Chicago – One of Chicago’s icon theater actors … Michael Shannon … is performing again in town, in the company that he co-founded. Red Orchid Theatre presents Michael Shannon and Travis A. Knight in the World Premiere of “Turret” by Levi Holloway, now at the Chopin Theatre through June 9, 2024. For tickets and info, click Turret.
Two men (Shannon and Knight) survive in a facility deep underground somewhere in the wild woods of the Pacific Northwest, hiding away from something terrible from the outside. Ensnared in a relentless loop of endless tomorrows, they discover the wolf isn’t at the door, it’s already inside, waiting in the creeping darkness all around them. “Turret” is an excavation of masculinity, love, loss and isolation, and a claustrophobic carnival of carnage, carrier pigeons, cribbage, whiskey, music, mischief and mayhem.
Red Orchid’s ’Turret’ at the Chopin Theatre through June 9th
Photo credit: RedOrchidTheatre.org
Michael Shannon was born in Kentucky,...
Two men (Shannon and Knight) survive in a facility deep underground somewhere in the wild woods of the Pacific Northwest, hiding away from something terrible from the outside. Ensnared in a relentless loop of endless tomorrows, they discover the wolf isn’t at the door, it’s already inside, waiting in the creeping darkness all around them. “Turret” is an excavation of masculinity, love, loss and isolation, and a claustrophobic carnival of carnage, carrier pigeons, cribbage, whiskey, music, mischief and mayhem.
Red Orchid’s ’Turret’ at the Chopin Theatre through June 9th
Photo credit: RedOrchidTheatre.org
Michael Shannon was born in Kentucky,...
- 5/11/2024
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
William Shakespeare’s Pericles, Prince of Tyre ends with a pair of near-resurrections, as the titular protagonist reunites with his daughter and wife, each long-thought dead. It’s only fitting, then, that Fiasco Theater’s production of Pericles, running at the Classic Stage Company until March 24, is an electrifying act of double-resurrection itself.
Pericles is one of Shakespeare’s late romances, blurring lines between genres and toying with fantastical scenes of rebirth, and it’s right in Fiasco’s wheelhouse: the troupe burst on to the scene with a six-actor production of another work in the genre, Cymbeline, in 2011. Gorgeously giddy New York productions of Measure for Measure and The Two Gentlemen of Verona, so-called comedies with disquieting dark turns, followed, in 2014 and 2015, respectively. But some of Fiasco’s more recent early modern undertakings, like a weirdly froth-less Twelfth Night at Classic Stage in 2017 and an overly chaotic reinvention of...
Pericles is one of Shakespeare’s late romances, blurring lines between genres and toying with fantastical scenes of rebirth, and it’s right in Fiasco’s wheelhouse: the troupe burst on to the scene with a six-actor production of another work in the genre, Cymbeline, in 2011. Gorgeously giddy New York productions of Measure for Measure and The Two Gentlemen of Verona, so-called comedies with disquieting dark turns, followed, in 2014 and 2015, respectively. But some of Fiasco’s more recent early modern undertakings, like a weirdly froth-less Twelfth Night at Classic Stage in 2017 and an overly chaotic reinvention of...
- 2/27/2024
- by Dan Rubins
- Slant Magazine
Andre Braugher, two-time Emmy-winning actor of Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Homicide: Life on the Street, has died at the age of 61. The actor died on Monday following a brief illness, his longtime publicist Jennifer Allen confirmed to Rolling Stone.
Throughout his career, Braugher garnered numerous accolades and his roles spanned television and film as he took on complex characters, traversing drama to comedy.
Born in Chicago on July 1, 1962, Braugher graduated from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Arts in theatre. He later attended Juilliard School and earned a Masters of Fine Arts.
Throughout his career, Braugher garnered numerous accolades and his roles spanned television and film as he took on complex characters, traversing drama to comedy.
Born in Chicago on July 1, 1962, Braugher graduated from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Arts in theatre. He later attended Juilliard School and earned a Masters of Fine Arts.
- 12/13/2023
- by Charisma Madarang
- Rollingstone.com
Bulgarian director Georgi Djulgerov is in postproduction with his period drama “Memoir of a Betrayal,” about the 19th-century anti-Ottoman revolutionary Georgi Benkovski. Known for his passionate interest in Bulgarian history and Zahari Stoyanov’s “Memoirs of the Bulgarian Uprisings,” Djulgerov focuses the narrative on some of the author’s key testimonies. The film is a local coproduction between the Bulgarian National Television and Borough Film, Film New Europe reports.
