AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND LISTINGS - June 10

PRE PRODUCTION

DECEMBER BOYS
(Becker Films) Backers: Film Finance Corporation Australia, South AustralianFilm Corporation. Int'l sales: MBM (German-speaking territories), AuraEntertainment (rest of world). Dist: Becker (Aust/NZ). Drama. Four orphans gofor a holiday by the sea. Friendships are tested and new alliances made whenrumours emerge that two seaside families are looking to adopt. Prod: RichardBecker. Line prod: Rocky Bester. Dir: Rod Hardy. Scr: Marc Rosenberg from thebook by Michael Noonan. Shooting in South Australia from late 2004.
Contact: Steve Bickel, Aura Entertainment, (310) 278 9991

DOWN & DIRTY
(Down & Dirty Productions) Backers: Private investors. Int'l sales/Austdist: Intertropic Films. Action adventure. A major heist goes wrong. Exec prod:Doug Waters. Prod: Phil Avalon. Co-prod: Jock Blair. Dir: Geoff Cox. Scr: JamesSimmonds. DoP: Robert Buckingham. Shooting in Queensland from September 2004.
Contact: Lionel Midford, publicist, (61 2) 9328 6702

IRRESISTIBLE
(Irresistible Films) Backers: Film Finance Corporation Australia, SpiceFactory/Movision, Film Victoria, Future Films, Royal Bank Of Scotland. Int'lsales: Arclight. Dist: Palace (Aust/NZ), Momentum (UK), Blue Star (Italy).Psychological thriller. Sophie Hartley is convinced she is being stalked. Shebecomes increasingly certain that her husband's beautiful co-worker, Mara,wants her children, her husband, her life. But no-one believes her. Forced toprove her sanity, she makes a discovery more shocking than her worst fears.Exec prods: Sue Maslin, Michael Cowan, Gary Hamilton, Pete Maggi. Prods: DavidParker, Tatiana Kennedy. Co-prod: Franziska Wagenfeld. Dir/scr: Ann Turner.DoP: Martin McGrath. Ed: Ken Sallows. Shooting in Melbourne from late 2004.
Contact: selina@cascadefilms.com.au

THE QUEEN& I
(Street Films [Aust], Scala Productions [UK]). Backers: Film FinanceCorporation Australia, PFTC. Int'l sales: Arclight. Dist: Becker Group(Aust/NZ), MGM (UK). Comedy. When Queen Elizabeth II is hit on the head with aboomerang during her tour of Australia, an entertainer whose impersonation ofHer Majesty is faultless is rapidly drafted by the Australian Government tofulfil the rest of her engagements. Prods: Michael Pattinson, Nik Powell.Co-prod: Tom Burstall. Dir: Michael Pattinson. Script: Pattinson, GerryConnolly. DoP: Ben Nott. Ed: Marc Van Buuren. Prod design: Eugene Intas.Shooting in Brisbane, London and Sydney from late August 2004.
Contact: Gary Hamilton, Arclight, (61 2) 9955 8825

IN PRODUCTION

HAPPY FEET
(Kennedy Miller) Backers: Warner Bros Pictures, Village Roadshow Pictures.Dist: Roadshow (Aust/NZ). Animated musical. The adventures of a young penguinin Antarctica. Prods: George Miller, Doug Mitchell. Dir: George Miller. Scr:Miller, John Collee, Warren Coleman, Judy Morris. Main cast: Elijah Wood,Brittany Murphy, Robin Williams. Shooting at Fox Studios Australia/Animal Logicin 2004
Contact: Kennedy Miller, (61 2) 9357 2322

