale about a young law student who announces to friends that suicide is her only escape from an unhappy relationship, but as her sanity spirals downward it becomes clear she has something more sinister in mind. The film will be directed by recent winner of Toronto International Film Festival Best Short Film, Sotiris Dounoukos (A Single Body), who co-wrote the screenplay with Matt Rubinstein. Sue Murray (Charlie’s Country) and Donna Hensler will produce.
Following the completion of his US feature debut, director Greg McLean (Wolf Creek) returns to make Jungle. Based on the true story of best-selling author Yossi Ghinsberg (with Kevin Bacon set to play the Austrian guide Karl), who, after losing his friends in the Amazon, is stranded in the jungle with no tools or skills to survive. It will be produced by Arclight Films’ Dana Lustig, Gary Hamilton (Wolf Creek, Mystery Road), Mike Gabrawy (Resident Evil, Reclaim) and Mark Lazarus (Australian Rules), and written by Justin Monjo (The Turning).
Cameron and Colin Cairnes (100 Bloody Acres) have written and will direct Scare Campaign, a story about a popular prank TV show that decides to up the ante on their shenanigans after a new web series arises which makes their usual tricks look bland – the team goes overboard and pranks the wrong guy. Cyan Films’ Julie Ryan (Tracks, Red Dog) will produce the film.
Taboo is a love story that will give audiences a rare glimpse into the culture of one of the last tribal societies on earth – Tanna Island. The team behind Contact and First Footprints, Bentley Dean and Martin Butler, will produce and direct the film which they have written along with John Collee (Master and Commander, Happy Feet). Contact Films’ Carolyn Johnson (Son of a Lion) is also set to produce the film.
TELEVISION: ADULT DRAMA
THE CODE SERIES 2
Playmaker Media Pty Ltd
Producers Shelley Birse, Di Haddon, David Maher, David Taylor
Director Shawn Seet
Writers Shelley Birse, Sean Cook
Broadcaster ABC
International Sales DCD Rights
Synopsis Did Ned, Jesse and Hani really think they would be able to just stroll away from the shit-storm they unleashed at the end of series 1, a little bruised, but essentially scott-free? As series 2 opens, serious charges are being filed in an American court and Ned and Jesse Banks come face to face with the very real possibility of being extradited to the US. Fortunately for the Banks brothers, the folks in National Security are sitting on a nut they just can’t crack and Jesse Banks might be the man to do it…
THE FAMILY LAW
Matchbox Pictures Pty Ltd
Producers Julie Eckersley, Sophie Miller
Executive Producers Tony Ayres, Debbie Lee
Writers Benjamin Law, Marieke Hardy
Broadcaster SBS
International Sales NBC Universal
Synopsis Welcome to The Family Law. The story of a sprawling Chinese-Australian family who are unlike any you’ve ever met, and yet also disturbingly familiar. Based on the hit memoir, The Family Law is a black comedy series set on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast over one hot summer. Fourteen-year-old Benjamin Law strives for television soap mega-stardom whilst trying to stop his parents from splitting up, usually with disastrous results.
JACK IRISH SERIES
Essential Media and Entertainment Pty Ltd
Producers Ian Collie, Andrew Knight
Directors Jeffrey Walker, Daniel Nettheim, Jonathan Teplitzky
Writers Matt Cameron, Andrew Knight, Andrew Anastasios
Broadcaster ABC
International Sales DCD Rights
Cast Guy Pearce, Marta Dusseldorp
Synopsis Things are on the move for Jack Irish in this gripping new series. He’s offered a scam that could cost him dearly, secrets surround an unexpected romance and his new mysterious client goes missing before he meets her. As well as a major crime story arc, the familiar endearing characters of Jack’s world remain committed to complicating Jack’s life at every turn.
PETER ALLEN: NOT THE BOY NEXT DOOR
Shine Australia Pty Limited
Producer Kerrie Mainwaring
Executive Producer Rory Callaghan
Director Shawn Seet
Writers Justin Monjo, Michael Miller
Broadcaster Seven Network
International Sales Endemol Worldwide Distribution
Synopsis There are few Australian stories as remarkable as Peter Allen’s. The boy from the bush whose talent, determination and drive made him Hollywood royalty and an international household name. The only Australian to win an Oscar®, a Grammy and a Golden Globe®, Allen wrote some of our most iconic songs. He died in 1992 at 48, but his songs and spirit live on – whether on the stage as part of The Boy from Oz or as part of Coldplay’s no. 1 worldwide hit ‘Every Teardrop is a Waterfall’.