“I have a deep respect for the person and work of Zahari Stoyanov, a Bulgarian revolutionary and participant in the 1876 April Uprising. For me, his historiography ‘Memoirs of the Bulgarian Uprisings’ is the ‘Bulgarian Bible.’ I chose two important events from it: the assassination of Benkovski in 1876 and Stoyanov’s personal meeting with his traitor Grandpa Valio. The main theme of the film is that of forgiveness,” Djulgerov told Fne.
The film was shot in 21 days mostly in the historic town...
“I have a deep respect for the person and work of Zahari Stoyanov, a Bulgarian revolutionary and participant in the 1876 April Uprising. For me, his historiography ‘Memoirs of the Bulgarian Uprisings’ is the ‘Bulgarian Bible.’ I chose two important events from it: the assassination of Benkovski in 1876 and Stoyanov’s personal meeting with his traitor Grandpa Valio. The main theme of the film is that of forgiveness,” Djulgerov told Fne.
The film was shot in 21 days mostly in the historic town...
- 8/25/2022
- by Pavlina Jeleva
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Trai Byers, Ray Fisher, April Matthis and Michael Potts have joined Samuel L. Jackson, Danielle Brooks and John David Washington in the cast of Broadway’s upcoming revival of August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson.
The production, to be directed by Latanya Richardson Jackson, will begin performances on Monday, Sept. 19, for a 16-week engagement at the St. James Theatre. The staging will mark the first Broadway revival of the Pulitzer-winning Piano Lesson in more than 30 years.
Byers starred on Fox’s Empire as Andre Lyon. In 2014, he portrayed James Foreman in the Ava DuVernay-directed Selma, and most recently starred in, co-wrote and produced feature film The 24th. The Piano Lesson will mark his Broadway debut.
Fisher, cast as Lymon, is best known for his breakout role as Victor Stone/Cyborg in Warner Brothers’ DC Cinematic Universe. Cyborg was first introduced in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and...
The production, to be directed by Latanya Richardson Jackson, will begin performances on Monday, Sept. 19, for a 16-week engagement at the St. James Theatre. The staging will mark the first Broadway revival of the Pulitzer-winning Piano Lesson in more than 30 years.
Byers starred on Fox’s Empire as Andre Lyon. In 2014, he portrayed James Foreman in the Ava DuVernay-directed Selma, and most recently starred in, co-wrote and produced feature film The 24th. The Piano Lesson will mark his Broadway debut.
Fisher, cast as Lymon, is best known for his breakout role as Victor Stone/Cyborg in Warner Brothers’ DC Cinematic Universe. Cyborg was first introduced in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and...
- 4/26/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
The Good Fight is adding another award-winning star to its Season 6 cast.
Paramount+ announced this week that André Braugher (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) will join the upcoming sixth season of the critically acclaimed drama.
What's more, the series is now set to return in the summer.
Braugher will star as Ri'Chard Lane, a showman lawyer and rainmaker who is forced on Liz as a new name partner.
A force of nature, Ri'Chard is a wild mix of brilliance, geniality, religion and joyful hedonism.
In short, he's a handful.
"Our dream of an actor is always someone who can mix comedy and drama equally, and André Braugher is exactly that," said Robert and Michelle King, series co-creators, showrunners and executive producers.
"His work on 'Men of a Certain Age,' 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' and 'Homicide' has been amazing and funny. We're ecstatic that he finally has time in his schedule to come play.
Paramount+ announced this week that André Braugher (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) will join the upcoming sixth season of the critically acclaimed drama.
What's more, the series is now set to return in the summer.
Braugher will star as Ri'Chard Lane, a showman lawyer and rainmaker who is forced on Liz as a new name partner.
A force of nature, Ri'Chard is a wild mix of brilliance, geniality, religion and joyful hedonism.
In short, he's a handful.
"Our dream of an actor is always someone who can mix comedy and drama equally, and André Braugher is exactly that," said Robert and Michelle King, series co-creators, showrunners and executive producers.
"His work on 'Men of a Certain Age,' 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' and 'Homicide' has been amazing and funny. We're ecstatic that he finally has time in his schedule to come play.
