Funding approvals
In the archives
2016–2017 production funding

ANDORRA
Jump Street Films
Executive Producers Natalie Miller, James Ivory, Hengameh Panahi 
Producers Jamie Bialkower, Lizzette Atkins, Fred Schepisi
Director Fred Schepisi
Writers Peter Cameron, Jamie Bialkower
Australian Distributor Becker Film Group
International Sales Celluloid Dreams
Synopsis A decadent romantic thriller set against a dreamscape where nothing is as it appears.
Production funding for this feature film was revoked in March 2017.

ARKIE
Passion Pictures Australia Pty Ltd
Executive Producers John Stevenson, Michael Favelle, Payam Shohadai, Julia Adams
Producer Sophie Byrne
Director Luke Jurevicius
Writers Polly Watkins, Matt Everitt, Les Turner
Australian Distributor Madman
International Sales Odin's Eye Entertainment
Synopsis As her world is shrouded in darkness a young girl must overcome her fears and travel to a mysterious city of light, save her father from a dangerous scientist and prevent the destruction of her planet. Based on ‘Scarygirl’ by Nathan Jurevicius.
Production funding for this feature film was revoked in March 2017.

THE BBQ
Revolution Partners Pty Ltd
Producers Lynne Wilson, Tait Brady, Stephen Amis
Director Stephen Amis
Writers Stephen Amis, David Richardson, Angelo Salamanca, Serge de Nardo
Australian Distributor Label Distribution
International Sales Guardian Entertainment International
Synopsis Darren ‘Dazza’ Cook is a loveable suburban everyman with an unshakeable belief in his family connection to Captain James Cook. ‘Dazza’ harbours a passion for barbequing, but when he accidentally poisons his neighbours at his popular regular Saturday BBQ, Dazza’s reputation and dignity is on the line. To make amends he seeks tutelage from a notorious Scottish chef known simply as ‘The Butcher’.    

THE CALL BACK
Corner Table Productions Australia Pty Ltd
Producers Marion Pilowsky, Sue Murray, David Willing
Director Marion Pilowsky
Writers Marion Pilowsky, L.A. Sellars
Australian Distributor 20^th Century Fox Australia
International Sales Independent Film Company 
Synopsis Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days.

DIRT MUSIC
Aquarius Films Pty Ltd, Wildgaze Films
Producers Finola Dwyer, Amanda Posey, Angie Fielder
Director Gregor Jordan
Writer Jack Thorne
Australian Distributor Universal
International Sales TBC
Synopsis Georgie Jutland is an unconventional woman in a conventional town, living with her widowed partner, Jim, and his two small children. An encounter with enigmatic poacher Lu, an outsider to the community, reignites her sense of purpose and this unlikely affinity leads them both to find where they truly belong. Based on the Booker Prize shortlisted novel by Tim Winton.
Production funding for this feature film was revoked in December 2017.

FALLING FOR FIGARO
5 Name Films Pty Ltd
Producers Philip Wade, Charles Hannah, Donall McCusker
Executive Producers Tim White, Judi Levine, John Wade
Director Ben Lewin
Writer Allen Palmer
Australian Distributor Becker Film Group
International Sales Westend Films
Synopsis When a London career girl heads to the remote Scottish Highlands to belatedly pursue her operatic dream, she clashes with the sexy but single-minded barman who’s hell-bent on winning the same contest - and turns the football-loving pub regulars onto Puccini.

HIGH GROUND 
High Ground Pty Ltd
Producers Witianya Marika, Greer Simpkin, David Jowsey, Maggie Miles 
Director Stephen Johnson 
Writer Chris Anastassiades 
Australian Distributor Madman Entertainment 
International Sales Bankside Films 
Synopsis 1930s, North Australia, a remote corner of a wild country, two men are on a mission to prevent a bloody war. Travis is a bounty hunter with one last hope of ‘redemption’. Djumbatj is an Aboriginal boy trying to save the last of his family.

IN THE BLOOD
Retro Active Films Pty Ltd
Producer Trevor Blainey
Director Victoria Cocks
Writer Nigel Karikari
Australian Distributor Umbrella Entertainment
International Sales Embankment Films
Synopsis A deadly vampire returns for her human son and is confronted by her own lost humanity.
Production funding for this feature film was revoked in March 2018.

JIRGA
Felix Media
Executive Producers Bridget Ikin, David Gross
Producer John Maynard
Director / Writer Benjamin Gilmour
Australian Distributor Footprint Films
International Sales Maze Film
Synopsis A moral tale about Mike, a former Australian soldier, who returns to Afghanistan hoping to find the family of a man he killed during the war.

JUDY AND PUNCH
Seaside Productions Pty Ltd
Producers Nash Edgerton, Michele Bennett, Danny Gabai 
Executive Producers Vincent Landay, Eddy Moretti
Director / Writer Mirrah Foulkes
International Sales Cornerstone Films  
Synopsis When small-town puppeteer Punch accidentally kills his baby during a drinking binge, his wife Judy - having suffered a violent beating - teams up with a band of outcast heretics to enact revenge on Punch and the entire town of Seaside.