TELEVISION: CHILDREN’S DRAMA
MAKO: ISLAND OF SECRETS SERIES 3
Jonathan M Shiff Productions Pty Ltd
Producer Jonathan M Shiff
Executive Producers Jonathan M Shiff, Julia Adams
Writers Mark Shirrefs (Story Producer), Sam Carroll, Anthony Morris, Phil Enchelmaier, Max Dann
Directors Evan Clarry, John Hartley
Broadcasters Network Ten, Disney Channel Australia
International Sales ZDF Enterprises
Cast Isabel Durant, Allie Bertram, Chai Romruen, Gemma Forsyth, Kerith Atkinson
Synopsis The Mako pod is threatened by a fearsome magical creature. Ondina, Mimmi, Sirena, Evie and Zac, together with the newly arrived Chinese mermaid, Weilan, must find a way to defeat it before the pod is destroyed forever.
FEATURE FILMS: PRODUCTION FUNDING
ALI’S WEDDING
Matchbox Productions Pty Ltd
Producers Sheila Jayadev, Helen Panckhurst
Executive Producers Tony Ayres, Michael McMahon, Greg Sitch, Nina Stevenson
Director Wayne Blair
Writers Andrew Knight, Osamah Sami
Australian Distributor Madman Entertainment
International Sales Beta Cinema
Synopsis After a reckless lie sets off a catastrophic chain of events, Ali, the son of a Muslim cleric, finds himself caught between his sense of duty to his family and following his heart. Based on real events, Ali’s Wedding is an irreverent, warm-hearted comedy, and an affectionate and vivid portrait of Islamic life in Australia.
JASPER JONES
Porchlight Films & Bunya Productions
Producers Vincent Sheehan, David Jowsey
Executive Producers Anita Sheehan, Colin McCumstie, Liz Watts, Rebecca O’Brien
Director Rachel Perkins
Writer Shaun Grant
Australian Distributor Madman Entertainment
International Sales Mongrel Media
Synopsis Jasper Jones is a coming-of-age murder mystery based on the best-selling Australian novel by Craig Silvey.
JOE CINQUE’S CONSOLATION
Fandango Australia Pty Ltd
Producers Sue Murray, Donna Hensler
Director Sotiris Dounoukos
Writers Matt Rubinstein, Sotiris Dounoukos
Australian Distributor Titan View
International Sales Urban Distribution International
Synopsis In early 1997, Anu Singh, a beautiful law student at the Australian National University, began to tell people she planned to kill herself. With doctors unable to help, Anu’s engineer boyfriend, Joe Cinque, attempts to get to the bottom of her condition. But as Anu’s mental and emotional state disintegrates, her plans grow more macabre and more public as she convinces fellow student Madhavi to help her. With Joe beginning to understand the true nature of their relationship, Anu starts talking of killing him as revenge for having made her ill. After an elaborate farewell dinner party attended by friends, Anu attempts to kill Joe but fails. She tries again and this time she succeeds, injecting Joe with a lethal dose of heroin. Nobody tried to stop her.
JUNGLE
Arclight Films International Pty Ltd
Producers Dana Lustig, Gary Hamilton, Mike Gabrawy, Mark Lazarus
Director Greg McLean
Writer Justin Monjo
Australian Distributor Umbrella Entertainment
International Sales Arclight Films International
Cast Kevin Bacon
Synopsis Four travellers set off into the heart of the Amazon rainforest, but what begins as a dream adventure quickly deteriorates into an utter nightmare. After a terrible accident, Yossi is forced to survive for weeks alone against one of the most treacherous backdrops on the planet: the Amazon Jungle. Stranded without a knife, map or survival training, he must improvise shelter and forage to survive. After losing all sense of direction, Yossi begins to give up hope, wondering if he will even make it out of the jungle alive. Based on the real story of best-selling author Yossi Ghinsberg.
SCARE CAMPAIGN
Cyan Films Pty Ltd
Producer Julie Ryan
Executive Producer Jonathan Page, Roger Savage, Bryce Menzies
Writer/Directors Cameron Cairnes, Colin Cairnes
Australian Distributor Madman/Bonsai
International Sales Films Distribution
Synopsis Popular prank TV show, Scare Campaign, has been entertaining audiences for the last five years with its mix of old school scares and hidden camera fun. But as we enter a new age of online TV, the producers find themselves up against a new hard-edged web series which makes their show look decidedly quaint. It’s time to up the ante, but will the team go too far this time and are they about to prank the wrong guy?
TABOO
Contact Films Pty Ltd
Producers Martin Butler, Bentley Dean, Carolyn Johnson
Directors Bentley Dean, Martin Butler
Writers John Collee, Bentley Dean, Martin Butler
Cast Mari Matuwa, Mungow Waripe, Marcelline Kowia, Albi Nangia
Australian Distributor Umbrella Entertainment
Synopsis A groundbreaking glimpse into life, love, war and peace in one of the last tribal societies on earth.
Media enquiries
Annaliese Zuzarte T: 02 8113 5833; M: 0404 877 887
annaliese.zuzarte@screenaustralia.gov.au