- 3/10/2022
- by Paul Dailly
- TVfanatic
In Joel Coen’s “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” starring Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand, the concept of time — and feeling like you’re running out of it — is central to the narrative. Corey Hawkins and Moses Ingram play Lord and Lady Macduff, the fertile young couple who represent all that has eluded the Macbeths — a bushel of children to continue their lineage and potential for upward mobility in their political future. They’re time incarnate.
In the pantheon of film adaptations of William Shakespeare’s Scottish play, the Apple and A24 production stands out, not only for its modern black-and-white cinematography, but the inclusion of a wide array of Black actors is another notable triumph.
Hawkins, Ingram and Sean Patrick Thomas discussed the production’s prominent diversity with Variety at the film’s L.A. premiere at the DGA Theatre earlier this month.
“When’s the last time you’ve seen it?...
In the pantheon of film adaptations of William Shakespeare’s Scottish play, the Apple and A24 production stands out, not only for its modern black-and-white cinematography, but the inclusion of a wide array of Black actors is another notable triumph.
Hawkins, Ingram and Sean Patrick Thomas discussed the production’s prominent diversity with Variety at the film’s L.A. premiere at the DGA Theatre earlier this month.
“When’s the last time you’ve seen it?...
- 12/27/2021
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
A cross-section of the country’s emerging screen talent has received the endorsement of the Casting Guild of Australia (Cga) with the announcement of the guild’s annual Rising Stars.
The 2021 list comprises Albert Mwangi (Bump), BeBe Bettencourt (The Dry), Clarence Ryan (Stateless), Claude Jabbour (Eden), Elizabeth Cullen (Elvis), Georgie Stone (Neighbours), Jacob Junior Nayinggul (High Ground), Marlo Kelly (Joe Exotic), Ngali Shaw (Rfds) and Yerin Ha (Halo).
Now in its seventh year, the program is designed to identify Australian actors that have the potential to shine on the world stage, with previous recipients including Eliza Scanlan (Babyteeth), Katherine Langford (13 Reasons Why), Zoe Terakes (Nine Perfect Strangers), Tilda Cobham-Harvey (Hotel Mumbai) and Alexander England (Little Monsters).
Cga president David Newman said the guild was particularly proud of the “talent, tenacity, drive, and passion” of the 2021 Cga Rising Stars.
“In a time when an actor has had to adapt like never before,...
The 2021 list comprises Albert Mwangi (Bump), BeBe Bettencourt (The Dry), Clarence Ryan (Stateless), Claude Jabbour (Eden), Elizabeth Cullen (Elvis), Georgie Stone (Neighbours), Jacob Junior Nayinggul (High Ground), Marlo Kelly (Joe Exotic), Ngali Shaw (Rfds) and Yerin Ha (Halo).
Now in its seventh year, the program is designed to identify Australian actors that have the potential to shine on the world stage, with previous recipients including Eliza Scanlan (Babyteeth), Katherine Langford (13 Reasons Why), Zoe Terakes (Nine Perfect Strangers), Tilda Cobham-Harvey (Hotel Mumbai) and Alexander England (Little Monsters).
Cga president David Newman said the guild was particularly proud of the “talent, tenacity, drive, and passion” of the 2021 Cga Rising Stars.
“In a time when an actor has had to adapt like never before,...
- 11/9/2021
- by Staff Writer
- IF.com.au
"Our doubts are treacherous." NYC's Cinema Guild has debuted the official US trailer for an Argentinian film titled Isabella, opening in NYC in a few weeks. The title is a reference to one of the characters from Shakespeare's comedy "Measure for Measure". This premiered at last year's Berlin Film Festival, and it also stopped by the IndieLisboa and New York Film Festivals. This very vibrant, experimental film is about an actress – Mariel – who wants to play Isabella in Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure". Luciana, who is also an actress, helps her rehearse the part. But during the audition, Mariel realizes that Luciana is trying out for the very same role. "The latest in Matías Piñeiro's series of films inspired by the women of Shakespeare's comedies is his most structurally daring and visually stunning work to date... Isabella is a film about the ongoing battle between doubt and ambition that never...
- 8/16/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Samuel Goldwyn Films has added to its growing list of Australian acquisitions, negotiating a deal for the worldwide rights to Antaine Furlong’s Ascendant.
Under the agreement, there will be a planned theatrical release of the film as Rising Wolf in the US on July 16.
Ascendant will be released in Australia and New Zealand this Thursday via Maslow Entertainment.
