The latest round of Screen Australia funding supports a diverse slate of stories that venture across the globe and cater to all kinds of audiences – from family-friendly content like the remake of Australian classic Storm Boy and season two of The Secret Daughter, bold war dramas Jirga and Fighting Season, romantic thriller Andorra, the music biopic Friday On My Mind and sports drama Sunshine.
Seven films and eight television series were approved for production investment funding at the latest Screen Australia board meeting on Friday November 11, totalling more than $15 million in funding. An inspired and contemporary re-imagining of the 1976 classic family film Storm Boy from writer Justin Monjo, director Shawn Seet and Ambience Entertainment producers Michael Boughen and Matthew Street. From Golden Globe winning director Fred Schepisi come Andorra, a romantic thriller with an all-star cast including Guy Pearce and Toni Collette, alongside Gillian Anderson, Clive Owen and Joanna Lumley.
Action-packed crime caper Mr Cranky will reunite director Jonathan Teplitzky with producer Chris Brown and writer Chris Nyst. A further three feature film projects have received conditional funding and will be announced at a later stage. The Bureau of Magical Things, a brand new children’s series for Network Ten from hugely successful children’s content producer Jonathan M. Shiff and Stuart Woo. Fighting Season from Goalpost Pictures for Foxtel, from producer Kylie du Fresne and writer Blake Ayshford. The six-part drama series explores the life of the modern soldier. Two-part ABC biopic miniseries Friday On My Mind by Playmaker Media’s highly successful producing duo David Taylor and David Maher.
SBS drama series Sunshine from Essential Media and Entertainment. Set in a working class suburb of Melbourne, talented basketball player Jacob Chagai lives within the South Sudanese community and dreams of playing for the NBA. Psychological thriller Safe Harbour from Matchbox Pictures for SBS, produced by Stephen Corvini and written by Belinda Chayko, Phil Enchelmaier and Matt Cameron. A further two television projects were also approved and will be announced in the coming months.