HOUSE OFWAX
(Dark Castle Entertainment, Silver Pictures) Backers/int'l sales: Warner BrosPictures. Dist: Roadshow (Aust/NZ). Horror. A group of friends fall prey to asinister plot while passing through a small town on the way to a collegefootball fame. A remake of the 1953 horror classic. Exec prods: Herbert WGains, Steve Richards, Bruce Berman. Prods: Joel Silver, Robert Zemeckis, SusanLevin. Co-prod: Richard Mirisch. Dir: Jaume Collet-Serra. Scr: Chad Hayes,Carey Hayes. DoP: Steve Windon. Ed: Joel Negron. Prod design: Grace Walker.Costume design: Graham Purcell, Alex Alvarez. Unit prod mgr: Sharon Miller. 1stAD: Jamie Crooks. Main cast: Elisha Cuthbert, Chad Michael Murray, Brian VanHolt, Paris Hilton, Jared Padalecki, Jon Abrhams, Robert Richard. Shooting atthe Warner Roadshow Studios and surrounds from May until July.
Contact: Fiona Searson, Denis Davidson Associates, (61 2) 9955 5800

WOLF CREEK
(GMF Pty Ltd). Budget: Low. Backers: Film Finance Corporation Australia, SouthAustralian Film Corporation, private investors. Int'l sales: Arclight. Dist:Arclight/Mushroom (Aust/NZ). Horror/thriller. Nighmarish events take over agroup of young people in the remote and inhospitable Australian outback. Basedon actual events. Exec prods: Martin Fabinyi, Gary Hamilton, Matt Hearn, SimonHewitt. Prods: David Lightfoot, Greg McLean. Dir/scr: Greg McLean. DoP: WillGibson. Prod design: Rob Webb. Costumes: Nicola Dunn. Makeup: Jen Lamphee.Music: Franc Tetaz. Main cast: John Jarratt, Nathan Phillips, Kestie Morassiand Cassandra Mcgrath. Shooting in outback South Australia from May 2004.
Contact: Gary Hamilton, Arclight, (61 2) 9955 8825

POST-PRODUCTION

THE EXTRA
(Extra Extra Film Productions) Backers: MacquarieNine Film and Television Fund,Film Victoria. Int'l sales: Nine Films and Television. Dist: Hoyts (Aust/NZ).Romantic comedy. A normal Joe Blow sees movie stars living the high life andsays 'why not me''. Exec prods: Jennie Hughes, Posie Graeme-Evans. Prods: BrunoCharlesworth, Steve Luby, Mark Ruse. Dir: Kevin Carlin. Scr: Jimeoin McKeown.DoP: Mark Wareham. Ed: Angie Higgins. Prod design: Ben Morieson. Cost design:Kitty Stuckey. Hair/make-up: Kirsten Veysey. Music supervisor Norman Parkhill.Main cast: Main cast: Jimeoin, Rhys Muldoon, Kristy Hinze, Katherine Slattery,Helen Dallimore, Bob Franklin. Shot at Central City Studios in Melbourne fromMarch 5 to April 23.
Contact: Kerrie Theobald, publicist (61 3) 9509 0229

HATING ALISON ASHLEY
(HAA Films). Backers: Film Finance Corporation Australia, The Movie Network,Film Victoria, The Australian Children's Television Foundation, New South WalesFilm and Television Office. Int'l sales: Universal Pictures (Aust, NZ and UKrights), Arclight (rest of world). Dist: Hoyts (Aust/NZ), Universal (UK).Coming-of-age drama. The trials and tribulations of being a teenager and peerrivalry, but also discovering the value of true friendship. Exec prod: John Brousek. Co-exec prods: Gary Hamilton, VictorSyrmis. Prods: JohnBrousek, Elizabeth Howatt-Jackman. Line prod: Sue Wild. Dir: Geoff Bennett.Scr: Christine Madafferi from the book by Robin Klein. DoP: Steve Newman. Ed: Suresh Ayar. Prod design: Ralph Moser. Costdesign: Paul Warren. Hair/make-up: Christine Miller. Music: Cezary Skubiszewski. Main cast: Delta Goodrem, SaskiaBurmeister. Shot in Melbourne from April 5 to May 21.
Contact: Fiona Nix, publicist (61 2) 9380 4933