Set in Shanghai, the story follows Aria Wolf (Charlotte Best), a young woman who wakes, trapped, kidnapped in an elevator of a super high rise building at the mercy of her tormentors. Cocooned in the belly of the beast, Aria is forced to adapt her thinking, her beliefs, and her endurance.
The cast includes Jonny Pasvolsky (The Front Runner), Alex Menglet (Wentworth), Susan Prior (The Rover), Lily Stewart, Justin Cotta,Tahlia Sturzaker (I am Mother), and Karelina Clarke.
Ascendant was written by Kieron Holland and Furlong, who produced alongside Kristy Vernon,...
Under the agreement, there will be a planned theatrical release of the film as Rising Wolf in the US on July 16.
Ascendant will be released in Australia and New Zealand this Thursday via Maslow Entertainment.
Set in Shanghai, the story follows Aria Wolf (Charlotte Best), a young woman who wakes, trapped, kidnapped in an elevator of a super high rise building at the mercy of her tormentors. Cocooned in the belly of the beast, Aria is forced to adapt her thinking, her beliefs, and her endurance.
The cast includes Jonny Pasvolsky (The Front Runner), Alex Menglet (Wentworth), Susan Prior (The Rover), Lily Stewart, Justin Cotta,Tahlia Sturzaker (I am Mother), and Karelina Clarke.
Ascendant was written by Kieron Holland and Furlong, who produced alongside Kristy Vernon,...
- 4/7/2021
- by Sean Slatter
- IF.com.au
Samuel Goldwyn Films has acquired the North American rights to Leah Purcell’s The Drover’s Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson ahead of its world premiere at SXSW next week.
In a deal was brokered by Momento International, The Drover’s Wife marks yet another Australian acquisition for Samuel Goldwyn, who has in recent years picked up films such as Rams, High Ground, Judy & Punch, Top End Wedding, Measure for Measure. H is for Happiness, Dirt Music, Koko: A Red Dog Story and Sweet Country.
Produced by Bunya Productions and Oombarra Productions, The Drover’s Wife is written and directed by Purcell, based on her stage play of the same name.
A reimagining of Henry Lawson’s classic short story, the story is set in 1893 on an isolated property the Snowy Mountains, and follows the heavily pregnant Molly Johnson (Purcell) and her children, who struggle in isolation to survive after her husband leaves,...
In a deal was brokered by Momento International, The Drover’s Wife marks yet another Australian acquisition for Samuel Goldwyn, who has in recent years picked up films such as Rams, High Ground, Judy & Punch, Top End Wedding, Measure for Measure. H is for Happiness, Dirt Music, Koko: A Red Dog Story and Sweet Country.
Produced by Bunya Productions and Oombarra Productions, The Drover’s Wife is written and directed by Purcell, based on her stage play of the same name.
A reimagining of Henry Lawson’s classic short story, the story is set in 1893 on an isolated property the Snowy Mountains, and follows the heavily pregnant Molly Johnson (Purcell) and her children, who struggle in isolation to survive after her husband leaves,...
- 3/11/2021
- by Jackie Keast
- IF.com.au
The casting directors behind Babyteeth, Measure for Measure, Paper Champions and The True History of the Kelly Gang will square off in the feature film category at the upcoming Casting Guild of Australia (Cga) Awards.
Bert and Amanda LABONTé will host the virtual ceremony on Facebook November 28, recognising casting across all mediums including film, TV, advertising, theatre and online.
In TV drama, the casting directors behind Mystery Road (season 2), The Heights (season 2), Neighbours and Wentworth (Season 8) have each been recognised with nods, while in the running for the TV Miniseries & Telemovie category are those who worked on Deadhouse Dark, Halifax: Retribution, Operation Buffalo and The Secrets She Keeps.
In contention in the TV comedy race are Black Comedy (season 4), How to Stay Married (season 2), The Other Guy (season 2) and Upright.
Leading the nominees overall are Nathan Lloyd and Natalie Jane Harvie with four nods each, while Kirsty McGregor, Stevie Ray,...
Bert and Amanda LABONTé will host the virtual ceremony on Facebook November 28, recognising casting across all mediums including film, TV, advertising, theatre and online.
In TV drama, the casting directors behind Mystery Road (season 2), The Heights (season 2), Neighbours and Wentworth (Season 8) have each been recognised with nods, while in the running for the TV Miniseries & Telemovie category are those who worked on Deadhouse Dark, Halifax: Retribution, Operation Buffalo and The Secrets She Keeps.
