Awaiting the next wave of serious Australian crime drama cinema? The best indication of what’s coming from team Australian Film and Television Industry can be found via money bags gatekeeper-overlords Screen Australia who have just released the projects included in their latest crop of funding recipients. The government screen agency which provides support to Aussie film, TV and doco creatives have recently identified which projects they plan on supporting this year, having committed the entirety of its $42 million annual budget to various (very promising looking) projects in the past six months alone. With some esteemed local names making the list, here’s our picks for the projects that will become legitimate AACTA-bait in 2013 and beyond:
CUT SNAKE
Directed by Tony Ayres, the writer-director involved in both the autobiographical film The Home Song Stories as well brining the novel The Slap to our television screens, the film follows a guy called ‘Sparra’ Farrell who has left behind his secret prison past, with a new life and new fiancé. That is of course, until his newly released cell-mate turns up with other ideas.
Producers: Michael McMahon, Trevor Blainey
Writer: Blake Ayshford
Director: Tony Ayres
KILL ME THREE TIMES
Recognise the name Kriv Sanders? He’s the guy responsible for last year’s Red Dog as well as the critically-acclaimed film starring Richard Green, Boxing Day. Working alongside Share Stallings (of Death At A Funeral fame), the film is set “in a sun-drenched Australian surfing town, a young woman is the thread that binds three tales of murder, blackmail and revenge.”
Producers: Tania Chambers, Laurence Malkin, Share Stallings, Jack Drewe
Writer: James McFarland
Director: Kriv Stenders
THE DARKSIDE
This Aboriginal feature explores the belief systems which form the threshold upon which Indigenous people live, one of everyday reality and the other of spirits, demons and entities. Director Warwick Thornton, responsible for 2009’s stunning Samson & Delilah, has assembled a collection of stories from across the country to provide an indigenous perspective on the afterlife.
Producer: Kath Shelper
Writer/Director: Warwick Thornton
NOW ADD HONEY
Directed and produced by the husband and wife comedy team behind the ABC series The Librarians and Very Small Business, Now Add Honey tells the story of a normal suburban family whose lives are significantly changed when their popstar cousin pays them a visit and decides to stick around.
Producers: Wayne Hope, Robyn Butler, Louisa Kors, Greg Sitch, Geoff Porz, Robyn Butler, Wayne Hope
Writer: Robyn Butler
Director: Wayne Hope
MEMORIAL DAY
Written and directed by Kieran Darcy-Smith (who also wrote and directed Wish You Were Here), this crime drama follows the lives of two struggling brothers who are inadequately redressing the fallout from a past family tragedy. Darcy-Smith will be working alongside Angie Fielder who also worked on Wish You Were Here and Ted Hope (the producer behind 21 grams and Martha Marcy May Marlene).
Producers: Angie Fielder, Ted Hope
Writer/Director: Kieran Darcy-Smith
NEVER TEAR US APART
This two part TV project will be aired by the Seven Network, bringing the uncensored story of Australian band INXS’ rise to fame to our TV screens. Expect sultry rock n roll moves and a soundtrack of their greatest hits.
Producers: Rory Callaghan, Mark Fennessy
Director: Daina Reid
Writers: Justin Monjo, Dave Warner
Main image of Warwick Thornton by Kristian Dowling for Getty Images.
