Because gruesome true crime dramas are the backbone of the Australian film and television industry, a telemovie about the deranged convicted serial killer Ivan Milat is one of twelve new projects approved to receive funding in the latest round of Screen Australia grants.
Catching Milat, commissioned by the Seven network, will be a procedural-based two-part telemovie outlining the tumultuous investigation of the infamous backpacker murders. Other selected projects include six part political drama series Party Tricks starring Australia’s sweetheart Asher Keddie as a female politician running against her former flame to be the next State Premier. Sounds convenient and kinda House of Cards-y.
Other projects included in the $15.5m allocation were Ruin the latest project from Melbourne filmmaker Amiel Courtin-Wilson (Bastardy, Hail) and producer Michael Cody, Partisan, the feature film debut of prodigious Melbourne talent Ariel Kleiman, to be produced by the same Warp Films Australia team who brought us Snowtown, and an outback drama film by The Turning conductor Robert Connolly (Balibo, Three Dollars, The Bank).
Other approved TV projects included a second series of schlocky SBS comedy series Danger 5, a social examination of 1969 called Love Child, and two World War I dramas, Anzac Girls, a medical drama about a group of five Australian and New Zealand women who served as nurses in World War I, and The Gallipoli Story, a four part miniseries following three Australian journalists who reported from the front lines of war in 1915.
This ALL sounds good.
And the nominees for the 2014 AACTAs are…
FEATURES
PAPER PLANES
- Arenamedia Pty Ltd
- Producers Robert Connolly, Maggie Miles, Liz Kearney
- Writers Robert Connolly, Steve Worland
- Director Robert Connolly
- International Sales Arclight Films
- Australian Distributor Footprint Films
- Synopsis Young Dylan, from a small outback town, dreams of competing in the World Paper Plane Championships in Japan.
RUIN
- Flood Projects
- Producers Amiel Courtin-Wilson, Michael Cody
- Writers Amiel Courtin-Wilson, Michael Cody
- Directors Amiel Courtin-Wilson, Michael Cody
- International Sales XYZ
- Australian Distributor Madman Entertainment
- Synopsis A fable of violence and love in modern-day Cambodia.
PARTISAN
- Warp Films Australia Pty Ltd
- Producers Anna McLeish, Sarah Shaw
- Director Ariel Kleiman
- Writers Ariel Kleiman, Sarah Cyngler
- Australian Distributor Madman Entertainment
- International Sales Protagonist Pictures
- Synopsis A confronting tale about Alexander who, raised to see the
world through Gregori’s eyes, is starting to think for himself.
ADULT TV DRAMA
ANZAC GIRLS
- AG TV (SPV of Screentime)
- Producers Lisa Scott, Felicity Packard
- Writers Felicity Packard, Niki Aken
- Directors Ken Cameron, Ian Watson
- Broadcaster ABC Television
- Domestic Sales Village Roadshow
- International Sales ALL3MEDIA
- Synopsis In World War I, 3000 young Aussie and Kiwi women served as
nurses – nearly 300 were decorated for courage beyond the call of duty.
But they were also just ordinary girls. A story based on real events and
real people.
CATCHING MILAT
- Shine (Aust) Pty Ltd
- Producer Kerrie Mainwaring
- Writer Justin Monjo
- Director Peter Andrikidis
- Broadcaster Seven Network
- International Sales Shine International
- Synopsis This true story of the investigation that leads to the
arrest of Ivan Milat details Detective Paul Gordon’s struggle to find
the killer – and then convince his bosses he is on the right track.
DANGER 5 SERIES 2
- Dinosaur Pty Ltd
- Producers Kate Croser, Dario Russo
- Writer Dario Russo, David Ashby
- Director Dario Russo
- Broadcaster SBS
- Domestic Sales SBS Content Sales
- Synopsis It’s Christmas in the 1980s. Adolf Hitler is alive and has
two Yuletide wishes: Danger 5 dead… and the world under his Christmas
tree.
THE GALLIPOLI STORY
- Matchbox Pictures Pty Ltd
- Producers Penny Chapman, John Schwartz, Jacquelin Perske
- Executive producers Sam Worthington, Penny Win, Michael McMahon, Michael Schwarz, Luca Scalisi
- Directors TBC
- Writers Jacquelin Perske, Shaun Grant, Cate Shortland, Stuart Beattie
- Broadcaster Foxtel
- International Sales NBC Universal
- Synopsis The story of journalists Charles Bean, Ellis Ashmead
Bartlett and Philip Schuler, sent with the troops to Gallipoli in 1915,
and how their quest for the truth helped change the war’s course – and
its legend.
LOVE CHILD
- Playmaker Media Pty Ltd
- Producers David Maher, David Taylor, Sarah Lambert, Sue Seeary
- Writers Tim Pye, Liz Doran, Sarah Lambert
- Directors Shawn Seet, Shirley Barrett, Geoff Bennett, Ian Barry
- Broadcaster Nine Network
- International Sales ALL3MEDIA
- Synopsis A character drama set in 1969 in Kings Cross; the time and
place Australia came of age and the new generation broke all the rules.
PARTY TRICKS
- Southern Star Entertainment Pty Ltd
- Producers Imogen Banks, John Edwards
- Writer Michael Lucas
- Broadcaster Network Ten
- International Sales Endemol Worldwide Distribution
- Synopsis A woman’s campaign to be the next State Premier is
complicated when her ex-lover is announced as the new leader of the
opposition.
CHILDREN’S TV DRAMA
IN YOUR DREAMS SERIES 2
- Southern Star Entertainment
- Producer Noel Price
- Writers Josh Mapleston, John Armstrong, Tim Gooding, Julie Miller
- Director Ralph Strasser
- Broadcasters Seven Network, NDR
- International Sales Endemol Worldwide Distribution
- Synopsis Sam and Ben are settling back into life in Australia when
their eccentric German relatives, Philipp and Lili von Hasenburg arrive
unexpectedly. But things suddenly go pear shaped when Philipp is
arrested and can’t return to Germany. The Australian twins must then
make choices that will affect the lives of everyone around them.
LITTLE LUNCH
- Gristmill Pty Ltd
- Producers Robyn Butler, Wayne Hope
- Writers Robyn Butler, Wayne Hope
- Director Wayne Hope
- Broadcaster ABC 3
- International Sales ACTF
- Synopsis A mockumentary series about what happens at snack time in
the primary school playground, based on the books written by Danny Katz
and illustrated by Mitch Vane.
MAKO ISLAND OF SECRETS SERIES 2
- Jonathan M Shiff Productions (JMSP)
- Producer Jonathan M Shiff
- Writers Anthony Morris, Michael Joshua, Max Dann
- Directors Evan Clarry, Grant Brown
- Broadcasters Network Ten (Domestic), ZDF Germany (German-speaking)
- International Sales ZDF Enterprises
- Synopsis A new mermaid arrives convinced that Zac is a danger to
mermaids everywhere, not realising that there may be another merman in
town bent on seizing Mako Island for himself.
Via Mumbrella
