Matt Okine says it’s a “dream come true” that his debut novel, Being Black ‘N Chicken, & Chips, is headed to the big screen, with production expected to start next year.
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Okine published the book in September. Based on his own experiences as a teenager in Brisbane coming to grips with his mother’s death, it has been praised as:
“A heartbreaking and often hilarious story about trying to grow up when everything is falling apart from one of Australia’s leading comic talents.”
Books + Publishing said:
“Loosely based on his own experiences and capturing the feeling of late 90s Australia, the book pulses with nostalgia and Okine treads the difficult line between levity and dark themes with expert skill – tackling grief, denial and racism without it ever feeling heavy-handed. The result is a compelling novel that is difficult to put down.”
Earlier today, it was announced that Aquarius Films and Wooden Horse had acquired the film rights to the book.
“It’s got all the great makings of a family film – a coming-of-age, rite-of-passage story that will appeal to teenagers and also parents,” they told the Sydney Morning Herald today.
Matt Okine, who will serve an executive producer, said he’s hopeful that the film can be shot in Brisbane as it’s an “iconic Brisbane story”, adding:
“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. From the second I started writing the book, I was writing the movie. I always had that in mind every step of the way.”
Filming is expected to start next year, and Okine is excited for the casting process, saying: “when I was 12 years old I didn’t see anyone like me being the lead character in an Australian feature film.”
