Funding Approvals
2022-2023 development funding

PREMIUM

EGGSHELL SKULL
Thirdborn Pty Ltd
Genre Drama
Writer/Director Mia Wasikowska
Producers Nicole O'Donohue, Shaun Grant, Justin Kurzel 
Synopsis Eggshell Skull is a coming of rage story charting a young woman’s journey through the Australian legal system, first as a judge’s associate and then as a complainant seeking justice for a crime that has haunted her since childhood.

MOTHERLESS
Good Thing Productions Company Pty Ltd
Genre Drama, Horror, Gothic Fantasy
Writer/Director Isabel Peppard
Producers Virginia Whitwell, Nick Batzias
Synopsis Raised in her father’s insular art world, Grace has become a strange and cloistered woman, consumed by her job at her father’s gallery, and their oddly intimate relationship.  When a chaotic artist, Kate, is granted a residency, Grace’s ordered facade starts to crumble and she is plagued by visions of a nightmarish clay world. As fantasy and reality collide, Grace is forced to reckon with the monstrous truth of her own identity and the mysterious presence that haunts the gallery.

THE STAR OF THE SEA
Last Cab Productions Pty Ltd
Genre Drama, Western, Mystery
Writer/Director Jeremy Sims
Producers Jeremy Sims, Greg Duffy, Daniel Ostroff
Synopsis Hope is restored to a tiny Tasmanian fishing village when Jan, a stubborn Dutch fisherman at war with himself, his wife and the community around him, has his bleak world-view changed by an apparent ‘Visitation’ by the Virgin Mary…

COOCH
Hannah Barlow
Genre Horror, Science Fiction 
Writer/Directors Hannah Barlow, Kane Senes
Synopsis When Polly, a talented but timid bio-engineer, creates a device capable of hacking the female orgasm, her dream of bettering womankind becomes a nightmare with a tragic climax.

LASER BEAK MAN
Studio B Animation Pty Ltd
Genre Family
Writer Fin Edquist
Producers Su Armstrong, Brian Rosen, Barbara Stephen
Executive Producers Tim Sharp, Nicholas Paine, David Morton
Synopsis Laser Beak Man – superhero and champion of Power City who brings colour to his world has to re-imagine himself when the mischievous Peter Bartman steals his magical colour crystals and trades them for glory to the evil controller, Hewzaplenty, of rival city Jumbopolis, causing Power City to start losing its colour. Laser Beak Man must learn to team up with an odd cast of characters to win the crystals back and return Power City to a world of colour.

FLIP
More Sauce
Genre Action adventure, Comedy, Drama
Director Luke Eve
Writers Alli Parker, Warwick Holt
Producers Luke Eve, Adam Alcabes
Synopsis A gutsy Aussie teen skateboarder joins the world’s top female skaters on a wild bus trip across Australia, as part of the inaugural Women’s World Cup tour, and fights ingrained prejudice and doubts in her quest to become the first Women’s Number One.

THE LONG RIDE
Big and Little Films Pty Ltd 
Genre Drama
Writer Belinda Chayko
Producer Michael McMahon
Synopsis The true story of Bill Conner, who bicycled across the USA to hear his daughter Abbey’s heart beat in the chest of an organ-donor recipient. Abbey Conner died six months earlier and this epic odyssey is Bill’s way of keeping her alive.

THE GREAT DINOSAUR RESCUE
Fnbproductions
Genre Family
Writers Belinda Bradley, Franz Docherty
Producers Belinda Bradley, Franz Docherty
Synopsis For twelve years a pack of animatronic dinosaurs toured the world bringing joy to millions of people while celebrating their ancestors. Where are those rock star dinosaurs now? Scattered around Melbourne, gathering dust in shipping containers, waiting to be destroyed. Every tick of the clock bringing them closer to their extinction. That all changes when ten-year-old Spike hears about it. She grew up with those dinosaurs. They're family. Spike’s determination will not only save the dinosaurs but find them a home!