In contention in the TV comedy race are Black Comedy (season 4), How to Stay Married (season 2), The Other Guy (season 2) and Upright.
Leading the nominees overall are Nathan Lloyd and Natalie Jane Harvie with four nods each, while Kirsty McGregor, Stevie Ray,...
- 11/11/2020
- by Jackie Keast
- IF.com.au
Hugo Weaving isn’t returning to Middle-earth any time soon — or probably ever.
“No way. Absolutely no,” Weaving tells Variety in a recent phone interview about whether or not he would don the elf ears as Elrond again, considering the upcoming “Lord of the Rings” Amazon series. Weaving starred as the half-elven leader in both the “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” trilogies, which collectively grossed almost $6 billion worldwide and is currently being adapted into a show for the streaming platform.
He adds that he would have, however, returned to another fan favorite role of his from the early aughts — antagonist Agent Smith in the first three “Matrix” films — for the franchise’s upcoming fourth movie, had scheduling conflicts not gotten in the way.
“‘Matrix’ might have happened,” he says. “But ‘Lord of the Rings,’ no, I would never — I’m not interested in that at all. Look,...
“No way. Absolutely no,” Weaving tells Variety in a recent phone interview about whether or not he would don the elf ears as Elrond again, considering the upcoming “Lord of the Rings” Amazon series. Weaving starred as the half-elven leader in both the “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” trilogies, which collectively grossed almost $6 billion worldwide and is currently being adapted into a show for the streaming platform.
He adds that he would have, however, returned to another fan favorite role of his from the early aughts — antagonist Agent Smith in the first three “Matrix” films — for the franchise’s upcoming fourth movie, had scheduling conflicts not gotten in the way.
“‘Matrix’ might have happened,” he says. “But ‘Lord of the Rings,’ no, I would never — I’m not interested in that at all. Look,...
- 9/4/2020
- by Audrey Cleo Yap
- Variety Film + TV
Take away the title and a few characters’ names, and you’d have to be pretty well versed in the Bard to recognize Paul Ireland’s Melbourne-set Measure for Measure as a modern interpretation of that play. Central relationships and plots are so changed — a man’s sister is turned into his girlfriend, for one thing — that it would be safer to say the film was “suggested by” its predecessor, with more than a dash of Romeo and Juliet thrown in, and give it a different name.
But the literary source is one of only a couple of real draws in ...
But the literary source is one of only a couple of real draws in ...
Exclusive: Cinema Guild has acquired North American distribution rights to Matías Piñeiro’s Isabella which won a special jury mention in the Encounters section at the 70th Berlinale earlier this year. A 2021 theatrical release is being planned.
Isabella follows Mariel (María Villar) who wants to play the role of Isabella in a local theater troupe’s production of Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure, but money problems prevent her from preparing for the audition. She thinks of asking her brother for financial help, but is worried about being too direct. Her solution is to ask her brother’s girlfriend, Luciana (Agustina Muñoz), also an actress and a more self-assured one, to convince her brother to give her the money. Luciana agrees on the condition that Mariel will not abandon her acting and continue to prepare for the part of Isabella.
“We can’t wait for audiences to be enchanted by Matías’ latest,...
Isabella follows Mariel (María Villar) who wants to play the role of Isabella in a local theater troupe’s production of Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure, but money problems prevent her from preparing for the audition. She thinks of asking her brother for financial help, but is worried about being too direct. Her solution is to ask her brother’s girlfriend, Luciana (Agustina Muñoz), also an actress and a more self-assured one, to convince her brother to give her the money. Luciana agrees on the condition that Mariel will not abandon her acting and continue to prepare for the part of Isabella.
“We can’t wait for audiences to be enchanted by Matías’ latest,...
- 8/11/2020
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
"There are times vengeance is all we have." Goldwyn Films has released an official US trailer for film titled Measure for Measure, a contemporary update of Shakespeare's play of the same name. This premiered last year at the Melbourne and Busan Film Festivals. An unlikely love ignites between a modern Muslim girl and a local musician amongst the background of racial tension, amphetamines and gang culture in the city's notorious housing estate. Inspired by the play and influenced by the gritty realism of films like Amores Perros, the social conscience of Fish Tank, and dynamic aesthetic of Un Prophete, Measure for Measure questions the notion of justice, the ability for redemption, and examines the idea that "we can never escape our true nature or where we are from despite our attempts." The film stars Daniel Henshall, Harrison Gilbertson, Megan Smart, Mark Leonard Winter, and the great Hugo Weaving. Looks damn good.
