A sequel to cult classic The Adventures Of Priscilla Queen Of The Desert in in the works, with the original director and cast on board.
A sequel to the cult classic, The Adventures Of Priscilla Queen Of The Desert is in the works. Thirty years after the original film’s release, it’s also been announced that its cast and writer-director Stephan Elliot are all returning.
Speaking to Deadline, Elliot revealed that a sequel is in the works, saying “I’m not repeating myself, we’ll start the new film in Australia, but by God, we’re going on one helluva journey. The original cast is on board, I’ve got a script that everybody likes, we’re still working out deals. … It’s happening”.
Although nothing is official, Elliot’s statement seems pretty definitive, and confirms that Stamp, Weaving and Pearce are all on board.
The Adventures Of Priscilla...
A sequel to the cult classic, The Adventures Of Priscilla Queen Of The Desert is in the works. Thirty years after the original film’s release, it’s also been announced that its cast and writer-director Stephan Elliot are all returning.
Speaking to Deadline, Elliot revealed that a sequel is in the works, saying “I’m not repeating myself, we’ll start the new film in Australia, but by God, we’re going on one helluva journey. The original cast is on board, I’ve got a script that everybody likes, we’re still working out deals. … It’s happening”.
Although nothing is official, Elliot’s statement seems pretty definitive, and confirms that Stamp, Weaving and Pearce are all on board.
The Adventures Of Priscilla...
- 4/22/2024
- by Jake Godfrey
- Film Stories
The '90s cult classic "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" is getting a sequel 30 years after its initial release. Deadline reports that Stephan Elliott, who directed the original film, is back to direct, write, and produce the follow-up, while the original movie's stars -- Terence Stamp, Guy Pearce, and Hugo Weaving -- are also set to return.
"We're going on one helluva journey," Elliott told Deadline. "The original cast is on board, I've got a script that everybody likes, we're still working out deals. ... It's happening."
The original film follows a trio of drag queens who set off from Sydney in an old school bus they nicknamed Priscilla to perform Abba songs and other disco hits across the scorching deserts of Australia. They encounter various groups along the way and charm them with their glamorous frocks.
The film was a worldwide hit following its Cannes premiere, not...
"We're going on one helluva journey," Elliott told Deadline. "The original cast is on board, I've got a script that everybody likes, we're still working out deals. ... It's happening."
The original film follows a trio of drag queens who set off from Sydney in an old school bus they nicknamed Priscilla to perform Abba songs and other disco hits across the scorching deserts of Australia. They encounter various groups along the way and charm them with their glamorous frocks.
The film was a worldwide hit following its Cannes premiere, not...
- 4/20/2024
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is getting a sequel 30 years later!
The original 1994 film starred Hugo Weaving, Guy Pearce, and Terence Stamp as two drag performers and a transgender woman who travel around the south Australian desert performing cabaret hits.
On Friday (April 19), director Stephan Elliott confirmed the news of a sequel.
Keep reading to find out more…
“I’m not repeating myself, we’ll start the new film in Australia, but by God, we’re going on one helluva journey,” he told Deadline. “The original cast is on board, I’ve got a script that everybody likes, we’re still working out deals. …It’s happening.”
Stephan also explained why he hesitated to make a sequel.
”I just was not sure, I just didn’t want to repeat myself,” he said. “I thought, what am I going to do? Stick them on a cruise ship, stick them on a train?...
The original 1994 film starred Hugo Weaving, Guy Pearce, and Terence Stamp as two drag performers and a transgender woman who travel around the south Australian desert performing cabaret hits.
On Friday (April 19), director Stephan Elliott confirmed the news of a sequel.
Keep reading to find out more…
“I’m not repeating myself, we’ll start the new film in Australia, but by God, we’re going on one helluva journey,” he told Deadline. “The original cast is on board, I’ve got a script that everybody likes, we’re still working out deals. …It’s happening.”
Stephan also explained why he hesitated to make a sequel.
”I just was not sure, I just didn’t want to repeat myself,” he said. “I thought, what am I going to do? Stick them on a cruise ship, stick them on a train?...
- 4/20/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Stephan Elliott says Hugo Weaving, Guy Pearce and Terence Stamp are ‘onboard’ and the sequel will be set partly in Australia but will also head overseas
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A sequel to The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is in the works, director Stephan Elliott has confirmed, with the film’s stars Terence Stamp, Guy Pearce and Hugo Weaving “onboard” to come back.
Elliott confirmed to Guardian Australia that he will serve as director, writer and producer on the sequel and that the script has been finished. The 1994 original starred Weaving, Pearce and Stamp as drag queens who drive a bus – the titular Priscilla – from Sydney to Alice Springs.
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A sequel to The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is in the works, director Stephan Elliott has confirmed, with the film’s stars Terence Stamp, Guy Pearce and Hugo Weaving “onboard” to come back.
Elliott confirmed to Guardian Australia that he will serve as director, writer and producer on the sequel and that the script has been finished. The 1994 original starred Weaving, Pearce and Stamp as drag queens who drive a bus – the titular Priscilla – from Sydney to Alice Springs.
Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning...
- 4/20/2024
- by Sian Cain
- The Guardian - Film News
30 years after the release of “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert,” the cult classic from director Stephan Elliott is getting a sequel. Original trio of stars Terence Stamp, Guy Pearce and Hugo Weaving will return to their roles for the new film.
Elliott will return as director, writer and producer, and is seeking a producing partner for the sequel. The colorful 1994 film follows a transgender woman named Bernadette (Stamp) and two drag queens, Adam Whitely/Felicia Jollygoodfellow (Weaving) and Tick/Mitzi Del Bra (Pearce) as they road trip around the Australian Outback in a bus nicknamed Priscilla.
Plot details for the sequel are still under wraps, but it will feature a grown-up version of Tick’s 7-year-old son from the original flick.
David Stratton praised the film after its premiere at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival in his Variety review, writing, “Although the film doesn’t make concessions to a straight audience,...
Elliott will return as director, writer and producer, and is seeking a producing partner for the sequel. The colorful 1994 film follows a transgender woman named Bernadette (Stamp) and two drag queens, Adam Whitely/Felicia Jollygoodfellow (Weaving) and Tick/Mitzi Del Bra (Pearce) as they road trip around the Australian Outback in a bus nicknamed Priscilla.
Plot details for the sequel are still under wraps, but it will feature a grown-up version of Tick’s 7-year-old son from the original flick.
David Stratton praised the film after its premiere at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival in his Variety review, writing, “Although the film doesn’t make concessions to a straight audience,...
- 4/20/2024
- by Katcy Stephan
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Stephan Elliott, who directed the celebrated cult classic The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, tells this column that a sequel “is happening” and that the original movie’s stars Terence Stamp, Guy Pearce and Hugo Weaving are back “on board” 30 years after the film’s initial release.
“I’m not repeating myself, we’ll start the new film in Australia, but by God, we’re going on one helluva journey,” Elliott reveals.
“The original cast is on board, I’ve got a script that everybody likes, we’re still working out deals. … It’s happening,” he adds with brio.
Since it played a midnight screening in Un Certain Regard at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival, Priscilla has become a byword for glittering, extravagant excess. That was a party night to remember; except I was there and all I can remember is getting back to my hotel at 6 a.
“I’m not repeating myself, we’ll start the new film in Australia, but by God, we’re going on one helluva journey,” Elliott reveals.
“The original cast is on board, I’ve got a script that everybody likes, we’re still working out deals. … It’s happening,” he adds with brio.
Since it played a midnight screening in Un Certain Regard at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival, Priscilla has become a byword for glittering, extravagant excess. That was a party night to remember; except I was there and all I can remember is getting back to my hotel at 6 a.
- 4/19/2024
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
Not long after the 1994 film became a smash hit, the titular bus disappeared. Where did it go? Who had it? And could it be recovered before it was too late?
Thirty years ago, a humble silver bus was transformed into a cinematic icon when the low-budget Australian film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert became a heart-warming, Oscar-winning smash hit.
But for years, no one has known where the bus used in Stephan Elliott’s film went. Not long after the 38-day shoot finished in 1993, it seemingly vanished without a trace. This did not stop countless Australians from claiming they either owned it or knew who owned it, or that they had spotted it somewhere up and down the country.
Thirty years ago, a humble silver bus was transformed into a cinematic icon when the low-budget Australian film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert became a heart-warming, Oscar-winning smash hit.
But for years, no one has known where the bus used in Stephan Elliott’s film went. Not long after the 38-day shoot finished in 1993, it seemingly vanished without a trace. This did not stop countless Australians from claiming they either owned it or knew who owned it, or that they had spotted it somewhere up and down the country.
- 4/11/2024
- by Sian Cain
- The Guardian - Film News
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert premiered to a rapturous, midnight-screening reception at Cannes on May 15, 1994. The tart, feel-good comedy follows a trio of Sydney drag queens — Terrence Stamp, Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce — who travel by bus (that’s Priscilla) to a gig in the Outback, finding their way into hijinks and eye-popping outfits along the way. The film became a crossover sensation and even won an Oscar for its costumes (this despite having a costume budget of approximately $5,000). Its writer-director Stephan Elliott joins THR‘s It Happened in Hollywood podcast this week to reveal all about this making of the comedy classic on the cusp of its 30th birthday. Here are five facinating takeaways from the episode:
Guy Pearce Was Desperate to Shed his Soap Opera Image
Pearce was 26 and well-known to Australian and U.K. audiences at the time as the star of Neighbors, the popular soap,...
Guy Pearce Was Desperate to Shed his Soap Opera Image
Pearce was 26 and well-known to Australian and U.K. audiences at the time as the star of Neighbors, the popular soap,...
- 2/22/2024
- by Seth Abramovitch
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Tina Mabry’s “The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat” has rounded out its cast with the addition of Kyanna Simone (“American Horror Stories”), Tati Gabrielle (“You”), Abigail Achiri (“The Underground Railroad”), Julian McMahon, Vondie Curtis-Hall (“Blue Bayou”) and Tony Winters (“National Champions”) as Big Earl.
