Screen Australia announced almost A$15.5 million investment in three feature projects, five adult drama series, one two-part adult drama telemovie and three children’s series, triggering almost $84 million in production.

Feature projects include writer/director/producer Robert Connolly’s Paper Planes written by Steve Worland and produced by Maggie Miles and Liz Kearney. Producers/writers/directors Amiel Courtin-Wilson and Michael Cody’s new feature Ruin, a low-budget drama set in Cambodia, and acclaimed emerging director Ariel Kleiman’s arthouse drama Partisan were also supported with investment. 

Adult television drama investments include ANZAC Girls, a six-part period drama series produced for the ABC; Catching Milat, a two-part telemovie produced for the Seven Network; SBS’ cult comedy series Danger 5 receives investment for a second season; The Gallipoli Story, a new four-part mini-series produced for Foxtel with Sam Worthington, Penny Win, Michael McMahon, Michael Schwarz and Luca Scalisi set to executive produce; Love Child, an eight-part series for Network Nine; and producers John Edwards and Imogen Banks’s Party Tricks, a new six-part series for Network Ten.

Children’s drama investments include series two of the 26-part live-action adventure In Your Dreams, and a mockumentary children’s comedy series, Little Lunch. Also approved for investment was producer Jonathan M Shiff’s second series of Mako Island of Secrets. The 26-part live action series produced for Network Ten and ZDF Germany.

Screen Australia’s Chief Executive Ruth Harley said, “It’s great to support a feature film for child audiences from such an experienced director as Robert Connolly, alongside two exciting new distinctive films from rising Australian talents.”