Screen Australia has announced over $8.1 million in production funding for 15 projects spanning feature film, television and online content. This significant investment reflects Screen Australia’s ongoing commitment to fostering innovative storytelling and content that engages audiences across genres and platforms.
Among the funded projects are Zac Power, a new animated family feature from Flying Bark Productions and Cheeky Little Media, based on the popular book series of the same name; Leviticus, the latest feature from Causeway Films, the production company behind the global breakout success Talk to Me; romantic comedy Love Adjacent; Stan’s psychological thriller series Watching You; and online series Hoops, from the creative team behind the popular TikTok documentary Transathletica.
Screen Australia CEO Deirdre Brennan said, “These latest projects reflect the depth of creative storytelling that defines the Australian screen industry. We support projects that entertain and resonate with audiences. Our aim is to champion authentic local voices and ensure our sector remains at the forefront of global storytelling.”
“For the 2023/24 financial year, Screen Australia invested over $85 million across all 57 funding programs, including over $5.5 million through the First Nations Department, and issued 205 final certificates through the Producer Offset with a total value of $413 million. Demand on Screen Australia support remained high, with the agency supporting just under a third of all applications received. We’ll continue to seek ways to provide impactful support within our limited capacity, prioritising audience connection, industry value and cultural relevance.”
Over the past year, Australian projects demanded global attention with 61 Australian projects selected for international film festivals and events. Amongst those titles, online series Videoland took out Best Comedy series at the prestigious Festival Series Mania, critically acclaimed debut feature Shayda won the Sundance Audience Award, and Furiosa and Australia/Ireland Co-production The Surfer starring Nicholas Cage led the Australian contingent hosting World Premieres at Cannes Film Festival. Funding stories that reflect and connect remains a focus and in 2023/24, the agency supported a breadth of titles that highlight local screen talent including drama series Top End Bub, feature film JIMPA and a new slate of children’s content including DO NOT WATCH THIS SHOW, an animated adaptation of the popular children’s book series by comedian and author Andy Lee.
“Our focus is firmly on the future. We’re building a sustainable screen economy that both adapts and inspires. I’m thrilled by the international recognition of our stories and excited for the pipeline of projects set to release before the end of the year including films Memoir of a Snail and The Moogai, along with series’ Thou Shalt Not Steal, Four Years Later and Plum – I can’t wait for Australians to experience them,” continued Brennan.
Projects funded for production
- Chasing Millions: A crime drama set in Belfast 2004, where Northern Ireland has been at peace for six years, but old enmities and mistrust remain. Chasing Millions tells the story of the biggest bank heist in Irish, British (and Australian) history making reluctant partners of ambitious Australian police officer, Diana, with gruff, veteran Northern Irish detective, Crawford, as they investigate and seek to solve the crime while navigating their way through the minefield of a fragile peace. An official Irish-Australian co-production with Irish director Stephen Burke (Maze) at the helm, based on a script by Stephen Burke and Katherine Thomson (Schapelle, House of Hancock). Producers are Jane Doolan (Maze, Wolf) of Mammoth Films, Ireland and Michael Wrenn (Audrey) of Invisible Republic, Australia. It has received major production investment from Screen Ireland, with local distribution by Bonsai Films and international sales by Level K.
- Displaced: A six-part comedy sci-fi series for YouTube that follows a dysfunctional physicist who is accidentally sent back in time and in the process, tries to fix her future by mentoring her younger self. Displaced is a comedy about depression, queerness, making trouble, healing an inner child, and being seen. It is from writer/director Molly Daniels (The InBESTigators, Wispy), writer/producer Jem Splitter (Galacticare) and producer Rachael Morrow. Displaced is produced and developed in association with VicScreen and financed with support from the Community Broadcasting Foundation.
- Hoops: From the team behind Transathletica on TikTok, Hoops documents the journey of Transgender Basketballer Lexi Rodgers and her fight to be ruled eligible to play with a NBL1 South team. After a major setback in 2023, Lexi spends the year jumping through hoops – determined against all odds to play in the 2024 season. Hoops is from writer/director Hannah McElhinney, writer Rudy Jean Rigg and executive producer Jamie Searle of Transathletica, with Eliza Bone (Letter for the King) producing.
