Justin Kurzel’s ‘Nitram’ wins CinefestOZ film prize
By Sean Slatter
Port Arthur film Nitram stuns critics, audience at Cannes Film Festival
By Stephanie Bunbury
‘Smashed Avocado’ to GoodThing Productions
GoodThing Productions, which produced Stan Grant’s Adam Goodes documentary The Australian Dream and Damon Gameau’s 2040, acquired film and TV rights to Haddow’s Smashed Avocado via Alex Adsett Publishing Services in a three-way auction.
Adsett said she is ‘thrilled’ the company ‘saw something special in Nicole and Smashed Avocado‘ to develop the book into a series ’empowering more Australians to achieve home ownership and seek innovative ways to reach their goals’.
Nero publisher Sophy Williams said, ‘Smashed Avocado will adapt brilliantly to the screen. Nicole has a perfect blend of authority and down-to-earth Aussie practicality, all with more than a dash of charm.’
Haddow will be involved in the project, which will adapt her book into short- and long-form content, for access across various network or streaming services.
GoodThing Productions producer Charlotte Wheaton said the company is ‘incredibly excited to be working with Nicole on adapting Smashed Avocado into a TV series, a home-grown product that resonates internationally and provides not only a roadmap to home ownership in the new world, but a framework for different generations to discuss it’.
GoodThing chosen to develop West Gate for SBS’ pitch to pilot program.
GoodThing are excited to be teaming up with Paula Salini, Nicky Arnall and Beck Cole to develop Enza Gandolfo’s gripping novel ‘The Bridge’ for SBS’ pitch to pilot initiative.
New Year, New Project!
Nude Tuesday, an absurd dramedy about couple Laura and Bruno who are on the brink of breaking up, and spend a week at a new-age retreat in a bid to save their marriage. What results is one of the most outrageous, emotionally confronting weeks of their lives. Written by Jackie van Beek (The Breaker Upperers), the film will be performed in a fictional language, and will be subtitled by comedic writers after filming to create a number of completely different versions of the same story. This is the second film directed by Armagan Ballantyne (after The Strength of Water in 2009) and will be produced by Virginia Whitwell and Nick Batzias whose credits include The Australian Dream, and New Zealand producer Emma Slade (Come To Daddy). The project has also received conditional production investment from the New Zealand Film Commission and is financed with support from Film Victoria.
And the AACTA goes to…. THE AUSTRALIAN DREAM
GoodThing Productions, Passion Pictures and Very Much So are thrilled to be awarded the 2019 AACTA award for Feature Documentary.
#winning
Thank you to SPAA for awarding The Australian Dream best feature documentary for 2019.
Congratulations Anna!
Anna Kaplan awarded Natalie Miller Fellowship
Producer Anna Kaplan, known for her work leading social impact campaigns on documentaries such as 2040, The Hunting Ground and That Sugar Film, has been awarded this year’s Natalie Miller Fellowship.
Kaplan, whose career is spanned development, production, distribution and outreach, is a two-time AACTA nominee and has previously been awarded Film Victoria’s Women in Leadership Development Fellowship.
President of the Natalie Miller Fellowship Sue Maslin AO said: “Anna Kaplan has an extensive background in using film and storytelling to ignite change. She is a respected leader in the field of impact producing and has an ambitious vision to mobilise the Australian screen industry to embrace more sustainable environmental practices. We are delighted to award the 2020 Natalie Miller Fellowship to Anna. ”
The Natalie Miller Fellowship is open to all women working in the Australian screen industry, and offers up to $20,000 for a professional development program that will deliver significant benefits to the applicant and the wider Australian screen community.
Kaplan was presented the award this evening at the Australian International Movie Convention (AIMC).
Upon receiving the grant Kaplan said: “I am so honoured to be the recipient of this year’s Natalie Miller Fellowship. Natalie Miller is a trailblazing, inspirational female leader who has made an indelible mark on the Australian screen industry landscape, so it’s incredibly humbling to be associated with her legacy in this way. It’s also a huge privilege to be joining such an impressive cohort of previous recipients. The Fellowship will provide me with a game-changing platform to deepen my specialist knowledge, hone my leadership skills and activate my agency to catalyse positive outcomes for the local screen industry.”
Previous recipients of the fellowship include Rachel Okine (vice president of acquisitions STX international), Harriet Pike (head of production & development, WildBear Entertainment), Rebecca Hammond (post production manager, Beyond Productions), Courtney Botfield (film distribution and marketing consultant/producer), Sasha Close (film programming manager, Wallis Cinemas); Kristy Matheson (director, film programs ACMI) and Miriam Katsambis (legal counsel, Entertainment One).
GoodThing Productions acknowledges that its offices are on stolen Wurundjeri land of the Kulin Nation, and we pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. Sovereignty was never ceded. GoodThing is contributing to the ‘Pay The Rent’ campaign and we encourage others to consider paying the rent with us: https://paytherent.net.au/