Uzo Aduba, Aunjanue Ellis and Sanaa Lathan lead the movie, based on Edward Kelsey Moore’s 2013 bestselling novel, playing best friends affectionally dubbed “The Supremes.” According to the film’s synopsis, the trio — Clarice, Odette and Barbara Jean — “have weathered life’s storms together for two generations through marriage and children, happiness and the blues,” and they “find their paths at a crossroads that test their lifelong bond.” Simone, Gabrielle and Achiri will play younger versions of Ellis, Lathan and Aduba’s characters, respectively.
Russell Hornsby and Mekhi Phifer also star in the Searchlight Pictures movie, which has begun principal photography in North Carolina.
In...
Uzo Aduba, Aunjanue Ellis and Sanaa Lathan lead the movie, based on Edward Kelsey Moore’s 2013 bestselling novel, playing best friends affectionally dubbed “The Supremes.” According to the film’s synopsis, the trio — Clarice, Odette and Barbara Jean — “have weathered life’s storms together for two generations through marriage and children, happiness and the blues,” and they “find their paths at a crossroads that test their lifelong bond.” Simone, Gabrielle and Achiri will play younger versions of Ellis, Lathan and Aduba’s characters, respectively.
Russell Hornsby and Mekhi Phifer also star in the Searchlight Pictures movie, which has begun principal photography in North Carolina.
In...
- 10/13/2022
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Iconic Events Releasing is kicking off Pride Month on June 2 with a nationwide rerelease of MGM’s Oscar-winning movie The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
Released in 1994, the Stephan Elliott directed and written title starred Terence Stamp, Hugo Weaving, and Guy Pearce as a trio of performers who take their drag show on the road to perform at a small -town casino in the middle of the Australian desert, and for a host of locals throughout the rural Outback. The movie featured stellar Oscar-winning costumes by Lizzy Gardiner (who stole the Oscar show with a dress made out of 254 American Express Gold cards) and Tim Chappel with a soundtrack that included such classics as Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” and Abba’s “Mamma Mia,”. The pic is known for blazing a trail on the big screen for its LGBT themes, becoming a landmark title in LGBT cinema.
Released in 1994, the Stephan Elliott directed and written title starred Terence Stamp, Hugo Weaving, and Guy Pearce as a trio of performers who take their drag show on the road to perform at a small -town casino in the middle of the Australian desert, and for a host of locals throughout the rural Outback. The movie featured stellar Oscar-winning costumes by Lizzy Gardiner (who stole the Oscar show with a dress made out of 254 American Express Gold cards) and Tim Chappel with a soundtrack that included such classics as Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” and Abba’s “Mamma Mia,”. The pic is known for blazing a trail on the big screen for its LGBT themes, becoming a landmark title in LGBT cinema.
- 5/10/2022
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
‘Never Too Late’ (Photo credit: Bradley Patrick).
Blue Fox Entertainment has bought the Us rights to Mark Lamprell’s Never Too Late and will release the comedy-drama on about 25 screens, followed by transactional VOD two weeks later.
That’s the distributor’s third Aussie acquisition following Stephan Elliott’s Swinging Safari and Russell Mulcahy’s In Like Flynn last year.
Starring Jack Thompson, James Cromwell, Dennis Waterman and Roy Billing as Vietnam veterans who plan to break out of their nursing home, the film scripted by Luke Preston will open the Young at Heart Senior Film Festival at Palace cinemas across Australia on February 19.
It will play each day for a couple of weeks in the festival then go out on a broader national release on April 23 via R&r Films.
Jacki Weaver plays Norma, the long-lost love of Cromwell’s character Bronson, formerly a Us soldier whom she met...
Blue Fox Entertainment has bought the Us rights to Mark Lamprell’s Never Too Late and will release the comedy-drama on about 25 screens, followed by transactional VOD two weeks later.
That’s the distributor’s third Aussie acquisition following Stephan Elliott’s Swinging Safari and Russell Mulcahy’s In Like Flynn last year.
Starring Jack Thompson, James Cromwell, Dennis Waterman and Roy Billing as Vietnam veterans who plan to break out of their nursing home, the film scripted by Luke Preston will open the Young at Heart Senior Film Festival at Palace cinemas across Australia on February 19.
It will play each day for a couple of weeks in the festival then go out on a broader national release on April 23 via R&r Films.
Jacki Weaver plays Norma, the long-lost love of Cromwell’s character Bronson, formerly a Us soldier whom she met...
- 2/11/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
In this smart, lovable gem, now rereleased, a trans woman and two drag queens kick up the dust in Australia’s outback
Terence Stamp had his finest hour with this movie, which incidentally allowed me to “get” Terence Stamp, while at the same wondering – as he deadpanned his role alongside Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce squeezing every last outrageous drop from theirs – whether Stamp completely “got” what was happening himself.
In 1994, writer-director Stephan Elliott created a pioneering Lgbt gem with this funny, smart and intensely lovable road-trip comedy – an anti-Crocodile Dundee. It’s about Tick (Weaving) and Adam (Pearce), Australian drag-queen short of cash who journey from Sydney to Alice Springs where Tick’s estranged straight wife, Marion (Sarah Chadwick), has got them a gig performing in a hotel lounge. This they do in a converted bus that they rename Priscilla and have to repaint, to cover the homophobic graffiti...
Terence Stamp had his finest hour with this movie, which incidentally allowed me to “get” Terence Stamp, while at the same wondering – as he deadpanned his role alongside Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce squeezing every last outrageous drop from theirs – whether Stamp completely “got” what was happening himself.
In 1994, writer-director Stephan Elliott created a pioneering Lgbt gem with this funny, smart and intensely lovable road-trip comedy – an anti-Crocodile Dundee. It’s about Tick (Weaving) and Adam (Pearce), Australian drag-queen short of cash who journey from Sydney to Alice Springs where Tick’s estranged straight wife, Marion (Sarah Chadwick), has got them a gig performing in a hotel lounge. This they do in a converted bus that they rename Priscilla and have to repaint, to cover the homophobic graffiti...
- 6/7/2019
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
"What was going through our poor, misguided heads?" Blue Fox Entertainment has debuted a new official Us trailer for an Australian comedy titled Swinging Safari, which was released over there last year. We ran the first trailer in late 2017, it's just now getting a Us release this summer. The saucy coming-of-age film is set in the 70's in Australia. "It's a time of boxed wine, bad hair, bad styles, bad choices, but good times." The story follows a group of adults who get into the sexual revolution after a beached blue whale shows up, but it's also about their kids and what they experienced at the same time. Swinging Safari has an impressive ensemble: Guy Pearce, Kylie Minogue, Radha Mitchell, Julian McMahon, Asher Keddie, Jeremy Sims, and Jack Thompson. If you're looking for a swinging good time, this wild film is definitely for you. Here's the new Us trailer (+ Us...
- 5/9/2019
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Events include a panel on crowdfunding.
The BFI Flare Lgbtq+ Film Festival has announced the industry programme for its 2019 edition, which runs from March 21-31.
‘The Makers’, a series of one-to-one interviews with individuals who have made a major contribution to Lgbtq+ film and television, will feature sessions with Israeli filmmaker Tomer Heymann (Jonathan Agassi Saved My Life), and the UK’s Pratibha Parmar (Alice Walker: Beauty In Truth) and Kristiene Clarke (The Truth About Gay Sex).
Panel events include ‘Standing out from the Crowd(fund)’, a discussion about how crowdfunding can be used for Lgbtq+ work, with filmmakers...
The BFI Flare Lgbtq+ Film Festival has announced the industry programme for its 2019 edition, which runs from March 21-31.
‘The Makers’, a series of one-to-one interviews with individuals who have made a major contribution to Lgbtq+ film and television, will feature sessions with Israeli filmmaker Tomer Heymann (Jonathan Agassi Saved My Life), and the UK’s Pratibha Parmar (Alice Walker: Beauty In Truth) and Kristiene Clarke (The Truth About Gay Sex).
Panel events include ‘Standing out from the Crowd(fund)’, a discussion about how crowdfunding can be used for Lgbtq+ work, with filmmakers...
- 3/19/2019
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
WestEnd Films has closed North American and European deals on “Swinging Safari,” Stephan Elliott’s Australian comedy. Blue Fox has taken U.S. and Canada rights and will release the film theatrically early this summer.
Elliott wrote and directed the film, which is set in mid-1970s Australia and stars Guy Pearce (“Iron Man 3”) and Kylie Minogue (“Moulin Rouge!”).
It is set in the beach suburb of Dee Why. When the town suddenly hits the spotlight after the body of a 200-ton whale is washed ashore, teenagers Jeff and Melly think it’s the biggest thing that’s ever happened in their lives. Meanwhile, their eccentric parents are catching up with the sexual revolution that has also washed up on Australia’s beaches.
The U.S. deal was negotiated by Blue Fox Entertainment’s Todd Slater with WestEnd Films’ Maya Amsellem negotiating on behalf of the filmmakers.
WestEnd has...
Elliott wrote and directed the film, which is set in mid-1970s Australia and stars Guy Pearce (“Iron Man 3”) and Kylie Minogue (“Moulin Rouge!”).
It is set in the beach suburb of Dee Why. When the town suddenly hits the spotlight after the body of a 200-ton whale is washed ashore, teenagers Jeff and Melly think it’s the biggest thing that’s ever happened in their lives. Meanwhile, their eccentric parents are catching up with the sexual revolution that has also washed up on Australia’s beaches.
The U.S. deal was negotiated by Blue Fox Entertainment’s Todd Slater with WestEnd Films’ Maya Amsellem negotiating on behalf of the filmmakers.
WestEnd has...
- 1/31/2019
- by Stewart Clarke
- Variety Film + TV
Film was previously called Flammable Children.
UK sales outfit WestEnd Films has scored a raft of deals on Swinging Safari, Stephan Elliott’s comedy starring Kylie Minogue and Guy Pearce, which was previously titled Flammable Children.
Blue Fox Entertainment has taken North America rights – the company is planning to release the film theatrically in early Summer 2019.
Rights have now also gone for Benelux (One2See Movies), Germany (Lighthouse Entertainment) and Greece (Spentzos). Previous deals were done for the UK (Thunderbird), France (Swift), Italy (Lucky Red), Spain (Twelve Oaks), Switzerland (Frenetic), Scandinavia (Sandrew), and the Middle East (Ecs).
Swinging Safari is...