- 8/6/2020
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Written more than 400 years ago, Shakespeare’s “Measure for Measure” is a classic play that, much like the rest of the writer’s works, has stood the test of time. And much like the rest of the author’s works, “Measure for Measure” is getting the Hollywood treatment.
Read More: ‘Critical Thinking’ Trailer: John Leguizamo’s Directorial Debut Is An Inspiring True Story Of A Chess Coach
As seen in the first trailer for “Measure for Measure,” which we are able to exclusively share with our readers, Hugo Weaving stars in this thriller about a crime boss and his enforcer that will go to extreme lengths to avenge one of their own.
Continue reading ‘Measure For Measure’ Exclusive Trailer: Hugo Weaving Stars In This Shakespearean Thriller at The Playlist.
Read More: ‘Critical Thinking’ Trailer: John Leguizamo’s Directorial Debut Is An Inspiring True Story Of A Chess Coach
As seen in the first trailer for “Measure for Measure,” which we are able to exclusively share with our readers, Hugo Weaving stars in this thriller about a crime boss and his enforcer that will go to extreme lengths to avenge one of their own.
Continue reading ‘Measure For Measure’ Exclusive Trailer: Hugo Weaving Stars In This Shakespearean Thriller at The Playlist.
- 8/6/2020
- by Charles Barfield
- The Playlist
(L-r) Greer Simpkin, Peter Goldwyn, Warwick Thornton and David Jowsey at the Sundance ‘Sweet Country’ premiere.
No North American distributor has been more aggressive in acquiring Australian films in the past few years than Samuel Goldwyn Films, continuing a relationship with Australian filmmakers that stretches for more than 20 years.
Among its latest acquisitions are Stephen Johnson’s High Ground, Paul Ireland’s Measure for Measure, John Sheedy’s H is for Happiness and Gregor Jordan’s Dirt Music.
President Peter Goldwyn explains the long-term commitment to Australian cinema, the target audiences for upcoming Oz titles and the distributor’s release strategies as most US cinemas are closed.
By my estimate, your company has released more Australian titles in recent years than any other US distributor. What keeps attracting you to Oz films and talent?
Simple answer is the quality of the pictures.
I think Goldwyn’s relationship with Aussie cinema...
No North American distributor has been more aggressive in acquiring Australian films in the past few years than Samuel Goldwyn Films, continuing a relationship with Australian filmmakers that stretches for more than 20 years.
Among its latest acquisitions are Stephen Johnson’s High Ground, Paul Ireland’s Measure for Measure, John Sheedy’s H is for Happiness and Gregor Jordan’s Dirt Music.
President Peter Goldwyn explains the long-term commitment to Australian cinema, the target audiences for upcoming Oz titles and the distributor’s release strategies as most US cinemas are closed.
By my estimate, your company has released more Australian titles in recent years than any other US distributor. What keeps attracting you to Oz films and talent?
Simple answer is the quality of the pictures.
I think Goldwyn’s relationship with Aussie cinema...
- 8/2/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
‘High Ground’.
With Melbourne cinemas closed and most of those still in operation averaging capacities of 10 – 20 per cent, Madman Entertainment sensibly has decided to release Stephen Johnson’s High Ground next year.
The 1930s-set drama, which stars Simon Baker, Jacob Junior Nayinggul, Jack Thompson, Callan Mulvey, Aaron Pedersen, Caren Pistorius and Ryan Corr, was originally slated to open on July 9.
It will join a number of other Aussie titles dated for 2021, including Glendyn Ivin’s Penguin Bloom (January 1) and Robert Connolly’s The Dry (April 8), both Roadshow releases.
Inspired by true events, scripted by Chris Anastassiades and produced by Maggie Miles, Yothu Yindi co-founder Witiyana Marika, Johnson, David Jowsey and Greer Simpkin, High Ground has its world premiere in the Berlinale Special screenings section of the Berlin International Film Festival.
“High Ground obviously has had its trajectory post-Berlinale world premiere impacted by Covid-19,” Madman MD Paul Wiegard tells If.
“With...
With Melbourne cinemas closed and most of those still in operation averaging capacities of 10 – 20 per cent, Madman Entertainment sensibly has decided to release Stephen Johnson’s High Ground next year.