LADIES IN BLACK
Ladies In Black Film Pty Ltd
Producers Allanah Zitserman, Sue Milliken 
Executive Producers Bruno Charlesworth, Morris Ruskin, Ronald Zammit, Julie Zammit  
Director Bruce Beresford
Writers Bruce Beresford, Sue Milliken 
Australian Distribution Sony Pictures Releasing
International Sales Agent Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group
Synopsis Adapted from the bestselling novel by Madeleine St John, “Ladies in Black” is an alluring and tender-hearted comedy drama about the lives of a group of department store employees in 1959 Sydney.

LITTLE MONSTERS
Eddie Wong Films Pty Ltd
Producers Jodi Matterson, Steve Hutensky, Jessica Calder, Keith Calder
Executive Producer Bruna Papandrea
Director / Writer Abe Forsythe
Australian Distributor Universal
International Sales Protagonist  
Synopsis This movie is dedicated to all the Kindergarten teachers out there who motivate our children to learn, instil them with confidence and stop them from being devoured by Zombies.

THE MERGER
Dream Genie Pictures Pty Ltd & Crow Crow Productions Pty Ltd
Producer Anne Robinson
Director Mark Grentell
Writer Damian Callinan
Australian Distributor Umbrella Entertainment 
International Sales 108 Media
Synopsis With the club facing ruin, a country footy coach takes the community and himself on a journey of change as he executes a plan to recruit asylum seekers to ensure the team and the town survives

MOTHER
Mother Film Holdings Pty Ltd
Producers Kelvin Munro, Timothy White, Anna Vincent (co-producer)
Executive Producers Jean-Luc de Fanti, Terry Dougas, Paris Kasidokostas-Latsis
Director Grant Sputore
Writer Michael Lloyd Green
International Sales Mister Smith Entertainment, WME Global
Synopsis A teenage girl is raised underground by a robot “Mother” – designed to repopulate the earth’s surface following an extinction-level event. But their unique bond is threatened when an inexplicable stranger arrives with alarming news.

MR CRANKY
Pictures in Paradise
Producer Chris Brown
Director Jonathan Teplitzky
Writer Chris Nyst
Australian Distributor Universal Pictures
International Sales Metro International
Synopsis When underworld debt collector Kevin Darcy’s deep-rooted anger issues get him embroiled in a vicious gangland war, his stripper ex-girlfriend is accidentally blown up, and he is saddled with her precocious seven-year-old daughter. Lying low on the glitzy Gold Coast, he staves off bikies, Lebanese hit men, a drug-addicted circus clown, and his New Age Laughing Circle therapist, struggling to become a better father, and a better man.
Production funding for this feature film was revoked in December 2017.

SIBLING RIVALRY
Bison Films & Jason Byrne Productions
Producers Jason Byrne, Clayton Jacobson  
Executive Producers Tait Brady, Julia Adams, Deb Fryers
Director Clayton Jacobson
Writer Jamie Browne
Australian Distributor Label
International Sales Guardian Entertainment International LLC
Synopsis With their mother dying of cancer, intent on changing her will to benefit her ‘new’ husband before she dies, two brothers go to extreme and deadly lengths to protect their inheritance from being signed away before it’s too late.

SLAM
Invisible Republic Pty Ltd
Producers Michael Wrenn, Tenille Kennedy, Marc Irmer
Director/Writer Patho Sen Gupta
Australian Distributor Bonsai Films
International Sales Doc & Film Sales 
Synopsis Ricky Mansour is a young Arab Australian whose peaceful suburban life is turned on its head when his hijab wearing sister Ameena disappears without a trace.

STORM BOY
Ambience Entertainment
Executive Producers Robert Slaviero
Producers Michael Boughen, Matthew Street  
Director Shawn Seet
Writer Justin Monjo
Australian Distributor Studio Canal
International Sales Kathy Morgan International
Synopsis Living with his reclusive father on a desolate coastline a young boy's life changes forever when he adopts three orphaned Pelicans.

TOP END WEDDING
Goalpost Pictures Australia
Producers Kylie du Fresne, Rosemary Blight
Executive Producers Ben Grant, Glen Condie
Director Wayne Blair
Writers Miranda Tapsell, Joshua Tyler
Cast Miranda Tapsell
Australian Distributor eOne Films
Synopsis Lauren and Ned are engaged, they are in love, and they have just ten days to find Lauren's mother who has gone AWOL somewhere in the Northern Territory, reunite her parents and pull off their dream Top End Wedding.

THE TRUE HISTORY OF THE NED KELLY GANG
Porchlight Films Pty Ltd
Producers Liz Watts, Hal Vogel, David Aukin
Director Justin Kurzel
Writer Shaun Grant
Australian Distributor TBC
International Sales TBC 
Synopsis Inspired by Peter Carey’s Booker prize-winning novel, Justin Kurzel’s The True History of the Ned Kelly Gang will shatter the mythology of the notorious bushranger to reveal the truth behind the life of Ned Kelly and force a country to stare back into the ashes of its brutal past

WINCHESTER
Winchester Film Holdings Pty Ltd
Executive Producers Daniel Diamond, Benedict Carver, Tobin Armbrust
Producers Tim McGahan, Brett Tomberlin
Directors Peter Spierig, Michael Spierig
Writers Peter Spierig, Michael Spierig, Tom Vaughan
Australian Distributor Studio Canal
International Sales Diamond Pictures, Bullitt Entertainment
Synopsis Sarah Winchester, the millionaire heiress to the Winchester Arms fortune, is haunted by the souls killed at the barrel of the infamous rifle. Her obsession has led to the construction of an enormous mansion, designed to keep these evil spirits at bay.