2007/2008 - Feature Films

The following feature films were financed by the former FFC during the 2007/2008 period.

Financed through the Marketplace Door

COFFIN ROCK
Ultrafilms Pty Ltd
Producers Ayisha Davies, David Lightfoot
Executive Producer Piers Tempest
Director/writer Rupert Glasson
Sales and Distribution All Interactive Distribution, Bankside Films, International Film Collective, Mars Productions, Shooting Stars LLC
Synopsis Coffin Rock is an intimate thriller that honestly explores the dark consequences of choices made to satisfy a basic human desire...a family.

THE LAST MAN
Prairie Dog Films
Executive Producers Jamie Carmichael, Graham Begg, Heather Ogilvie
Producers Martin Brown, Warwick Young, George Mannix, Fred Schepisi
Director Fred Schepisi
Writers Graham Brammer, Chris Wheeler, Ian Barry, Fred Schepisi
Sales and Distribution Hoyts with Abacus, Content
Synopsis Aussie SAS soldiers trapped on their final Vietnam mission, do whatever it takes to survive. 12 years later, they, and their wives, still suffer the emotional consequences.

RED DRESS
International Production Services Australia Pty Ltd
Producer Veronica Sive
Consultant Producer Jane Ballantyne
Director/Writer Sarah Lambert
Sales and Distribution Rialto, Lightning Entertainment, Ster-Kinekor, Monolith
Synopsis Desperate to dance and escape the realities of home, Ellie changes her age to sixteen, dons a pair of fishnets and heads off on tour. Careful what you wish for!

THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN
Southern Light Films Pty Ltd
Producers: Tim White, Greg Brenman
Director: Scott Hicks
Writer: Allan Cubitt
Sales and Distribution: Hopscotch, BBC Films, Capitol Films, Miramax Films
Synopsis: Based on the book by UK sports writer, Simon Carr.

TRIANGLE
Pictures in Paradise, Dan FIlms
Producers: Chris Brown, Jason Newmark
Director: Christopher Smith
Writer: Allan Cubitt
Sales and Distribution: Icon
Synopsis: Triangle is a psychological thriller set inside the Bermuda Triangle.

BRIGHT STAR
Jan Chapman Films Pty Ltd
Producers: Jan Chapman, Caroline Hewitt
Director/Writer: Jane Campion
Sales and Distribution: Hopscotch, Pathe
Synopsis: Bright Star is an intense exploration of the two year relationship between the eighteen year old Fanny Brawne and the twenty three year old John Keats; the now famous English romantic poet. Guided by John Keats's letters to Fanny it charts their blessed yet fated love affair.

LONG WEEKEND
Arclight Films Pty Ltd
Producers: Nigel Odell, Gary Hamilton
Director: Jamie Blanks
Writer: Everett De Roche
Sales and Distribution: Arclight Films, Arclight Films International
Synopsis: A married couple take a camping trip to a remote beach to heal their savagely wounded relationship, but prove as destructive and lethal to the world around them as they are to themselves. Mother Nature has a dark side.

MAO'S LAST DANCER
Last Dancer Pty Ltd
Producers: Jane Scott
Director: Bruce Beresford
Writer: Jan Sardi
Sales and Distribution: Hopscotch & Roadshow Australia, Celluloid Dreams International
Synopsis: This is the inspirational true story of Li Cunxin, adapted from his best-selling autobiography and telling how, amidst the chaos of Mao's Cultural Revolution, he was chosen to leave his peasant family and sent on an amazing journey... as it turned out towards freedom and personal triumph.

SUBDIVISION
Freshwater Pictures
Executive Producers: Janice Bradnam, Richard Guardian, Trish Lake
Producers: Trish Lake, Owen Johnston
Director: Sue Brooks
Writers: Janice Bradnam, Ashley Bradnam, Terry McCann
Sales and Distribution: Lightning Entertainment, Buena Vista Australia, Reyna Films, Motion Picture Distribution LP
Synopsis: When Southern developers move in on Hervey Bay, hot young exec Tiffany Lambert, forces local builders to lift their game. A botched rezoning application throws the whole community into turmoil and the troubled relationship between sub-contractors "Digger" Kelly and his larrikin son Jack, comes to a head. Tiffany wonders if Jack will ever grow up, but what follows is Jack's finest hour.