THE SAVIOUR (WORKING TITLE)
Linda Rachel Royal
Genre Drama, Historical fiction
Writers Nicholas Lathouris, Linda Royal
Co-writer Joshua Lundberg
Producers David Lipman, Linda Royal
Synopsis When a rudderless young woman discovers that her traumatised family has lied to her about her heritage, she is desperate for them to reconnect with the past and travel to Japan to celebrate the stranger who saved their lives during the Holocaust, so they can live despite the fear of persecution. What starts out as a singular mission becomes a rich and complex journey of emotional and cultural connections, reunions and choosing love and life. 

THE GHAN
Triptych Pictures Pty Ltd
Genre Comedy, Drama
Director Jeremy Sims
Writers Joanna Murray-Smith, Emma Jensen
Producers Julie Byrne, Kristian Moliere
Synopsis For this group of travellers, the trip of a lifetime aboard the iconic train The Ghan - a transcontinental odyssey across Australia, from the southern ocean, through the red centre to the tropical north - becomes a journey of personal transformation as they let go of their old identities and, through conflict and laughter, discover brave new versions of themselves more suited for the journey that lies ahead.

PARADISE
Aquarius Films
Genre Drama
Directors Phoenix Raei, Rhys Graham
Writers Abdul Karim Hekmat, Roger Monk
Producers Angie Fielder, Polly Staniford, Osamah Sami
Synopsis Paradise is the true, devastatingly beautiful love story of two young men who meet in offshore detention on Nauru after fleeing persecution. Met with similar hostilities to those they fled in Iran, and facing harsh Australian immigration laws, their epic story is akin to the greatest triumphs in Persian poetry. Fighting for their lives, forced into impossible choices, their story builds to a finale that is a testament to the great power of love.

UNTITLED MATT OKINE PROJECT
Aquarius Films and Wooden Horse
Genre Comedy, Drama
Writer/Director Matt Okine
Producers Angie Fielder, Polly Staniford
Executive Producers Jude Troy, Miranda Culley, Richard Finlayson
Script Editor Stephen Cleary
Synopsis Loosely based on Matt Okine’s experiences of growing up in Brisbane, this film is a journey back to 1998, when 12-year-old Australian-African Mike Amon faces the struggle of entering high school, falling in love for the first time, a rapidly changing body – and learning that his mother has been diagnosed with late-stage cancer.

SQUARE THE CIRCLE
Carver Films Pty Ltd
Genre Drama, Crime, Heist
Director Ana Kokkinos
Writer Jessica Redenbach
Producers Sarah Shaw, Anna McLeish, Ana Kokkinos
Synopsis Three women – a career criminal, an ambitious cop and a daring teenage runaway - are drawn into a dangerous game of high-stake heists and subterfuge that threatens to destroy them all.

THE CHOKE
Roadshow Rough Diamond
Genre Drama
Director Claudia Karvan
Writer Sofie Laguna
Producer John Edwards
Executive Producer Dan Edwards
Synopsis 10-year-old Justine Lee lives in a dangerous world of male violence in the rural underclass on the beautiful banks of the Murray River. Against odds, she triumphs.

SKIPPY
Southern Light Global Entertainment PTY LTD
Genre Comedy, Family, Animation=
Writers Mark Sherrifs, Boori Monte Pryor
Producers Timothy White, Nicholas McCallum
Script Consultants Lark Lee, Georgia White
Synopsis Skippy the bush kangaroo and her best friend, 15-year-old Sonny, agree to act as guides for a Korean teenage band stranded in the outback, in the process they must outsmart some shady locals.

MOST ADMIRED WOMAN
Aquarius Films & Decade Films
Genre Drama
Writer Becca Johnstone
Producers Angie Fielder, Polly Staniford, Ray Quint, Andrew Handelsmann
Synopsis As waves of polio epidemics sweep the world, a fiery bush nurse travels to America with her revolutionary treatment. Scoffed at by the medical fraternity, Sister Kenny fights tooth and nail for her methods to be accepted, only to lose sight of a battle much closer to home.

GENERATE

MELALEUCA
Everyone We Know Pty Ltd
Genre Drama
Director Jess Barclay Lawton
Writer Jess Barclay Lawton
Producers Lizzie Cater, Zef Valdes
Executive Producer Kate Laurie
Synopsis Remy makes a decision to finally get out of Cairns, but when their notoriously elusive mother reappears, they are forced to re-evaluate their choices, relationships and identity.