UK sales outfit WestEnd Films has scored a raft of deals on Swinging Safari, Stephan Elliott’s comedy starring Kylie Minogue and Guy Pearce, which was previously titled Flammable Children.
Blue Fox Entertainment has taken North America rights – the company is planning to release the film theatrically in early Summer 2019.
Rights have now also gone for Benelux (One2See Movies), Germany (Lighthouse Entertainment) and Greece (Spentzos). Previous deals were done for the UK (Thunderbird), France (Swift), Italy (Lucky Red), Spain (Twelve Oaks), Switzerland (Frenetic), Scandinavia (Sandrew), and the Middle East (Ecs).
Swinging Safari is...
- 1/31/2019
- by Tom Grater
- ScreenDaily
Guy Pearce in ‘Jack Irish.’
Aquarius Films’ Angie Fielder and Polly Staniford have taken over as the producers of Guy Pearce’s directorial debut Poor Boy, in which he will also star.
When Screen Australia announced funding for the project in March Wildheart Films’ Al Clark and Andrena Finlay were listed as the producers.
Written by Matt Cameron and based on his play of the same name, the paranormal mystery-drama follows a boy who announces to his family on his seventh birthday that he is a stranger named Danny – a grown man who died seven years earlier.
Clark, who is still attached as an executive producer, tells If his decision to withdraw as producer was “prompted by a fundamental difference of perception. My involvement has changed to reflect this.”
Staniford tells If: “Angie and I are now producing and Al is still involved as an Ep. Happy to chat further...
Aquarius Films’ Angie Fielder and Polly Staniford have taken over as the producers of Guy Pearce’s directorial debut Poor Boy, in which he will also star.
When Screen Australia announced funding for the project in March Wildheart Films’ Al Clark and Andrena Finlay were listed as the producers.
Written by Matt Cameron and based on his play of the same name, the paranormal mystery-drama follows a boy who announces to his family on his seventh birthday that he is a stranger named Danny – a grown man who died seven years earlier.
Clark, who is still attached as an executive producer, tells If his decision to withdraw as producer was “prompted by a fundamental difference of perception. My involvement has changed to reflect this.”
Staniford tells If: “Angie and I are now producing and Al is still involved as an Ep. Happy to chat further...
- 10/17/2018
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
You know you're watching a film that revels in its own bad taste when it casually pans past a magazine cover touting Karen Carpenter's new wonder diet. Crass, colorful and hanging together by the barest of threads, Swinging Safari is the new comedy from Stephan Elliott, reuniting here with Guy Pearce, who starred in the director's 1994 smash, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Set in 1975 and loosely inspired by Elliott's childhood, it also reunites Pearce and Kylie Minogue (Holy Motors), whose careers began together on the iconic local soap Neighbours.
Like that show, Swinging Safari is set mostly on one street....
Like that show, Swinging Safari is set mostly on one street....
- 2/22/2018
- by Harry Windsor
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Director Stephan Elliott and Minogue talk about the making of the Priscilla director’s latest risqué take on Australian culture
Kylie Minogue appears as you have never seen her before in the rambunctious Australian comedy Swinging Safari: as an alcoholic agoraphobic living in a sex-obsessed neighbourhood.
“I loved the script, and I thought this is so exciting – I can be back in Australia, I can do some acting again,” Minogue tells Guardian Australia.
Continue reading...
Kylie Minogue appears as you have never seen her before in the rambunctious Australian comedy Swinging Safari: as an alcoholic agoraphobic living in a sex-obsessed neighbourhood.
“I loved the script, and I thought this is so exciting – I can be back in Australia, I can do some acting again,” Minogue tells Guardian Australia.
Continue reading...
- 1/17/2018
- by Luke Buckmaster
- The Guardian - Film News
From Hotel Mumbai, which stars Patel, to Jennifer Kent’s next film, 2018 is looking good for Australian cinema
Australian cinema in 2017 presented a range of weird and sensational visions, from stunning snow-tipped mountains to a feral and murderous Stephen Curry. This year’s outlook looks similarly eclectic, from zombies to iconic animals and escaped convicts.
Looking further ahead than January, this list of films to look out for in 2018 does not include Samson and Delilah director Warwick Thornton’s second masterpiece Sweet Country, nor the director Stephan Elliott’s terrific, acidic suburban satire Swinging Safari (which opens this week).
Continue reading...
Australian cinema in 2017 presented a range of weird and sensational visions, from stunning snow-tipped mountains to a feral and murderous Stephen Curry. This year’s outlook looks similarly eclectic, from zombies to iconic animals and escaped convicts.
Looking further ahead than January, this list of films to look out for in 2018 does not include Samson and Delilah director Warwick Thornton’s second masterpiece Sweet Country, nor the director Stephan Elliott’s terrific, acidic suburban satire Swinging Safari (which opens this week).
Continue reading...
- 1/15/2018
- by Luke Buckmaster
- The Guardian - Film News
Nothing is sacred in the delirious comedy from Priscilla’s Stephan Elliott – a sex romp that simultaneously celebrates and denigrates Aussie culture
If you watched the gloriously ‘Strayan trailer for the writer/director Stephan Elliott’s Swinging Safari, you might have assumed all the kooky bits were plucked out to make an outrageously cockeyed, slaphappy promo.
I can assure you the actual film is 10 times as batshit crazy as the marketing materials suggest.
Continue reading...
If you watched the gloriously ‘Strayan trailer for the writer/director Stephan Elliott’s Swinging Safari, you might have assumed all the kooky bits were plucked out to make an outrageously cockeyed, slaphappy promo.
I can assure you the actual film is 10 times as batshit crazy as the marketing materials suggest.
Continue reading...
- 12/12/2017
- by Luke Buckmaster
- The Guardian - Film News
From RedBand.Ca, Sneak Peek restricted 'red band' footage from the comedy/drama feature "Swinging Safari" (aka "Flammable Children"), written, directed by Stephan Elliott, starring Kylie Minogue, Guy Pearce and Radha Mitchell:
"...a teenager comes of age in a small Australian town during the 1970's when a 200-ton blue whale gets washed up on a local beach..."
Cast also includes Julian McMahon, Darcey Wilson, Asher Keddie, Jack Thompson, Atticus Robb, James Calder, Ethan Robinson and Ava Taylor.
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Swinging Safari"...
"...a teenager comes of age in a small Australian town during the 1970's when a 200-ton blue whale gets washed up on a local beach..."
Cast also includes Julian McMahon, Darcey Wilson, Asher Keddie, Jack Thompson, Atticus Robb, James Calder, Ethan Robinson and Ava Taylor.
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Swinging Safari"...
- 11/17/2017
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
To celebrate the first look at Guy Pearce and Kylie Minogue’s new 70s-style comedy, here are some of the raunchy romps that made it possible
The first trailer for the writer/director Stephan Elliott’s new film Swinging Safari (formerly titled Flammable Children) hit the net this week, reuniting Neighbours alumni Guy Pearce and Kylie Minogue. Even by Elliott’s standards (his best-known films are Priscilla: Queen of the Desert and Welcome to Woop Woop) it is completely batshit crazy, depicting a view of the 70s rife with booze, sun, surf and sex.
The “swinging” in the title refers to the non-dancing kind. There are visions of kink aplenty, positioning the film in a pantheon of raunchy Australian comedies and/or what-the-hell-were-they-thinking feats of cinematic impropriety. This type of film exploded in the 1970s and 80s, after the country’s pernicious censorship laws were relaxed a little and...
The first trailer for the writer/director Stephan Elliott’s new film Swinging Safari (formerly titled Flammable Children) hit the net this week, reuniting Neighbours alumni Guy Pearce and Kylie Minogue. Even by Elliott’s standards (his best-known films are Priscilla: Queen of the Desert and Welcome to Woop Woop) it is completely batshit crazy, depicting a view of the 70s rife with booze, sun, surf and sex.
The “swinging” in the title refers to the non-dancing kind. There are visions of kink aplenty, positioning the film in a pantheon of raunchy Australian comedies and/or what-the-hell-were-they-thinking feats of cinematic impropriety. This type of film exploded in the 1970s and 80s, after the country’s pernicious censorship laws were relaxed a little and...
- 11/8/2017
- by Luke Buckmaster
- The Guardian - Film News
"Why were they doing that to each other?" Becker Film Group has debuted the trailer for an Australian comedy titled Swinging Safari, which is about some kids growing up in the wild, wacky 70's in Australia. "It's a time of boxed wine, bad hair, bad styles, bad choices, but good times." The story follows a group of adults who get into the sexual revolution after a beached blue whale shows up, but it's also about their kids and what they experienced during the year. Swinging Safari has a great ensemble cast: Guy Pearce, Kylie Minogue, Radha Mitchell, Julian McMahon, Asher Keddie, Jeremy Sims, and Jack Thompson. This looks goofy in all the wrong ways, but maybe it's the right kind of wrong we all need right now. Enjoy. Here's the first official trailer for Stephan Elliott's Swinging Safari, direct from YouTube: 1970s Australia: A 200-ton blue whale washes up...
- 11/6/2017
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
The Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert director Stephan Elliott reunites former daytime soap co-stars Guy Pearce and Kylie Minogue - who had early success on Australian hit Neighbors before going on to international success - for upcoming 1970s set coming of age comedy Swinging Safari and it looks like an absolute blast has been had by all. 1970s Australia: A 200-ton blue whale washes up on a local beach and the kids think it’s the biggest thing that’s ever happened in their lives. Behind closed doors, the Mums and Dads of this quiet suburban cul-de-sac celebrate in their own special way, by joining the sexual revolution. It’s a time of boxed wine, bad hair, bad styles, bad choices, but good times. And like...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 11/6/2017
- Screen Anarchy
It’s been a long time since Guy Pearce and Kylie Minogue delivered daytime intrigue on the soap opera “Neighbors,” but the duo are finally back together with “Swinging Safari.” It’s a big, very broad comedy, which perhaps isn’t surprising given that Stephan Elliott (“The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert“) is behind the camera.
Co-starring Radha Mitchell, Julian McMahon, Asher Keddie, Jeremy Sims, and Jack Thompson, the film brings audiences the swinging, no-rules ’70s to tell a coming of age story that unfolds in a not-so-quiet suburb.