LIFE STORY
(Hibiscus Film) Backers: Film Finance Corporation Australia, Adelaide FilmFestival, South Australian Film Corporation, Film Victoria, SBS Independent.Int'l sales: Fortissimo. Dist: Footprint (Aust/NZ). Drama (live action withanimated sequences). Over a fiercely hot weekend, four people grapple withlife-changing news, wondering whether their fate is deserved or earned, and howhappiness might be possible. Prod: Bridget Ikin. Assoc prods: Barbara Masel,Vicki Sugars. Dir/scr: Sarah Watt. DoP: Ray Argall. Prod design: RitaZanchetta. Cost design: Edie Kurzer. Sound recordist: Toivo Lember. Ed: DeniseHaratzis. Sound design: Ashley Klose Main. Main cast: William McInnes, JustineClark, Anthony Hayes, Andrew Gilbert, Lisa Flanagan, Daniela Farinacci, SachaHorler. Shot in Adelaide from March 15 to April 30, 2004.
Contact: Wouter Barendrecht, Fortissimo, (852) 2311 8081

THE OYSTERFARMER
(Anthony Buckley Films [Aust], The Oyster Farmer Production [UK]) Budget: A$6.9million. Backers: Film Finance Corporation Australia, New South Wales Film andTelevision Office, Little Wing UK, Future Film UK. Int'l sales: Beyond Films.Dist: Dendy/Sherman Pictures (Aust/NZ). Modern romantic comedy. Eighthgeneration oyster farmers, Vietnam veterans with shotguns, and 220 horsepoweroutboards, and other eccentrics in a frontier-style country. Exec prod:Jonathan Shteinman. Prods: Anthony Buckley, Piers Tempest. Dir/scr: AnnaReeves. DoP: Alun Bollinger. Ed: Peter Beston. Prod design: Steven Jones-Evans.Cost designer: Emily Seresin. Hair/make-up: Deborah Lanser. Composer: StephenWarbeck. Main cast: Jim Norton, Alex O'Lachlan, Kerry Armstrong, Jack Thompson,David Field. Shot near Sydney from November 10 until December 19, 2003.
Contact: Hilary Davis, Beyond Films, (44 207) 636 9613

THREEDOLLARS
(Arenafilm) Backers: Film Finance Corporation Australia, PMP/Showtime, privateequity. Int'l sales: Becker Films International. Dist: Dendy/Footprint(Aust/NZ), Fandango (Italy). Comedy drama. An honest decent man unfairly findshimself, at age 38, with a wife and child and three dollars. Prod: JohnMaynard. Dir: Robert Connolly. Scr: Connolly, Elliot Perlman, from a book byPerlman. DoP: Tristan Milani. Prod design: Luigi Pittorini. Ed: Nick Meyers.Music: Alan John. Main cast: David Wenham, Frances O'Connor, Sarah Wynter. Shotin Melbourne from March 8 to May 1.
Contact: John Maynard, Arenafilm, (61 2) 9319 7011 or mail@ arenafilm.com.au

TWISTSOF FATE
(On The Mark Productions) Budget: A$100,000. Backers: Private. IDrama. Trudythinks life couldn't get worse than being the loner at school who gets her headflushed down the toilet. So when new student Chelsy befriends her it is apleasant surprise. Chelsy soon introduces her to drugs, alcohol and parties,but the fun can only last only so long. Exec prod/dir/ed: Mark Eder. Scr: Eder,Robert Luxford. Prod: Annmaree Bell. Assoc prod: Lily Ng. DoP: Dion Wilton.Camera op: Robert Agganis. Set design: Amanda Starr Crawford, Megan Riakos.Costume design: Amanda Starr Crawford. Hair/make-up: Tim Claydon. Cast: SophieScarf, Jessica Vaby, Leigh Martin, Kelly Butler, Lindsay Farris. Shot on theNew South Wales Central Coast from April 13 to May 3.
Contact: Lily Ng (61) 408 008 318 or l.ng@bigpond.com