KINGS
Sweet Shop Green Pty Ltd
Genre Drama
Writer/Director Sione Sisifa
Producer Gal Greenspan
Executive Producer Sharlene George
Script Editor Matthew Dabner
Synopsis When Toby, a talented-but-impressionable young Tongan rugby player, is offered an athletic scholarship to an elite private boys school, his chance at going pro inches closer to reality. But when his efforts to integrate are resisted by his teammates, Toby is faced with a decision: give up his rugby dream... or find a way to continue without sacrificing who he is to get there.  

METHOD TO MADNESS
Silent Assassin Films
Genre Horror, Thriller, Psychological
Director Rachele Wiggins
Writers Rachele Wiggins, Jennifer Van Gessel
Producers Rachele Wiggins, Sandy Stevens
Executive Producers Greg McLean, Kristian Moliere
Synopsis Starlet Anna wins the role of a lifetime, but her director's intentions may not be entirely artistic.

CREATIVE DIFFERENCES
Truce Films
Genre Romantic Comedy, Romance
Director Bec Peniston Bird
Writer Graeme Simsion
Producers Jim Wright, Bec Peniston Bird, Elise Trenorden
Synopsis When an up-and-coming literary writer is roped into re-writing an overconfident amateur writer’s genre novel, the result is a surprise success - critically and commercially - and the pair find themselves at professional and romantic crossroads. It’s structure versus prose and planning versus intuition in this whip-smart romantic comedy from the bestselling author of The Rosie Project.

TOMGIRL
In-Between Pictures Pty Ltd
Genre Drama
Writer/Director Vonne Patiag
Producer Maren Smith
Synopsis Justin, a shy nine-year-old, is bullied at school, much to the shock of his overbearing Filipino mother. When his queer cross-dressing Uncle moves in, Justin begins dressing as a girl, receiving an enchanting crash course in his homeland culture and finds the unexpected superpower in being himself.

SONG OF SONGS
Anita Lester
Genre Drama, Romance
Writer/Director Anita Lester
Producer Jamie Bialkower
Synopsis Over the seven days of mourning following her grandmother’s death, Miriam forms a forbidden connection with a young Rabbi that sets in motion the unravelling of a complex family reckoning with their identities. As she navigates the dynamics of those left behind, and the truth about their matriarch’s controversial past, Miriam’s unexpected feelings for the Rabbi lead her towards a profound personal and spiritual transformation. 

UPLIFT KABUL
Causeway Films HQ Pty Ltd
Genre Drama, Thriller, True Story
Writer/Director Brietta Hague
Producers Samantha Jennings, Kristina Ceyton
Synopsis An Afghan athlete and her family are aided by two Australian women to escape Afghanistan before the country falls under Taliban rule.

ANNA ROBI & THE HOUSE OF DOGS
Maxine Mellor
Genre Comedy, Drama
Director Stef Smith
Writers Maxine Mellor, Stef Smith
Synopsis Luminescent optimist Anna Robi, sole carer for her overbearing mother and their once-pedigree dogs, dreams of romance and independence, but when Anna gets her first startling taste of life and love outside the home, she must choose between the familiar comfort of the whelping box or finally taking off the leash.

10 MOMENTS
Big and Little Films Pty Ltd
Genre Drama
Writers John Sheedy, Neil Triffett, Tim Spencer, Franco di Chiera, Pete McTighe, Brendon McDonall, Alberto Di Troia, Roger Monk, Samuel van Grinsven, Adrian Chiarella
Producers Michael McMahon, Mat Govoni
Synopsis 10 Moments tells the story of a gay male relationship from the moment a couple first meet through to their decision to continue or separate ten years later, using key moments told by an ensemble of gay male writers and directors working in a multiplicity of genres.

MIMESIS
Triptych Pictures Pty Ltd
Genre Drama, Science fiction, Psychological
Director Hannah Hilliard
Writers Hannah Hilliard, Ian Shadwell
Producer Kristian Moliere
Synopsis When gifted computer scientist Beth Francis, resurrects her dead sister in the form of an Artificial Consciousness, she hopes to come to terms with her own grief and heal her relationship with her mother. Once brought to life, the virtual sister struggles with her new identity and draws Beth and her mother into a recreation of the days leading up to her unexplained death, changing their relationship forever.