Continue reading ‘Swinging Safari’ Trailer: Guy Pearce & Kylie Minogue Shake Up The ’70s at The Playlist.
Co-starring Radha Mitchell, Julian McMahon, Asher Keddie, Jeremy Sims, and Jack Thompson, the film brings audiences the swinging, no-rules ’70s to tell a coming of age story that unfolds in a not-so-quiet suburb.
Continue reading ‘Swinging Safari’ Trailer: Guy Pearce & Kylie Minogue Shake Up The ’70s at The Playlist.
- 11/6/2017
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Formerly titled Flammable Children, the upcoming comedy from writer/director Stephan Elliott (The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and Welcome to Woop Woop) reunites Minogue with her former Neighbours co-star and takes a sepia-tinted look at 1970s Australia: the sun, the surf, the swimmers ... and the swinging. Filmed on the Gold Coast, and with more than a few traces of Puberty Blues, the coming-of-age film follows what happens to three neighbouring families on a quiet suburban cul-de-sac when an extraordinary event shakes up their lives. Swinging Safari's cast includes Asher Keddie, Julian McMahon, Radha Mitchell and Jeremy Sims, and will be released on 18 January 2018
Continue reading...
Continue reading...
- 11/6/2017
- The Guardian - Film News
'Jasper Jones', released in March, is the third highest grossing Aussie film this year..
There was a lull in Australian films released theatrically in June so the total grosses for local titles this year have.only ticked up to $42.95 million.
Even so, that is a vast improvement on the paltry 2016 calendar year total of $24.1 million.
No high-profile Aussie title is confirmed to open in the next few months so the 2017 scorecard may not go far beyond $50 million.—.unless there are one or two breakouts or more films are added to the slate.
Umbrella Entertainment is launching Descent into the Maelstrom, a documentary about the Australian band Radio Birdman from brothers Mark and Jonathan Sequeira, on July 20.
Madman is releasing Jeffrey Walker.s comedy Ali.s Wedding in August and Jen Peedom.s documentary Mountain in September, while Transmission has dated Karina Holden.s marine doco Blue for October.
There was a lull in Australian films released theatrically in June so the total grosses for local titles this year have.only ticked up to $42.95 million.
Even so, that is a vast improvement on the paltry 2016 calendar year total of $24.1 million.
No high-profile Aussie title is confirmed to open in the next few months so the 2017 scorecard may not go far beyond $50 million.—.unless there are one or two breakouts or more films are added to the slate.
Umbrella Entertainment is launching Descent into the Maelstrom, a documentary about the Australian band Radio Birdman from brothers Mark and Jonathan Sequeira, on July 20.
Madman is releasing Jeffrey Walker.s comedy Ali.s Wedding in August and Jen Peedom.s documentary Mountain in September, while Transmission has dated Karina Holden.s marine doco Blue for October.
- 6/30/2017
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
'Lion' leads this year's Aussie films, and now ranks as the fifth highest grossing Australian film of all time..
The Australian films released theatrically so far this year have grossed $42.6 million.—.nearly double the meagre 2016 calendar year total of $24.1 million.
The resurgence for Australian cinema has been led by Garth Davis. Lion (Transmission), the stand-out with $29.5 million.
Launched on Boxing Day 2016, Kriv Stenders. Red Dog :True Blue has earned $5.8 million this year, not a terrible result for Roadshow Films but below industry expectations.
Rachel Perkins. Jasper Jones (Madman) brought in $2.66 million and Jeffrey Walker.s Dance Academy: The Movie (StudioCanal) made $2.1 million.
None of the other 37 films tracked by the Motion Picture Distributors Association of Australia (which includes holdovers from previous years) has cracked $1 million.
However the market share for Aussie films this year will be a marked improvement on 2016.s 1.9 per cent, which was a sharp...
The Australian films released theatrically so far this year have grossed $42.6 million.—.nearly double the meagre 2016 calendar year total of $24.1 million.
The resurgence for Australian cinema has been led by Garth Davis. Lion (Transmission), the stand-out with $29.5 million.
Launched on Boxing Day 2016, Kriv Stenders. Red Dog :True Blue has earned $5.8 million this year, not a terrible result for Roadshow Films but below industry expectations.
Rachel Perkins. Jasper Jones (Madman) brought in $2.66 million and Jeffrey Walker.s Dance Academy: The Movie (StudioCanal) made $2.1 million.
None of the other 37 films tracked by the Motion Picture Distributors Association of Australia (which includes holdovers from previous years) has cracked $1 million.
However the market share for Aussie films this year will be a marked improvement on 2016.s 1.9 per cent, which was a sharp...
- 5/30/2017
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
A Few Best Men was greeted as ‘unreleasable’ by a critic in 2012 but went on to make $1.8m at the box office. Will its sequel do the same?
Greeted with a tsunami of bad reviews when it opened in January 2012, director Stephan Elliott’s riotous wedding-gone-wrong comedy A Few Best Men plays, at the peak of its bed-soiling powers, like an Australian version of The Hangover.
It’s the kind of film where a character suddenly finds themselves with a hand up a cross-dressing ram’s anus, a scene or two after smoking weed from a bong made out of an apple juice bottle.
Continue reading...
Greeted with a tsunami of bad reviews when it opened in January 2012, director Stephan Elliott’s riotous wedding-gone-wrong comedy A Few Best Men plays, at the peak of its bed-soiling powers, like an Australian version of The Hangover.
It’s the kind of film where a character suddenly finds themselves with a hand up a cross-dressing ram’s anus, a scene or two after smoking weed from a bong made out of an apple juice bottle.
Continue reading...
- 3/8/2017
- by Luke Buckmaster
- The Guardian - Film News
(l-r).Xavier Samuel, Kris Marshall, Shane Jacobson and Kevin Bishop.
The boys are back in 'A Few Less Men', the sequel to Stephan Elliott's 2011 comedy 'A Few Best Men'..If spoke to producer Tania Chambers, a newcomer to the franchise, about jumping onboard, raising the cash and the challenges of shooting in the desert.
'A Few Less Men' opens nationally on March 9 via StudioCanal.
How did you get involved in A Few Less Men?
When I was CEO at Screen Nsw, A Few Best Men was one of the films we financed. So I got to know the producing team. The premiere of the film was shortly after I left Screen Nsw, and I decided that I.d been involved in some of the hard yakka getting the film made and I may as well celebrate with them. They asked what my plans were,...
The boys are back in 'A Few Less Men', the sequel to Stephan Elliott's 2011 comedy 'A Few Best Men'..If spoke to producer Tania Chambers, a newcomer to the franchise, about jumping onboard, raising the cash and the challenges of shooting in the desert.
'A Few Less Men' opens nationally on March 9 via StudioCanal.
How did you get involved in A Few Less Men?
When I was CEO at Screen Nsw, A Few Best Men was one of the films we financed. So I got to know the producing team. The premiere of the film was shortly after I left Screen Nsw, and I decided that I.d been involved in some of the hard yakka getting the film made and I may as well celebrate with them. They asked what my plans were,...
- 3/2/2017
- by Harry Windsor
- IF.com.au
(l-r).Xavier Samuel, Kris Marshall, Shane Jacobson and Kevin Bishop.
The boys are back in 'A Few Less Men', the sequel to Stephan Elliott's 2011 comedy 'A Few Best Men'..If spoke to producer Tania Chambers, a newcomer to the franchise, about jumping onboard, raising the cash and the challenges of shooting in the desert.
'A Few Less Men' opens nationally on March 9 via StudioCanal.
How did you get involved in A Few Less Men?
When I was CEO at Screen Nsw, A Few Best Men was one of the films we financed. So I got to know the producing team. Shortly after I left Screen Nsw was the premiere of the film, and I decided that I.d been involved in some of the hard yakka getting the film made and I may as well celebrate with them. They asked what my plans were,...
The boys are back in 'A Few Less Men', the sequel to Stephan Elliott's 2011 comedy 'A Few Best Men'..If spoke to producer Tania Chambers, a newcomer to the franchise, about jumping onboard, raising the cash and the challenges of shooting in the desert.
'A Few Less Men' opens nationally on March 9 via StudioCanal.
How did you get involved in A Few Less Men?
When I was CEO at Screen Nsw, A Few Best Men was one of the films we financed. So I got to know the producing team. Shortly after I left Screen Nsw was the premiere of the film, and I decided that I.d been involved in some of the hard yakka getting the film made and I may as well celebrate with them. They asked what my plans were,...
- 3/2/2017
- by Harry Windsor
- IF.com.au
Exclusive: Comedy reunites Australian stars for first time since Neighbours.
Screen can reveal the first look image of Kylie Minogue and Guy Pearce in Stephan Elliott’s (The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert) comedy Flammable Children, which reunites the Australian duo on screen for the first time since they starred in hit TV series Neighbours in the late 1980’s.
Currently in post-production, the movie follows a teenager coming of age in a small Australian town during the 1970s when a 200-ton blue whale gets washed up on a local beach.
Minogue and Pearce play eccentric parents catching up with the sexual revolution.
The film also stars Radha Mitchell (Man On Fire), Julian McMahon (Nip/Tuck), Asher Keddie (Wolverine) and Jeremy Sims (Idiot Box).
Produced by Al Clark (Chopper) and Jamie Hilton (The Little Death), crew includes production designer Colin Gibson (Mad Max: Fury Road), Oscar-winning costume designer Lizzy Gardiner (Hacksaw Ridge) and hair and make-up...
Screen can reveal the first look image of Kylie Minogue and Guy Pearce in Stephan Elliott’s (The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert) comedy Flammable Children, which reunites the Australian duo on screen for the first time since they starred in hit TV series Neighbours in the late 1980’s.
Currently in post-production, the movie follows a teenager coming of age in a small Australian town during the 1970s when a 200-ton blue whale gets washed up on a local beach.
Minogue and Pearce play eccentric parents catching up with the sexual revolution.
The film also stars Radha Mitchell (Man On Fire), Julian McMahon (Nip/Tuck), Asher Keddie (Wolverine) and Jeremy Sims (Idiot Box).
Produced by Al Clark (Chopper) and Jamie Hilton (The Little Death), crew includes production designer Colin Gibson (Mad Max: Fury Road), Oscar-winning costume designer Lizzy Gardiner (Hacksaw Ridge) and hair and make-up...