YOU ANDYOUR STUPID MATE
(Mondayitis Productions) Backers: MacquarieNine Film and Television Fund, FilmFinance Corporation Australia, Film Victoria. Int'l sales: LightningEntertainment. Dist: Nine Films and Television in association with Hoyts(Aust/NZ). Comedy. Jeffrey and Philip have been mates forever. They even livetogether, in an outer suburban caravan park, happily unemployed ' untileverything goes wrong. Exec prods: Bryce Menzies, Posie Graeme-Evans, JennieHughes. Prods: Marc Gracie, David Redman. Dir: Gracie. Scr: Dave O'Neil, MarkO'Toole. DoP: Justin Brickle. Ed: Micheal Collins. Prod design: PennySouthgate. Cost design: Monica O'Brien. Main cast: Nathan Phillips, AngusSampson, Rachel Hunter, Madeleine West, William McInnes. Shot in Melbourne fromJanuary 19 to early March.

Contact:Fiona Searson, Denis Davidson Associates, (61 2) 9955 5800

NEWZEALAND

PRE-PRODUCTION
NUMBER 2
(Colonial Encounters) Backers: New Zealand Film Commission,Working Title Films. Int'lsales: NZ Film. Dist: Miramax (Aust/NZ), Working Title (UK). Drama. A fractured Fijian family comes together forone day when their matriarch decides to name her successor. Prods:Tim White, Lydia Livingston, Philipa Campbell. Dir/scr: Toa Fraser.

RIVERQUEEN
(Silverscreen Films [NZ], The Film Consortium [UK]) Backers: New Zealand FilmProduction Fund, New Zealand Film Commission, The Film Consortium, The UK FilmCouncil, Endgame, Invicta. Int'l sales: The Works (worldwide except for Japanand Asia), NZ Film (all Asian territories including Japan). Dist: 20thCentury Fox (UK, Aust, NZ). Period drama. The story of a young woman's conflictwhen caught between two cultures. Exec prods: Jim Stern, Neil Peplow, GeoffDixon. Prods: Don Reynolds, Chris Auty. Co-prod: Tainui Stephens. Dir: VincentWard. Scr: Ward, Toa Fraser. DoP: Alun Bollinger. Ed: Ewa Lind. Prod design:Rick Kofoed. Costume design: Barbara Darragh. Hair/make-up: Linda Wall. Scripted: Kely Lyons. Line prod: Liz Di Fiore. Casting: Diana Rowan (NZ), CelestiaFox (UK). Main cast: Samantha Morton, Kiefer Sutherland, Cliff Curtis, TemueraMorrison. Shooting in the North Island of New Zealand from June 28 untilSeptember.
Contact Sue May, publicist, (64) 274 739 318

INPRODUCTION

KING KONG
(Big Primate Pictures Limited) Backer: Universal Pictures. Drama. Remake of the1933 classic. Prods: Peter Jackson, Jan Blenkin, Carolynne Cunningham. PeterJackson. Scr: Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens. Unit production manager:Anne Bruning. DoP: Andrew Lesnie. Prod design: Grant Major. Supervising artdir: Dan Hennah. Music: Howard Shore. Main cast: Naomi Watts, Jack Black.Shooting at Miramar in Wellington, New Zealand, from April 30.
Contact: Judy Alley, publicity department, (64 4) 380.6880

THE LION,THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE
(Walden Media) Backers: The Walt Disney Company. Fantasy.Four children living in the country during World War II air raids on England,discover they can walk through a wardrobe to a strange land called Narniafilled with magical and fantastic people and creatures. They are enlisted tohelp the great lion Aslan defeat the evil White Witch. Exec prods: PerryMoore, Philip Steuer. Prods: Cary Granat, Mark Johnson. Co-prod: DouglasGresham. Dir: Andrew Adamson. Scr: Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely, AnnePeacock from the book by CS Lewis. Special effects supervisor: Richard Taylor.Prod design: Roger Ford. Make-up: Tami Lane. Shooting in New Zealand.
Contact: Lauren, publicist, (64 9) 417 0500