- Leviticus: The latest horror feature film from the production company behind box office hit Talk to Me, Leviticus is the story of two teenage boys living in a conservative Christian community in regional Victoria, Naim and Ryan. When their attraction to each other is identified by the local pastor, the pair are subjected to a conversion ritual which unknowingly releases an entity that terrorises the town. Leviticus is from writer/director Adrian Chiarella (Totally Completely Fine), and producers Hannah Ngo (Latecomers) and Samantha Jennings and Kristina Ceyton of Causeway Films. It is financed in association with Salmira Productions, and developed and produced in association with VicScreen, who is also supporting post, digital and visual effects (PDV). PDV is also supported by Kojo Studio, with local distribution by Maslow Entertainment and international sales by Studio 301 Films.
- Love Adjacent: When food critic Maggie writes a review that causes top chef Ryan’s restaurant to go under, he is forced to retreat back home and start again from scratch. Coincidentally in the same town for her sister’s wedding, Maggie is determined to continue taking down what Ryan is serving up, that is until catastrophe strikes and Maggie desperately needs Ryan’s help to make her sister’s wedding happen. Love Adjacent is a romantic comedy feature film directed by Louise Alston (Back of the Net) and written by Sarah Mayberry (Neighbours) and Christopher Gist (The Broken Shore), with Kate Whitbread (The Caterpillar Wish) and Spencer McLaren (This Little Love of Mine) producing. It is produced in association with VicScreen, with Umbrella Entertainment distributing locally and Film Seekers managing international sales.
- Posthumous: In this drama, horror feature film, Zoe returns to her family home and estranged father to find some semblance of comfort after her life falls apart, but the discovery of a mysterious videotape threatens to undo everything she knew about her deceased mother’s final days and her own birth. Amidst their shared grief, Zoe and her father face a powerful supernatural force as long-buried events are exposed, and must be reckoned with. Posthumous is from writer/director/producer Josh Tanner (Wandering Soul) and writer/producer Jade van der Lei (6 Festivals), with Joel Anderson (Lake Mungo) executive producing. It is funded in association with Screen Queensland. Financed with support from the Gold Coast Screen Incentive, with local distribution by Kismet Movies.
- Saccharine: In this psychological horror feature from Carver Films (Run Rabbit Run), a lovelorn medical student becomes terrorised by a hungry ghost after taking part in an obscure weight-loss craze: eating human ashes. Saccharine is from writer/director/producer Natalie Erika James and producers Anna McLeish and Sarah Shaw, the team behind Relic. It is produced in association with VicScreen, with local distribution by Maslow Entertainment and international sales by XYZ Films.
- Watching You: A six-part gripping psychological thriller for Stan based on J.P Pomare’s novel The Last Guests. Watching You is created for television by Alexei Mizin and Ryan van Dijk and produced by Jason Stephens and Bree-Anne Sykes. Helen Bowden, Cailah Scobie and Alicia Brown are executive producing. It has received major production investment from Stan and is financed with support from Screen NSW through the Made in NSW Fund. Post, digital and visual effects supported by Screen NSW. Financed in association with and distributed by ITV Studios.
- Zac Power: Based on the popular book series of the same name, Zac Power is an animated family feature from Flying Bark Productions (200% Wolf, 100% Wolf) and Cheeky Little Media (Kangaroo Beach, Ginger and the Vegesaurs). Zac Power’s position as the top teenage spy is compromised after a brilliant new agent arrives. When his recklessness allows an ostentatious supervillain to steal a high-tech weapon, Zac is forced to confront his own flaws and team up with his rival. The film is directed by Alexs Stadermann and David Webster and written by Fin Edquist, John Armstrong, Lawrence Leung and Erica Harrison. It is financed in association with the Australian Children’s Television Foundation.
Also announced today are 27 television dramas, 23 feature films and six online projects that will share in over $1.7 million of development funding. Of these, 24 projects have been supported through the Generate Fund, 26 through the Premium Fund and six through the Online Development Fund.
The projects include online action adventure series Amy the Pirate; family music drama feature Piano Mums, following a promising teenage pianist and exploring the power of music and love of family; Skip Ahead project Life of Kea that has been developed into a television drama series; and a second season of the TikTok docuseries Sextistics, which continues to explore the statistics to create a snapshot of gender, sexuality and identity within Australia.
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