- 2/9/2017
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Comedy reunites Australian stars for first time since Neighbours.
Screen can reveal the first look image of Kylie Minogue and Guy Pearce in Stephan Elliott’s (The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert) comedy Flammable Children, which reunites the Australian duo on screen for the first time since they starred in hit TV series Neighbours in the late 1980’s.
Currently in post-production, the movie follows a teenager coming of age in a small Australian town during the 1970s when a 200-ton blue whale gets washed up on a local beach.
Minogue and Pearce play eccentric parents catching up with the sexual revolution.
The film also stars Radha Mitchell (Man On Fire), Julian McMahon (Nip/Tuck), Asher Keddie (Wolverine) and Jeremy Sims (Idiot Box).
Produced by Al Clark (Chopper) and Jamie Hilton (The Little Death), crew includes production designer Colin Gibson (Mad Max: Fury Road), Oscar-winning costume designer Lizzy Gardiner (Hacksaw Ridge) and hair and make-up...
Screen can reveal the first look image of Kylie Minogue and Guy Pearce in Stephan Elliott’s (The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert) comedy Flammable Children, which reunites the Australian duo on screen for the first time since they starred in hit TV series Neighbours in the late 1980’s.
Currently in post-production, the movie follows a teenager coming of age in a small Australian town during the 1970s when a 200-ton blue whale gets washed up on a local beach.
Minogue and Pearce play eccentric parents catching up with the sexual revolution.
The film also stars Radha Mitchell (Man On Fire), Julian McMahon (Nip/Tuck), Asher Keddie (Wolverine) and Jeremy Sims (Idiot Box).
Produced by Al Clark (Chopper) and Jamie Hilton (The Little Death), crew includes production designer Colin Gibson (Mad Max: Fury Road), Oscar-winning costume designer Lizzy Gardiner (Hacksaw Ridge) and hair and make-up...
- 2/9/2017
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling lay on the charm in Whiplash director Damien Chazelle’s magical love letter to the golden age of Hollywood
The Australian film-maker Stephan Elliott once jokingly told me that he’d made The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert to bring screen musicals back from the grave into which Xanadu had put them. Yet despite reports of their death, musicals have never gone away, providing the backbone of the movie business in key territories such as India, and regularly flourishing elsewhere across the globe. In 2008, Phyllida Lloyd’s film of the Abba-fest Mamma Mia! became a record-breaking UK hit (paving the way for Sunshine on Leith et al), while stage-to-screen adaptations, from Chicago to Les Misérables, have consistently charmed Oscar voters in America.
Alongside Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge!, early 21st-century cinema has given us everything from Lars von Trier’s Dancer in the Dark...
The Australian film-maker Stephan Elliott once jokingly told me that he’d made The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert to bring screen musicals back from the grave into which Xanadu had put them. Yet despite reports of their death, musicals have never gone away, providing the backbone of the movie business in key territories such as India, and regularly flourishing elsewhere across the globe. In 2008, Phyllida Lloyd’s film of the Abba-fest Mamma Mia! became a record-breaking UK hit (paving the way for Sunshine on Leith et al), while stage-to-screen adaptations, from Chicago to Les Misérables, have consistently charmed Oscar voters in America.
Alongside Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge!, early 21st-century cinema has given us everything from Lars von Trier’s Dancer in the Dark...
- 1/15/2017
- by Mark Kermode, Observer film critic
- The Guardian - Film News
Joy Factory Gallery/Cinema, is a nonprofit Visual Arts Center that pairs art and movies, seeks to support and advance the careers of exceptional artists with cognitive and developmental disabilities and to provide employment in its studio/gallery/cinema for emerging adults. Founded in 2015 by industry veteran and former agent Bobbi Thompson, its third Pop Up Art & Movie Show is showcasing Stay Peculiar,The Tim Burton Fan Art & Tribute exhibition and a pre-release screening of the outrageous fest fave, “The Lure” a crazy Polish musical with gays, lesbians and flesh eating mermaids which premiered last year at Sundance it where won an award for “Unique Vision” and has just been acquired by Janus Films.The Lure by Agnieszka Smoczyńska
Read Sundance Interview with director Agnieszka Smoczyńska here.
Bobbi Thompson is known for nurturing the careers of James Cameron, Tim Burton, Ang Lee, Gus van Sant and Trey Parker and for...
Read Sundance Interview with director Agnieszka Smoczyńska here.
Bobbi Thompson is known for nurturing the careers of James Cameron, Tim Burton, Ang Lee, Gus van Sant and Trey Parker and for...
- 1/5/2017
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Xavier Samuel in Spin Out.
He might not be a household name just yet, but Xavier Samuel has seemingly endless projects in the pipeline. If talks to the actor about the purple patch that's seen him star in every other Aussie film this year.
Scan the title credits of this year.s Aussie films and you.ll notice one name popping up again and again: Xavier Samuel.
From the titular character in Miff opener The Death and Life of Otto Bloom, to the lead in Marc Gracie and Tim Ferguson.s B&S ball rom-com Spin Out and in the upcoming sequel to 2011.s Few Best Men, A Few Less Men — Samuel.s having a busy year.
He.s also the lead in David Pulbrook.s thriller Bad Blood — currently in post — and will feature alongside Hugo Weaving in the ABC.s anticipated six-part series Seven Types of Ambiguity.
Despite...
He might not be a household name just yet, but Xavier Samuel has seemingly endless projects in the pipeline. If talks to the actor about the purple patch that's seen him star in every other Aussie film this year.
Scan the title credits of this year.s Aussie films and you.ll notice one name popping up again and again: Xavier Samuel.
From the titular character in Miff opener The Death and Life of Otto Bloom, to the lead in Marc Gracie and Tim Ferguson.s B&S ball rom-com Spin Out and in the upcoming sequel to 2011.s Few Best Men, A Few Less Men — Samuel.s having a busy year.
He.s also the lead in David Pulbrook.s thriller Bad Blood — currently in post — and will feature alongside Hugo Weaving in the ABC.s anticipated six-part series Seven Types of Ambiguity.
Despite...
- 10/25/2016
- by Jackie Keast
- IF.com.au
Xavier Samuel in Spin Out.
He might not be a household name just yet, but Xavier Samuel has seemingly endless projects in the pipeline. If talks to the actor about the purple patch that's seen him star in every other Aussie film this year.
Scan the title credits of this year.s Aussie films and you.ll notice one name popping up again and again: Xavier Samuel.
From the titular character in Miff opener The Death and Life of Otto Bloom, to the lead in Marc Gracie and Tim Ferguson.s B&S ball rom-com Spin Out and in the upcoming sequel to 2011.s Few Best Men, A Few Less Men — Samuel.s having a busy year.
He.s also the lead in David Pulbrook.s thriller Bad Blood — currently in post — and will feature alongside Hugo Weaving in the ABC.s anticipated six-part series Seven Types of Ambiguity.
Despite...
He might not be a household name just yet, but Xavier Samuel has seemingly endless projects in the pipeline. If talks to the actor about the purple patch that's seen him star in every other Aussie film this year.
Scan the title credits of this year.s Aussie films and you.ll notice one name popping up again and again: Xavier Samuel.
From the titular character in Miff opener The Death and Life of Otto Bloom, to the lead in Marc Gracie and Tim Ferguson.s B&S ball rom-com Spin Out and in the upcoming sequel to 2011.s Few Best Men, A Few Less Men — Samuel.s having a busy year.
He.s also the lead in David Pulbrook.s thriller Bad Blood — currently in post — and will feature alongside Hugo Weaving in the ABC.s anticipated six-part series Seven Types of Ambiguity.
Despite...
- 10/25/2016
- by Jackie Keast
- IF.com.au
The 5th Annual Key West Film Festival has announced its official 2016 lineup, including the opening night film, “20th Century Women,” directed by Mike Mills and starring Annette Bening, Elle Fanning, Greta Gerwig and Billy Crudup. As part of the festival’s signature Critics Focus program, MTV’s Chief Film Critic Amy Nicholson will present and lead a conversation around the film, alongside David Fear, Senior Film/TV Editor of Rolling Stone.
Director of Programming Michael Tuckman said of Nicholson’s pick, “I could not be more thrilled with Amy Nicholson’s choice of ’20th Century Women’ to kick off our 5th Anniversary edition of festival. Annette Bening’s performance is Oscar-deserving and the rich depth of the balance of the leading cast is Altman-esque in its quality. Amy’s discussion after the film will bring a cunning critic’s eye to this fabulous film for audiences.”
Read More: ’20th Century...
Director of Programming Michael Tuckman said of Nicholson’s pick, “I could not be more thrilled with Amy Nicholson’s choice of ’20th Century Women’ to kick off our 5th Anniversary edition of festival. Annette Bening’s performance is Oscar-deserving and the rich depth of the balance of the leading cast is Altman-esque in its quality. Amy’s discussion after the film will bring a cunning critic’s eye to this fabulous film for audiences.”
Read More: ’20th Century...
- 10/19/2016
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Sam Neill, Sue Milliken, Anthony Buckley (Photo credit: Peter Jackson).
The 71st Australian International Movie Convention wrapped last week, with a delegation of just over 1,000 converging on the Gold Coast for the five-night-four-day convention.
Seven features screened at Aimc, including three Australian films: Don.t Tell — attended by cast members Jack Thompson Am, Rachel Griffiths, Sara West, Gyton Grantley, Martin Sacks and Robert Coleby; Jasper Jones — introduced by director Rachel Perkins; and Transmission's Oscar contender Lion — attended by mother and son Sue and Saroo Brierley, on whose story the film is based.
Sam Neill followed in the footsteps of Jack Thompson, winning the Aimc Lifetime Achievement award, and used the occassion to read out amusing testimonials from the likes of Bryan Brown, Rob Sitch and John Cleese congratulating him on his award..
Neill.s Hunt for the Wilderpeople director Taika Waititi watched on, fresh from the set of Thor: Ragnarok,...
The 71st Australian International Movie Convention wrapped last week, with a delegation of just over 1,000 converging on the Gold Coast for the five-night-four-day convention.