PERFECTCREATURE
(Crimbil Equities [NZ], Roc Media [UK]). Budget: NZ$20m. Backers: New ZealandFilm Production Fund, New Zealand Film Commission, Movision, Royal Bank OfScotland. Roc Media. Int'l sales: Arclight (worldwide), NZ Film (Aust/NZ, SouthEast Asia). Dist: Nikatsu (Japan), Scanbox (Scandinavia). Futuristic vampirethriller. An original retelling of the vampire myth. Prods: Tim Sanders, RusselFischer, Haneet Vaswani, Michael Cowan, Jason Piette. Dir/script: GlennStandring. DoP: Leon Narbey. Ed: Chris Blunden. Prod design: Phil Ivey. Costumedesign: Kirsty Cameron. Composer: Anne Dudley. Shooting in Dunedin andAuckland, New Zealand, from May to August. Cast: Dougray Scott, SaffronBurrows, Stuart Wilson, Scott Wills, Leo Gregory. Shooting in Dunedin andAuckland, New Zealand, from May 23 until mid-August, 2004.
Contact: Tim Sanders, c/o New Zealand Film Commission, (64 4) 382 7680

POST-PRODUCTION

FIFTY WAYS OF SAYING FABULOUS
(MF Films) Budget: NZ$2.5 million. Backers: New Zealand Film Commission. Int'lsales: NZ Film. Drama. Coming of age story of a boy growing up in a smallsouthern town. Prod: Michele Fantl. Dir: Stewart Main. Scr: Main from GrameAitken's novel. DoP: Simon Raby. Ed: Peter Roberts. Prod design: Ken Turner.Cost design: Kirsty Cameron. Hair/make-up: Tracey Sharman. Music: Peter Scholes.Main cast: Rima te Wiata, Michael Dorman. Shot in Central Otago from February10 to March 27, 2004.
Contact: Kathleen Drumm, New Zealand Film, (644) 382 7685

IN MY FATHER'S DEN
(T.H.E. Film Ltd [NZ], Little Bird [UK]) Backers: UK Film Council, New ZealandFilm Commission, Visionview, NZ On Air. Int'l sales: Element X, NZ Film. Dist:Icon (Aust/NZ), Optimum (UK). Psychological mystery. A disillusioned warjournalist is implicated in the disappearance of a teenager. Exec prods: SueBruce Smith, James Mitchell, Paul Trijbits, Jim Reeve, Steve Robbins. Prods:Trevor Haysom, Dixie Linder. Dir/scr: Brad McGann from the novel by MauriceGee. DoP: Stuart Dryburgh. Ed: Chris Plummer. Prod design: Jennifer Kernke.Cost design: Kirsty Cameron. Music: Simon Boswell. Sound recordist: RichardFlynn. Hair/make-up: Denise Kum. 1st AD: Axel Paton. Main cast: MatthewMacFadyen, Miranda Otto, Emily Barclay, Colin Moy, Jodie Rimmer, Jimmy Keen,Vicky Haughton. Shot in Otago and Auckland from September 8 until October 31,2003.
Contact: Trevor Haysom, T.H.E Film, (64 9) 307 0036, or Dixie Linder, LittleBird, (44 20) 7380 3980

QUIET NIGHT IN
(Burning Rope Productions) Comedy. Young writer Jess Bartlett's life unravelsin one evening at home when her self-centred friends, self-loathing book, amurder, and an intimate dinner for two all clash. Exec prods: Dean Spooner,Maureen Rainbow, Sel Rainbow. Prod/dir/script: Christopher Banks. DoP: NeilMorrison. Ed: Cameron Crawford. Prod design/costume design: Richard J Lambert.Hair/make-up: Bianca Whittaker. Main cast: Nicolette Kenny, Richard Lambeth,Lucy Gay, Brian Mckay, Kittichon Helviphat. Shot in Waitakere City from Feb 2to 13.
Contact: Christopher Banks, (64 9) 835 3784 or (64) 21 522 657