Financed through the Evaluation Door

BLESSED
Wildheart Zizani
Executive Producer Marian Macgowan
Producer Al Clark
Director Ana Kokkinos
Writers Andrew Bovell, Melissa Reeves, Patricia Cornelius, Christos Tsiolkas
Sales and Distribution Icon, Bankside
Synopsis Blessed is a film about mothers and children, about love and beauty, about being lost and finding your way home.

BRAN NUE DAE
Robyn Kershaw Productions Pty Ltd and Mayfan Pty Ltd
Executive Producers Christopher Mapp, Matthew Street, Jason Moody, David Whealy
Producers Robyn Kershaw, Graeme Isaac
Director Rachel Perkins
Writers Reg Cribb, Rachel Perkins, adapted from the stage play BRAN NUE DAE by Jimmi Chi and Kuckles
Sales and Distribution Omnilab/Transmission Films, ABC, Omnilab/Bankside Films
Synopsis Bran Nue Dae is a road movie, coming of age, comedy musical which celebrates the adventure of finding home.

CANE TOADS (feature documentary)
Radio Pictures
Producer/Director/Writer Mark Lewis
Sales and Distribution Madman Entertainment, Participant Media
Synopsis Cane Toads is a theatrical documentary that returns to the
subject filmed by Mark Lewis 20 years ago. It recaps the history of this
ecological disaster and brings us up-to-date with the cane toad's ongoing
conquest of mainland Australia.

THE LAST RIDE
Talk Films
Producers Nicholas Cole, Antonia Barnard
Director Glendyn Ivin
Writer Mac Gudgeon
Sales and Distribution Madman Entertainment, ContentFilm International
Synopsis The Last Ride is a contemporary road movie about a young boy and his father on the run from the law, and the price that survival demands of love.

THE LOVED ONES
Mark Lazarus
Producers Mark Lazarus, Jason Moody
Director/Writer Sean Byrne
Sales and Distribution Madman, Arclight
Synopsis The Loved Ones tells the story of a young man digging himself out of his own grave.

MY AMERICA (feature documentary)
Soul Vision Films
Executive Producer Trish Lake
Producer Jane Jeffes
Producer/Director Peter Hegedus
Writers Peter Hegedus, Mark O'Toole
Sales and Distribution Rialto, Horizon Motion Pictures
Synopsis In My America Peter Hegedus travels to the US to find out what has happened to the country he fell in love with as a boy growing up in Socialist Hungary. From Brisbane to Budapest, from South Central LA to Freedom, Pennsylvania, Peter tries to discover what lies at the core of the American heart, and why America has become the country we all love to hate.

SOUTH SOLITARY
Macgowan Films/Sarah Radclyffe Productions Ltd
Executive Producer Emile Sherman
Producers Marian Macgowan, Sarah Radclyffe
Director/Writer Shirley Barrett
Sales and Distribution Icon, Maximum
Synopsis South Solitary is a dramatic, windswept romance about the great need for companionship and hope.

ACCIDENTS HAPPEN
Red Carpet Productions Pty Ltd
Executive producer: Heather Ogilvie
Producer: Anthony Anderson
Director: Andrew Lancaster
Writer: Brian Carbee
Sales and Distribution: Hopscotch/Galvanised, Bankside
Synopsis: 15 year old Billy Conway has been an accident magnet since he was a kid. When he and his best friend cause an almighty crash with a bowling ball and a moving car, Billy must face up to his family's history and learn that sometimes someone is to blame and that sometimes... well... accidents just happen.

BEAUTIFUL KATE
Beautiful Kate Productions Pty Ltd
Producers: Leah Churchill-Brown, Bryan Brown
Director/writer: Rachel Ward
Sales and Distribution: Roadshow, The Works, Showtime
Synopsis: Ned Kendall returns to his isolated family home to say goodbye to his dying father, but memories of his beautiful sister awaken long buried secrets from the past.

PRIME MOVER
Porchlight Films Pty Ltd
Producer: Vincent Sheehan
Director/Writer: David Caeser
Sales and Distribution: Dendy, Becker International Films
Synopsis: Prime Mover is a diesel charged love story about ambition, pressure, responsibility and the love shared by a man, a woman and his truck.