Seven features screened at Aimc, including three Australian films: Don.t Tell — attended by cast members Jack Thompson Am, Rachel Griffiths, Sara West, Gyton Grantley, Martin Sacks and Robert Coleby; Jasper Jones — introduced by director Rachel Perkins; and Transmission's Oscar contender Lion — attended by mother and son Sue and Saroo Brierley, on whose story the film is based.
Sam Neill followed in the footsteps of Jack Thompson, winning the Aimc Lifetime Achievement award, and used the occassion to read out amusing testimonials from the likes of Bryan Brown, Rob Sitch and John Cleese congratulating him on his award..
Neill.s Hunt for the Wilderpeople director Taika Waititi watched on, fresh from the set of Thor: Ragnarok,...
- 10/17/2016
- by Staff Writer
- IF.com.au
Sam Neill, Sue Milliken, Anthony Buckley (Photo credit: Peter Jackson).
The 71st Australian International Movie Convention wrapped last week, with a delegation of just over 1,000 converging on the Gold Coast for the five-night-four-day convention.
Seven features screened at Aimc, including three Australian films: Don.t Tell — attended by cast members Jack Thompson Am, Rachel Griffiths, Sara West, Gyton Grantley, Martin Sacks and Robert Coleby; Jasper Jones — introduced by director Rachel Perkins; and Transmission's Oscar contender Lion — attended by mother and son Sue and Saroo Brierley, on whose story the film is based.
Sam Neill followed in the footsteps of Jack Thompson, winning the Aimc Lifetime Achievement award, and used the occassion to read out amusing testimonials from the likes of Bryan Brown, Rob Sitch and John Cleese congratulating him on his award..
Neill.s Hunt for the Wilderpeople director Taika Waititi watched on, fresh from the set of Thor: Ragnarok,...
The 71st Australian International Movie Convention wrapped last week, with a delegation of just over 1,000 converging on the Gold Coast for the five-night-four-day convention.
Seven features screened at Aimc, including three Australian films: Don.t Tell — attended by cast members Jack Thompson Am, Rachel Griffiths, Sara West, Gyton Grantley, Martin Sacks and Robert Coleby; Jasper Jones — introduced by director Rachel Perkins; and Transmission's Oscar contender Lion — attended by mother and son Sue and Saroo Brierley, on whose story the film is based.
Sam Neill followed in the footsteps of Jack Thompson, winning the Aimc Lifetime Achievement award, and used the occassion to read out amusing testimonials from the likes of Bryan Brown, Rob Sitch and John Cleese congratulating him on his award..
Neill.s Hunt for the Wilderpeople director Taika Waititi watched on, fresh from the set of Thor: Ragnarok,...
- 10/17/2016
- by Staff Writer
- IF.com.au
Stephan Elliott is directing the 1970s-set feature.
Australian director Stephan Elliott’s 1970s-set comedy Flammable Children will begin principal photography on Australia’s Gold Coast on Oct 17.
Set against the backdrop of a typical Australian beachside neighbourhood in the height of the 70s, the ensemble comedy takes a nostalgic look at an era of “careless parenting, constant sunburn and unsupervised activities”.
The film reunites Elliott with producer Al Clark of Wildheart Films, actor Guy Pearce and many of the crew on his 1994 breakout hit The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert.
Clark is producing with Jamie Hilton of See Pictures
Other members of the ensemble cast include Kylie Minogue, Radha Mitchell, Asher Keddie, Julian McHacon and Jeremy Sims.
Newcomers in the roles of the main teenagers include Atticus Robb and Darcey Wilson (The Dressmaker).
“When I was finally ready to write it, this script jumped out of my head fully formed - so I appreciate having...
Australian director Stephan Elliott’s 1970s-set comedy Flammable Children will begin principal photography on Australia’s Gold Coast on Oct 17.
Set against the backdrop of a typical Australian beachside neighbourhood in the height of the 70s, the ensemble comedy takes a nostalgic look at an era of “careless parenting, constant sunburn and unsupervised activities”.
The film reunites Elliott with producer Al Clark of Wildheart Films, actor Guy Pearce and many of the crew on his 1994 breakout hit The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert.
Clark is producing with Jamie Hilton of See Pictures
Other members of the ensemble cast include Kylie Minogue, Radha Mitchell, Asher Keddie, Julian McHacon and Jeremy Sims.
Newcomers in the roles of the main teenagers include Atticus Robb and Darcey Wilson (The Dressmaker).
“When I was finally ready to write it, this script jumped out of my head fully formed - so I appreciate having...
- 10/10/2016
- ScreenDaily
Stephan Elliott (left).
Principal photography will start next Monday October 17 on Flammable Children, the latest film from writer-director Stephan Elliott.
Asher Keddie (Offspring), Julian McMahon (Nip/Tuck) and Jeremy Sims join the previously announced cast of Guy Pearce, Kylie Minogue and Radha Mitchell.
Newcomers Atticus Robb and Darcey Wilson (The Dressmaker) will play the lead teenagers.
Shooting on the Gold Coast, Flammable Children see Elliott reunited with many who worked with him on The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert — including Pearce and producer Al Clark.
Clark, of Wildheart Films, will produce alongside Jamie Hilton of See Pictures.
Flammable Children is set an Australian beachside neighbourhood in the height of a 1970s summer.. The comedy is described as .a love letter to a world of careless parenting, constant sunburn and unsupervised activities..
The film also boasts an impressive crew, including Oscar winning production designer Colin Gibson, (Mad Max: Fury Road), Oscar winning costume designer,...
Principal photography will start next Monday October 17 on Flammable Children, the latest film from writer-director Stephan Elliott.
Asher Keddie (Offspring), Julian McMahon (Nip/Tuck) and Jeremy Sims join the previously announced cast of Guy Pearce, Kylie Minogue and Radha Mitchell.
Newcomers Atticus Robb and Darcey Wilson (The Dressmaker) will play the lead teenagers.
Shooting on the Gold Coast, Flammable Children see Elliott reunited with many who worked with him on The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert — including Pearce and producer Al Clark.
Clark, of Wildheart Films, will produce alongside Jamie Hilton of See Pictures.
Flammable Children is set an Australian beachside neighbourhood in the height of a 1970s summer.. The comedy is described as .a love letter to a world of careless parenting, constant sunburn and unsupervised activities..
The film also boasts an impressive crew, including Oscar winning production designer Colin Gibson, (Mad Max: Fury Road), Oscar winning costume designer,...
- 10/10/2016
- by Staff Writer
- IF.com.au
Independent producer Andrena Finlay runs Wildheart Films with her husband, producer Al Clark (The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert)..
They are currently in pre-production with Jamie Hilton's See Pictures on Stephan Elliott's Flammable Children, starring Guy Pearce, Radha Mitchell and Kylie Minogue.
Finlay most recently produced Mark Lamprell's Goddess in 2013..
Separate to her day job as a producer, she's now starting a new consultancy business called Screen Arts. Business. Consulting (Screen ABC)..
Finlay is kicking things off with two producing workshops — October 15 and October 29 — aimed at demystifying the process of financing feature films.
The workshops will cover creating finance plans, recoupment waterfalls, understanding investors (Workshop 1 — Oct 15), and how to navigate through the myriad of transaction documents required before a producer can even get cashflow (Workshop 2 — Oct 29)..
The first workshop will zero in on two case studies: a $2.5 million Screen Australia traditionally-financed production and a low budget feature,...
They are currently in pre-production with Jamie Hilton's See Pictures on Stephan Elliott's Flammable Children, starring Guy Pearce, Radha Mitchell and Kylie Minogue.
Finlay most recently produced Mark Lamprell's Goddess in 2013..
Separate to her day job as a producer, she's now starting a new consultancy business called Screen Arts. Business. Consulting (Screen ABC)..
Finlay is kicking things off with two producing workshops — October 15 and October 29 — aimed at demystifying the process of financing feature films.
The workshops will cover creating finance plans, recoupment waterfalls, understanding investors (Workshop 1 — Oct 15), and how to navigate through the myriad of transaction documents required before a producer can even get cashflow (Workshop 2 — Oct 29)..
The first workshop will zero in on two case studies: a $2.5 million Screen Australia traditionally-financed production and a low budget feature,...
- 9/27/2016
- by Harry Windsor
- IF.com.au
(l-r):.Kevin Bishop,.Xavier Samuel and.Kris Marshall.in A Few Less Men.
A Few Less Men, the sequel to Stephan Elliott's 2011 comedy A Few Best Men, was helmed by Mark Lamprell, the screenwriter of Babe: Pig in the City and director of 2000's My Mother Frank and 2013's Goddess.
Lamprell came on board after reading the script by Dean Craig (Death at a Funeral), who wrote the original film.
"It was lovely working on somebody else's screenplay because it was a really solid screenplay structurally," Lamprell said. "I could see that there was a really good movie in there. Dean's a very accomplished writer. The whole guts of it were laid out before me.".
Lamprell, who got his start at Kennedy Miller making Bts documentaries such as The Making of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985), describes A Few Less Men as "a silly comedy.".
"It's not high-brow wit.
A Few Less Men, the sequel to Stephan Elliott's 2011 comedy A Few Best Men, was helmed by Mark Lamprell, the screenwriter of Babe: Pig in the City and director of 2000's My Mother Frank and 2013's Goddess.
Lamprell came on board after reading the script by Dean Craig (Death at a Funeral), who wrote the original film.
"It was lovely working on somebody else's screenplay because it was a really solid screenplay structurally," Lamprell said. "I could see that there was a really good movie in there. Dean's a very accomplished writer. The whole guts of it were laid out before me.".
Lamprell, who got his start at Kennedy Miller making Bts documentaries such as The Making of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985), describes A Few Less Men as "a silly comedy.".
"It's not high-brow wit.
- 6/23/2016
- by Harry Windsor
- IF.com.au
Xavier Samuel, Kris Marshall and Kevin Bishop in A Few Less Men.
Arclight Films have released a first look at A Few Less Men, the sequel to 2011's A Few Best Men..
The new film sees Goddess' Mark Lamprell taking over directing duties from Priscilla's Stephan Elliot, and will be released by StudioCanal in Australia and Nz.
The film was produced by Laurence Malkin, Tania Chambers and Share Stallings and written by Dean Craig (Death at a Funeral), and footage is currently being screened to buyers in Cannes.