FIRST LIGHT
Majella Productions PTY LTD
Genre Drama
Writer/Director James J Robinson
Producers Gabrielle Pearson, Jane Pe Aguirre, Joey Romero
Synopsis After dedicating her life to a crumbling convent in the mountains above the Philippines, an elderly nun has her faith uprooted when she witnesses the brutal death of a young construction worker.

TAKE MY HAND
Invisible Republic Pty Ltd
Genre Drama, Comedy
Director Jack Dowdell
Writers Dean Nash, Jack Dowdell
Producer Michael Wrenn
Synopsis Noah, a newly married young professional with Cerebral Palsy is building a life with his wife, Libby. Noah is in advertising and is offered a dream promotion, the only catch is the requirement to play the 'disability card' and take advantage of the disabled community he's always kept himself apart from. This forces him to reconnect with his old university roommate and disabled community activist Toby and his outspoken social media influencer girlfriend, Sonja. As a result, Noah has to reconcile his own feelings and prejudices to other disabled people and face up to himself.

OWNER’S MANUAL: OPERATION & MAINTENANCE OF THE HUMAN BODY
Bradley Slabe
Genre Comedy, Family, Adventure
Writer/Director Bradley Slabe
Synopsis A girl with anxiety rushes to fix herself when she's sucked into her own body, which is a series of clumsily-managed power plants... still under construction.

KHANA
Co-Curious Ltd
Genre Drama, Crime
Writer Arka Das
Executive Producer Annabel Davis
Mentor & Script Advisor Blake Ayshford
Synopsis An ambitious migrant worker Ronny, clocks long hours scrubbing dishes in an Indian restaurant in Sydney’s western suburbs. When he is finally given an opportunity to achieve his dream of becoming a chef, he quickly finds himself drawn into a dark underworld where freedom comes at a hefty price.

OMAR AND DAWN
James Elazzi
Genre Drama
Writer/Director James Elazzi
Producer Andrew Arbuthnot
Executive Producer Lisa Shaunessy
Synopsis Omar, a young gay Lebanese Australian, determined not to return to dangerous sex work and life on the streets, is given one last chance in foster care with an older woman, which challenges and changes their lives forever.

A WAY AWAY
Sweetshop And Green
Genre Drama
Writer/Director Sara Kern
Producer Gal Greenspan
Synopsis 11-year-old Rana is determined to take care of her family following her mother's injury, in an effort to keep an abusive uncle out of their lives.

LOVE IS NOT A VERB
Northern Pictures Pty Ltd
Genre Romantic comedy
Writer Rebecca Sommi Fisher        
Executive Producer Catherine Nebauer
Development Producer Darren Ashton
Synopsis Thomas Carrington, a young man on the autism spectrum is heartbroken when the girl of ‘his dreams’ ends their relationship. Believing that love is a formula that he can solve, and with the help of an eccentric young woman, he embarks on a mission to win her back. He discovers that sometimes you need to let go of rigid ideals to find true happiness.

SCORPIO
Majella Genre Comedy, Drama
Writer Allanah Avalon
Producers Allanah Avalon, Gabrielle Pearson
Synopsis Between sex work, Orthodox Russians, and a rising Melbourne property market, the twenty-something year old Scorpio has a few balls to juggle. To make matters worse, she finds herself pulled in multiple directions; trying to honour the old world Russian values set by her family, while embracing sex, love, and lesbianism for all they’re worth. What results is an irreconcilable cocktail ready to explode in her face, revealing to those around her that there’s more to Scorpio than they know. A comedy / drama, Scorpio traces one young woman's experience dealing with family expectation, and the lies one must keep in order to sustain a double life.

ONE HUNDRED DAYS
Michelle Law
Genre Drama, Horror, Thriller, Psychological
Director Corrie Chen
Writer Michelle Law
Synopsis Based on the critically acclaimed novel by Alice Pung, One Hundred Days is a psychological drama/thriller about motherhood, autonomy, and the frightening singlemindedness of those desperate to protect their loved ones… at any cost.

HEL
Jorrden Daley
Genre Horror, Thriller, Psychological
Writer Jorrden Daley
Producer Jessica Carrera
Synopsis A devout young woman turns to solitary confinement to surrender her life to God, but instead of Salvation, she finds herself in Hell.