BALIBO
Balibo Film Pty Ltd
Executive Producers: Andrew Myer
Producers: John Maynard, Rebecca Williamson
Director/Writer: Robert Connolly
Writer: David Williamson
Sales and Distribution: Footprint Films
Synopsis: War correspondent Roger East and the young Jose Ramos Horta travel to East Timor to investigate the murders of the Balibo Five.

TO HELL & BOURKE
Media World Pictures Pty Ltd
Producer: Ross Hutchens
Director/Writer: Richard Frankland
Sales and Distribution: SBSi, Lightning Entertainment
Synopsis: Eddie is being drawn home from the city on important cultural business, but his trip gets off to a rocky start when he discovers his older but more wayward cousin Charlie, has 'lost' Eddie's special stone.

MY YEAR WITHOUT SEX
Hibiscus Films Pty Ltd
Executive Producer: John Maynard, Andrew Myer
Producer: Bridget Ikin
Director/Writer: Sarah Watt
Sales and Distribution: The Works International, Footprint Films
Synopsis: A romantic and slightly dark comedy exploring religion, sport, consumerism, self-improvement, the sexualization of children, the pervasive instructions of the media - and love.

TWO FISTS ONE HEART
Palm Beach Pictures Pty Ltd
Producer: David Elfick
Director: Shawn Seet
Writer: Rai Fazio
Sales and Distribution: Buena Vista International, Showtime PMP, Hanway Films
Synopsis: Two fists one heart tells the story of how a father's thwarted ambition threatens to destroy his most precious possessions - the love of his wife and the allegiance of his son.

Letters of Intent through Evaluation

ANIMAL KINGDOM
Porchlight Films
Producer Liz Watts
Director/Writer David Michôd
Sales and Distribution TBC
Synopsis Animal Kingdom tells the story of 17-year-old J, as he navigates his survival amongst an explosive criminal family and a cop who thinks he can save him. 

BLESSED
Zizani Films
Executive producers: Al Clark, Marian Macgowan
Producer: Andrena Finlay
Director: Ana Kokkinos
Writers: Andrew Bovell, Melissa Reeves, Patricia Cornelius, Christos Tsiolkas
Sales and Distribution: TBC
Synopsis: Blessed is a film about mothers and children, about love and beauty, about being lost and finding your way home.

BRAN NUE DAE
Robyn Kershaw Productions and Mayfan Pty Ltd
Producers: Robyn Kershaw, Graeme Issac
Director: Rachel Perkins
Writers: Rachel Perkins, Reg Cribb
Sales and Distribution: Omnilab, Bankside
Synopsis: Bran Nue Dae is a road movie, coming of age, comedy musical which celebrates the adventure of finding home.

CANE TOADS (feature documentary)
Radio Pictures
Producer/director/writer: Mark Lewis
Sales and Distribution: Participant, Madman
Synopsis: Cane Toads is a theatrical documentary that returns to the subject filmed by Mark Lewis 20 years ago. It recaps the history of this ecological disaster and brings us up-to-date with the cane toad's ongoing conquest of mainland Australia.

IZZY NOBLE
Princess Pictures
Executive producer: Joel Pearlman
Producers: Laura Waters, Janine Gold, Greg Sitch
Director/writer: Hernan Bornas
Sales and Distribution: Roadshow Films
Synopsis: For every action there are endless reactions. Izzy Noble is a lonely, eccentric outsider. He avoids reality at all costs by retreating into his encyclopaedic mind and a constant monologue with himself. A series of life threatening events test Izzy's nobility and his courage to find love in the real world.

THE LAST RIDE
Talk Films
Producers: Nicholas Cole, Antonia Barnard
Director: Glendyn Ivin
Writer: Mac Gudgeon
Sales and Distribution: Madman
Synopsis: The Last Ride is a powerful contemporary exploration of a child's dilemma - the choice between doing what his heart knows is right and the need to be loved by a dysfunctional father.

THE LOVED ONES
Mark Lazarus
Producer: Mark Lazarus
Director/writer: Sean Byrne
Sales and Distribution: Madman
Synopsis: The Loved Ones tells the story of a young man digging himself out of his own grave.

MYSELF: SOMETIMES
All At Once
Producer: Melissa Beauford
Director/writer: Kieran Galvin
Sales and Distribution: TBA
Synopsis: A young man who is impossible to live with must find a way to live with himself.