.From a talented group of filmmakers with a proven track record of delivering strong, entertaining stories with broad appeal, A Few Less Men is sure to satisfy audiences in Australia and abroad", said StudioCanal Australia and New Zealand Chief Executive Elizabeth Trotman..
"Here at StudioCanal we are so pleased to be on board and are looking forward to developing an exciting campaign.
Arclight Films have released a first look at A Few Less Men, the sequel to 2011's A Few Best Men..
The new film sees Goddess' Mark Lamprell taking over directing duties from Priscilla's Stephan Elliot, and will be released by StudioCanal in Australia and Nz.
The film was produced by Laurence Malkin, Tania Chambers and Share Stallings and written by Dean Craig (Death at a Funeral), and footage is currently being screened to buyers in Cannes.
.From a talented group of filmmakers with a proven track record of delivering strong, entertaining stories with broad appeal, A Few Less Men is sure to satisfy audiences in Australia and abroad", said StudioCanal Australia and New Zealand Chief Executive Elizabeth Trotman..
"Here at StudioCanal we are so pleased to be on board and are looking forward to developing an exciting campaign.
- 5/15/2016
- by Staff Writer
- IF.com.au
Sam Neill and Adrien Brody in Backtrack.
After making his name in the early noughties producing hundreds of music videos, See Pictures. Jamie Hilton is now one of Australia.s most prominent producers with an impressive slate including Breath, Flammable Children and OtherLife.
His recent Australian release, Backtrack, directed by Michael Petroni, starring Adrien Brody and Sam Neill, is also set for a limited theatrical run at Palace Cinemas after playing internationally at festivals including Tribeca Film Festival.
Hilton tells If distributor, Madman, had decided it was the best path to commercialise the film in Australia.
.I believe that means we have shorter windows to go to premium VOD and cable television and free to air faster than the normal 120 days required than if you do a full scale release,. he said.
.We are really looking forward to it coming to Palace Cinemas and to a wider variety of platforms as shortly after as we can manage. That strategy is to get it to a wide as possible audience. We think the film will have a strong and long life on lots of platforms and it.s great that Palace has partnered with us for a bit of an exclusive theatrical run before we get the movie out there to a wider audience on visual platforms..
Backtrack has been sold in more than 60 countries. Hilton also is now nearing the end of the Breath shoot (with two weeks to go),.Flammable Children (Guy Pearce, Radha Mitchell)..is in pre-production and OtherLife is in post.
Despite Hilton.s seemingly swift rise to the top of the Australian film producer pile, it was music which kickstarted his career.
Simon Baker as Sando with Samsom Coulter (Pikelet) and Ben Spence (Loonie) in Breath.
.I went to university, to Uts,. he said. .There was a lot of people who wanted to be directors and there was a lot of people who wanted to be cinematographers and I guess I was lucky enough to be able to pick the directors that I thought were the most talented and I got quite a lot made when I was at university outside of the university slate.
.I never really wanted to get into advertising, but I loved music so I got into music videos and made about 120 music clips for some of the biggest bands in Australia and a couple of international ones.
Hilton said his company was one of the biggest music video companies in Australia between 2002 and 2006.
.I was chasing my tail doing music clips,. he said. .I felt like I was going to work in the morning, I was doing two music clips a week. I thought it.s time to move on and make a film..
In 2007, Hilton took a chance and threw himself into producing his first film, Waiting City, starring Joel Edgerton, Radha Mitchell and directed by Claire McCarthy with an estimated budget of $3 million.
.Waiting City was the jump to film. We got it up and shot it. I had been working towards it for a long time. Same as it is now, you try and find the most talented people that you know and support them to tell their stories and tell stories with them. In this case Claire McCarthy was a good friend of mine.
.I just thought: .who is the most talented person I know that is likely to get a movie up?. and Claire was the first phone call.
.I think a lot of emerging producers try to think of it like a business and it is but when you.re doing your first movie you really have to focus, you really have to pick a horse that you believe is going to run and just focus on it.
.Just get one made. Because once you get once made, you know how to do it and then you can start thinking about it like a business. Claire and I teamed up and we worked pretty tirelessly on that project for a couple of years and it.s hard to make a living but we managed to both focus exclusively on that project for a couple of years and we got it up and both of us are doing fairly well now..
McCarthy has just signed on to direct Ophelia, starring Daisy Ridley(Star Wars: The Force Awakens), while Hilton has executive producer credits on.Wyrmwood and Sleeping Beauty.
Jamie Hilton.
He also produced The Little Death and is in development on Sierra — the story of Greenpeace co-founder, Paul Watson, who breaks from the organization and takes to the high seas in an attempt to sink the notorious whaling ship, the Sierra, by any means necessary.
.Linking up with Petroni for Backtrack was another step forward for Hilton.s production ambitions.
.I started working with Michael in 2009,. he said. .I actually made a short film with Michael in 2002 and had been hassling Michael for a long time. I had to make my first feature Waiting City before he actually thought it was a good idea to team up and he had Backtrack in his top drawer.
.I read the script in 2009 when I started working with Michael. We were going to set it up back then and we got busy with Narnia and his other movie the Book Thief and we had to wait until he finished both of those films before we could set it up here. It was pretty easy to put together because his reputation precedes him and the script was very strong.
.It was taut and intense and intelligent. It was just a really new twist on a genre I hadn.t seen before and I thought it was a very intelligent screenplay..
The development phase was also relatively painless on Backtrack, according to Hilton.
.When you have a really talented director like Michael involved it.s certainly less hands on for a producer,. he said.
.We did a little bit of development as far as setting the movie here in Australia, but nothing substantial, the bones of the screenplay were already there.
.His first movie was about the ghosts from the past that haunt us and I guess Backtrack was almost a scary version of similar material about the past coming back to haunt us. It.s seemed to be a different take or lens for similar material that he explored in his first movie.
The film was originally set in North America but was reset to Melbourne and shot in Sydney and regional Nsw.
It was funded by Screen Australia, Headgear Films (UK), Bankside, Deluxe and Screen Nsw.
.Backtrack came together relatively quickly once we had a window where Michael was available to do it,. Hilton said.
.We were already financed before we had Adrien so securing him was a real boon. It all came together relatively smoothly. Everybody responded really positively to the script. People often talk about how difficult the filmmaking process can be. It was a real pleasure to work on Backtrack. Michael has very clear of vision. He knew what he wanted, he.s a great communicator and we assembled a great team of crew and cast and I think it went very well..
He said Oscar winner, Brody, was a true artist.
.He is very nuanced, he.s a lovely guy as well. For him he takes his work very seriously. I think he did a really wonderful Australian accent and I think he played the subtleties.. he is just so easy to watch.
.The premise of the movie is about a guy trying to remember what happened and you need a face that you can really hold on to and obviously he has got a lot going on behind his eyes. I think he.s immensely watchable and it was a real pleasure to watch him work..
The shoot was six weeks, three days and a lot of nights.
.There.s always major challenges if you are always trying to get it done in the time that you have in the budget that you have. We were able to deliver it on time and on budget..
Producer Mark Johnson.
When selecting a project, Hilton said there were a few things he looks for.
.In the first instance it.s qualitative. Is this material of a high quality and are the people involved, are they either the right emerging talent to support or are they experienced and would I like to work with them? The second is can I get this made?
.You spend a long time developing something and you certainly don.t want to put too much time into developing things that you don.t feel like you can get financed in the marketplace, so it.s a combination of those two things.
.Story is also very important, as producers and anyone involved in film really, we are storytellers and we.re trying to get a sense of both qualitative and what the substance or the essence of the story is. Those are the three things that are important for me..
With Breath in mid-flight and OtherLife set for release later this year, Hilton is excited about the future.
.eOne will release OtherLife in Australia and we are just in the final stages of post-production and I.m a huge Ben Lucas fan and looking forward to bringing that out.
.Flammable Children - obviously Stephan Elliott and Al Clarke, Colin Gibson, who is the recent production designer on Mad Max just and won the Oscar; Lizzie Gardner who won her Academy Award for Priscilla. It.s a pretty experienced team and we.re the new kids on the block so it.s great to be working with those people..
Hilton is producing the adaptation of Tim Winton.s novel Breath, shot in Denmark, Western Australia, with Oscar winning producer Mark Johnson (Breaking Bad, The Notebook, Rain Man).
.That.s one of the most exciting parts, working with Mark and his development team,. he said. .It.s been a real privilege and something I would like to repeat..
.
.
.
After making his name in the early noughties producing hundreds of music videos, See Pictures. Jamie Hilton is now one of Australia.s most prominent producers with an impressive slate including Breath, Flammable Children and OtherLife.
His recent Australian release, Backtrack, directed by Michael Petroni, starring Adrien Brody and Sam Neill, is also set for a limited theatrical run at Palace Cinemas after playing internationally at festivals including Tribeca Film Festival.
Hilton tells If distributor, Madman, had decided it was the best path to commercialise the film in Australia.
.I believe that means we have shorter windows to go to premium VOD and cable television and free to air faster than the normal 120 days required than if you do a full scale release,. he said.
.We are really looking forward to it coming to Palace Cinemas and to a wider variety of platforms as shortly after as we can manage. That strategy is to get it to a wide as possible audience. We think the film will have a strong and long life on lots of platforms and it.s great that Palace has partnered with us for a bit of an exclusive theatrical run before we get the movie out there to a wider audience on visual platforms..
Backtrack has been sold in more than 60 countries. Hilton also is now nearing the end of the Breath shoot (with two weeks to go),.Flammable Children (Guy Pearce, Radha Mitchell)..is in pre-production and OtherLife is in post.
Despite Hilton.s seemingly swift rise to the top of the Australian film producer pile, it was music which kickstarted his career.
Simon Baker as Sando with Samsom Coulter (Pikelet) and Ben Spence (Loonie) in Breath.
.I went to university, to Uts,. he said. .There was a lot of people who wanted to be directors and there was a lot of people who wanted to be cinematographers and I guess I was lucky enough to be able to pick the directors that I thought were the most talented and I got quite a lot made when I was at university outside of the university slate.
.I never really wanted to get into advertising, but I loved music so I got into music videos and made about 120 music clips for some of the biggest bands in Australia and a couple of international ones.
Hilton said his company was one of the biggest music video companies in Australia between 2002 and 2006.