NEIL NEIL, ORANGE PEEL
Fandango Australia
Executive producer: Domenico Procacci
Producer: Sue Murray
Producer/director/writer: Richard Lowenstein
Sales and Distribution: Fandango srl
Synopsis: A story of a social revolution set within the microcosm of a experimental school in Melbourne at the beginning of the 1970s.

ACCIDENTS HAPPEN
Red Carpet Productions Pty Ltd
Executive Producer: Heather Ogilvie
Producer: Anthony Anderson
Director: Andrew Lancaster
Writer: Brian Carbee
Sales and Distribution: Bankside Films, London; Hopscotch
Synopsis: Set in American suburbia, Accidents Happen is the darkly comic and subversive coming-of-age story of Billy Conway, a young boy who seems to attract tragic accidents that transform his dysfunctional family and neighbourhood.

THE CUP
Producer/Director/Writer: Simon Wincer
Producers: Jan Bladier, David Lee, Lance Hool
Writer: Eric O'Keefe
Sales and Distribution: Roadshow Films, Myriad Pictures
Synopsis: The Cup is the story of a jockey facing the most difficult challenge of his life, following the tragic death of his brother, in the lead up to the 2002 Melbourne Cup.

THE HUNTER
Porchlight Films
Producer: Vincent Sheehan
Director: Daniel Nettheim
Writers: Alice Addison, Wain Fimeri
Sales and Distribution: TBC
Synopsis: Based on the internationally acclaimed Australian novel by Julia Leigh, The Hunter is a powerful psychological drama about a ruthless mercenary sent into the Tasmanian wilderness on a dramatic hunt for what is believed to be the last Tasmanian Tiger.

THE MESSENGER
Lunar Films and Film Art Doco
Producer: Sue Maslin
Director/Writer: Clara Law
Writer: Eddie L.C Fong
Sales and Distribution: TBA
Synopsis: Part love story, part mystery and part supernatural allegory, The Messenger is about a woman (Lynn) who has psychic power but fails to see a catastrophe looming when a stranger (Mike) gatecrashes her life, and that she will have to travel with him to the end of the world to save herself.

MIRACLE AT VIRGIN'S END
City Productions
Producer: Andrew Mason
Director/Writer: Peter Duncan
Sales and Distribution: Contentfilm; Distribution TBC
Synopsis: Sam Bates runs the only motel in the dying town of Virgin's End. He's a good Christian and tries to keep the faith. The problem is he's going broke and his father's going blind and his brother's a crime boss and he's in love with his best friend's wife and his best friend is the local vicar. And one other thing: the new Virgin Mary has just checked in and she's very, very pregnant.

MY AMERICA
Soul Vision Films
Producer/Director/Writer: Peter Hegedus
Executive Producer: Trish Lake
Producer: Jane Jeffes
Writer: Mark O'Toole
Sales and Distribution: TBA
Synopsis: In My America Peter Hegedus travels to the US to find out what has happened to the country he fell in love with as a boy growing up in Socialist Hungary. From Brisbane to Budapest, from South Central LA to Freedom, Pennsylvania, Peter tries to discover what lies at the core of the American heart, and why America has become the country we all love to hate.

SALUTE
An Actors Cafe / Instinct Entertainment co-production
Producer/Director/Writer: Matt Norman
Producer: David Redman
Sales and Distribution: Instinct Distribution, Instinct Eden Rock International
Synopsis: There has never been a convenient time to protest against injustice.

STRANGERLAND
New Holland Productions
Executive Producers: San Fu Maltha, Cathy Overett, Anton Smit
Producer: Mark Overett
Director: Kim Farrant
Writer: Fiona Seres
Sales and Distribution: Fabrication Films, Los Angeles; Icon Film Distribution
Synopsis: An unnerving mystery drama set against the brutality of the harsh Australian desert, Strangerland is every parent's worst nightmare. When Catherine and Matthew's two teenage children go missing, the family's shocking secrets are exposed. Strangerland questions how people continue to live with the traumatic uncertainties that life throws at us.

VOICES IN DEEP
Producer/Director/Writer: Alkinos Tsilimidos
Producer: Paul Walton
Sales and Distribution: IFM World Releasing
Synopsis: A cinematic cocktail featuring a Vietnam veteran with a penchant for flashing women, an underage hooker, her delinquent brother and a lonely nymphomaniac.

Feature Films Archive