.I was chasing my tail doing music clips,. he said. .I felt like I was going to work in the morning, I was doing two music clips a week. I thought it.s time to move on and make a film..
In 2007, Hilton took a chance and threw himself into producing his first film, Waiting City, starring Joel Edgerton, Radha Mitchell and directed by Claire McCarthy with an estimated budget of $3 million.
.Waiting City was the jump to film. We got it up and shot it. I had been working towards it for a long time. Same as it is now, you try and find the most talented people that you know and support them to tell their stories and tell stories with them. In this case Claire McCarthy was a good friend of mine.
.I just thought: .who is the most talented person I know that is likely to get a movie up?. and Claire was the first phone call.
.I think a lot of emerging producers try to think of it like a business and it is but when you.re doing your first movie you really have to focus, you really have to pick a horse that you believe is going to run and just focus on it.
.Just get one made. Because once you get once made, you know how to do it and then you can start thinking about it like a business. Claire and I teamed up and we worked pretty tirelessly on that project for a couple of years and it.s hard to make a living but we managed to both focus exclusively on that project for a couple of years and we got it up and both of us are doing fairly well now..
McCarthy has just signed on to direct Ophelia, starring Daisy Ridley(Star Wars: The Force Awakens), while Hilton has executive producer credits on.Wyrmwood and Sleeping Beauty.
Jamie Hilton.
He also produced The Little Death and is in development on Sierra — the story of Greenpeace co-founder, Paul Watson, who breaks from the organization and takes to the high seas in an attempt to sink the notorious whaling ship, the Sierra, by any means necessary.
.Linking up with Petroni for Backtrack was another step forward for Hilton.s production ambitions.
.I started working with Michael in 2009,. he said. .I actually made a short film with Michael in 2002 and had been hassling Michael for a long time. I had to make my first feature Waiting City before he actually thought it was a good idea to team up and he had Backtrack in his top drawer.
.I read the script in 2009 when I started working with Michael. We were going to set it up back then and we got busy with Narnia and his other movie the Book Thief and we had to wait until he finished both of those films before we could set it up here. It was pretty easy to put together because his reputation precedes him and the script was very strong.
.It was taut and intense and intelligent. It was just a really new twist on a genre I hadn.t seen before and I thought it was a very intelligent screenplay..
The development phase was also relatively painless on Backtrack, according to Hilton.
.When you have a really talented director like Michael involved it.s certainly less hands on for a producer,. he said.
.We did a little bit of development as far as setting the movie here in Australia, but nothing substantial, the bones of the screenplay were already there.
.His first movie was about the ghosts from the past that haunt us and I guess Backtrack was almost a scary version of similar material about the past coming back to haunt us. It.s seemed to be a different take or lens for similar material that he explored in his first movie.
The film was originally set in North America but was reset to Melbourne and shot in Sydney and regional Nsw.
It was funded by Screen Australia, Headgear Films (UK), Bankside, Deluxe and Screen Nsw.
.Backtrack came together relatively quickly once we had a window where Michael was available to do it,. Hilton said.
.We were already financed before we had Adrien so securing him was a real boon. It all came together relatively smoothly. Everybody responded really positively to the script. People often talk about how difficult the filmmaking process can be. It was a real pleasure to work on Backtrack. Michael has very clear of vision. He knew what he wanted, he.s a great communicator and we assembled a great team of crew and cast and I think it went very well..
He said Oscar winner, Brody, was a true artist.
.He is very nuanced, he.s a lovely guy as well. For him he takes his work very seriously. I think he did a really wonderful Australian accent and I think he played the subtleties.. he is just so easy to watch.
.The premise of the movie is about a guy trying to remember what happened and you need a face that you can really hold on to and obviously he has got a lot going on behind his eyes. I think he.s immensely watchable and it was a real pleasure to watch him work..
The shoot was six weeks, three days and a lot of nights.
.There.s always major challenges if you are always trying to get it done in the time that you have in the budget that you have. We were able to deliver it on time and on budget..
Producer Mark Johnson.
When selecting a project, Hilton said there were a few things he looks for.
.In the first instance it.s qualitative. Is this material of a high quality and are the people involved, are they either the right emerging talent to support or are they experienced and would I like to work with them? The second is can I get this made?
.You spend a long time developing something and you certainly don.t want to put too much time into developing things that you don.t feel like you can get financed in the marketplace, so it.s a combination of those two things.
.Story is also very important, as producers and anyone involved in film really, we are storytellers and we.re trying to get a sense of both qualitative and what the substance or the essence of the story is. Those are the three things that are important for me..
With Breath in mid-flight and OtherLife set for release later this year, Hilton is excited about the future.
.eOne will release OtherLife in Australia and we are just in the final stages of post-production and I.m a huge Ben Lucas fan and looking forward to bringing that out.
.Flammable Children - obviously Stephan Elliott and Al Clarke, Colin Gibson, who is the recent production designer on Mad Max just and won the Oscar; Lizzie Gardner who won her Academy Award for Priscilla. It.s a pretty experienced team and we.re the new kids on the block so it.s great to be working with those people..
Hilton is producing the adaptation of Tim Winton.s novel Breath, shot in Denmark, Western Australia, with Oscar winning producer Mark Johnson (Breaking Bad, The Notebook, Rain Man).
.That.s one of the most exciting parts, working with Mark and his development team,. he said. .It.s been a real privilege and something I would like to repeat..
.
.
.
- 5/12/2016
- by Brian Karlovsky
- IF.com.au
Mark Lamprell.
Australian filmmaker Mark Lamprell (My Mother Frank) is gearing up for a busy year..
He's currently releasing his second novel, A Lovers' Guide to Rome, and is putting the finishing touches on his latest film, A Few Less Men, the sequel to Stephan Elliott's 2011 comedy.A Few Best Men.
Lamprell sat down to write A Lovers' Guide to Rome while waiting for his last feature, 2013's movie-musical Goddess, to be released.
"I was in Bristol visiting my son", Lamprell said, "and I had time on my hands and I thought I should write another screenplay".
Instead, Lamprell sat down and wrote a novel, weaving together three stories of lovers young and old holidaying in Rome.
"Because I'd decided to write something based on my own personal experience, it was a little bit like a door in the top of my head opened, and something just poured in...
Australian filmmaker Mark Lamprell (My Mother Frank) is gearing up for a busy year..
He's currently releasing his second novel, A Lovers' Guide to Rome, and is putting the finishing touches on his latest film, A Few Less Men, the sequel to Stephan Elliott's 2011 comedy.A Few Best Men.
Lamprell sat down to write A Lovers' Guide to Rome while waiting for his last feature, 2013's movie-musical Goddess, to be released.
"I was in Bristol visiting my son", Lamprell said, "and I had time on my hands and I thought I should write another screenplay".
Instead, Lamprell sat down and wrote a novel, weaving together three stories of lovers young and old holidaying in Rome.
"Because I'd decided to write something based on my own personal experience, it was a little bit like a door in the top of my head opened, and something just poured in...
- 4/26/2016
- by Harry Windsor
- IF.com.au
Kylie Minogue, Guy Pearce and.Neighbours co-star.Craig McLachlan.
Kylie Minogue will join Guy Pearce and Radha Mitchell in Stephan Elliott's Flammable Children, produced by Al Clark (Priscilla, Chopper, Red Hill) and Jamie Hilton (Breath, The Waiting City, Backtrack).
The 1975-set comedy-drama marks the first time Pearce and Minogue have worked together since Neighbours.
Since leaving that show and becoming a pop star, Minogue has appeared onscreen only intermittently, though she seems to be ramping up her acting slate, with recent roles in Cannes-darling Holy Motors, the Dwayne Johnson action film San Andreas and upcoming series Galavant, created by Dan Fogelman (Tangled, Crazy, Stupid, Love).
.We are so excited to be able to support Flammable Children", Screen Australia CEO Graeme Mason said..
"In Kylie, Guy and Radha, the team has been able to secure some of Australia.s most established and iconic talents. The powerhouses in front of the...
Kylie Minogue will join Guy Pearce and Radha Mitchell in Stephan Elliott's Flammable Children, produced by Al Clark (Priscilla, Chopper, Red Hill) and Jamie Hilton (Breath, The Waiting City, Backtrack).
The 1975-set comedy-drama marks the first time Pearce and Minogue have worked together since Neighbours.
Since leaving that show and becoming a pop star, Minogue has appeared onscreen only intermittently, though she seems to be ramping up her acting slate, with recent roles in Cannes-darling Holy Motors, the Dwayne Johnson action film San Andreas and upcoming series Galavant, created by Dan Fogelman (Tangled, Crazy, Stupid, Love).
.We are so excited to be able to support Flammable Children", Screen Australia CEO Graeme Mason said..
"In Kylie, Guy and Radha, the team has been able to secure some of Australia.s most established and iconic talents. The powerhouses in front of the...
- 4/11/2016
- by Staff Writer
- IF.com.au
Not since Australian soap drama Neighbours have Guy Pearce and singer-songstress Kylie Minogue shared the screen, but that all changes today now that the pair have been tapped for Stephan Elliott’s new comedy, Flammable Children.
Rooted in a 1975 setting, Elliot’s feature has already cast fellow Aussie Radha Mitchell, and orbits around six families living in a classic beach community Down Under. Best known for helming The Adventures of Priscilla and Queen of the Desert, Elliott has teased that his latest directorial effort is loosely based on his own family experiences.
No word yet on who Pearce and/or Minogue will be playing in Flammable Children, though it seems safe to assume that they’ll star opposite each other as husband and wife. Due to step in front of the cameras towards the end of the year, a brief synopsis of the domestic dramedy outlines Elliot’s feature as...
Rooted in a 1975 setting, Elliot’s feature has already cast fellow Aussie Radha Mitchell, and orbits around six families living in a classic beach community Down Under. Best known for helming The Adventures of Priscilla and Queen of the Desert, Elliott has teased that his latest directorial effort is loosely based on his own family experiences.
No word yet on who Pearce and/or Minogue will be playing in Flammable Children, though it seems safe to assume that they’ll star opposite each other as husband and wife. Due to step in front of the cameras towards the end of the year, a brief synopsis of the domestic dramedy outlines Elliot’s feature as...
- 4/8/2016
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
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