The 1930s-set drama, which stars Simon Baker, Jacob Junior Nayinggul, Jack Thompson, Callan Mulvey, Aaron Pedersen, Caren Pistorius and Ryan Corr, was originally slated to open on July 9.
It will join a number of other Aussie titles dated for 2021, including Glendyn Ivin’s Penguin Bloom (January 1) and Robert Connolly’s The Dry (April 8), both Roadshow releases.
Inspired by true events, scripted by Chris Anastassiades and produced by Maggie Miles, Yothu Yindi co-founder Witiyana Marika, Johnson, David Jowsey and Greer Simpkin, High Ground has its world premiere in the Berlinale Special screenings section of the Berlin International Film Festival.
“High Ground obviously has had its trajectory post-Berlinale world premiere impacted by Covid-19,” Madman MD Paul Wiegard tells If.
“With...
- 7/22/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
‘Measure for Measure’.
Paul Ireland’s Measure for Measure will be released in North America by Samuel Goldwyn Films, the distributor’s third Australian acquisition this year.
The contemporary drama inspired by Shakespeare’s play, starring Hugo Weaving, Harrison Gilbertson, Megan Smart, Fayssal Bazzi, Mark Leonard Winter, Daniel Henshall, John Brumpton and Doris Younane, will go out on digital platforms on September 4.
Umbrella Films, which had planned a theatrical release in May that was scuttled after cinemas shuttered, will open the film on September 3.
Scripted by Ireland and the late Damian Hill, the plot follows the love affair between a modern Muslim girl and a local musician against the background of racial tension and gang culture in a notorious housing estate in Melbourne. Thea McLeod was the casting director
“In the current racial climate the world finds Itself, Measure for Measure becomes even more relevant to a society reaching out for love and equality,...
Paul Ireland’s Measure for Measure will be released in North America by Samuel Goldwyn Films, the distributor’s third Australian acquisition this year.
The contemporary drama inspired by Shakespeare’s play, starring Hugo Weaving, Harrison Gilbertson, Megan Smart, Fayssal Bazzi, Mark Leonard Winter, Daniel Henshall, John Brumpton and Doris Younane, will go out on digital platforms on September 4.
Umbrella Films, which had planned a theatrical release in May that was scuttled after cinemas shuttered, will open the film on September 3.
Scripted by Ireland and the late Damian Hill, the plot follows the love affair between a modern Muslim girl and a local musician against the background of racial tension and gang culture in a notorious housing estate in Melbourne. Thea McLeod was the casting director
“In the current racial climate the world finds Itself, Measure for Measure becomes even more relevant to a society reaching out for love and equality,...
- 6/30/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Samuel Goldwyn Films has taken North American rights to Paul Ireland’s feature drama Measure for Measure starring Hugo Weaving. An on-demand and digital release is planned for Sept. 4.
The Paul Ireland directed, written and produced movie is inspired by the William Shakespeare play of the same name and follows the love affair between a modern Muslim girl and a local musician against the background of racial tension and gang culture in the city’s notorious housing estate. Daniel Henshall (Okja), Harrison Gilbertson (Upgrade), Megan Smart (Breathe), and Mark Leonard Winter (The Dressmaker) also star.
Damian Hill also produced with EPs Mark Forytarz, Jeff Harrison, Ari Harrison, Keran Wicks, John Kearney, Clement Dunn, Tony Nagle, Bryce Menzies, Thea Mcleod, and Ian Kirk.
“In the current racial climate the world finds Itself, Measure for Measure becomes even more relevant to a society reaching out for love and equality,” said the filmmakers.
The Paul Ireland directed, written and produced movie is inspired by the William Shakespeare play of the same name and follows the love affair between a modern Muslim girl and a local musician against the background of racial tension and gang culture in the city’s notorious housing estate. Daniel Henshall (Okja), Harrison Gilbertson (Upgrade), Megan Smart (Breathe), and Mark Leonard Winter (The Dressmaker) also star.
Damian Hill also produced with EPs Mark Forytarz, Jeff Harrison, Ari Harrison, Keran Wicks, John Kearney, Clement Dunn, Tony Nagle, Bryce Menzies, Thea Mcleod, and Ian Kirk.
“In the current racial climate the world finds Itself, Measure for Measure becomes even more relevant to a society reaching out for love and equality,” said the filmmakers.
- 6/30/2020
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Film, television, and stage actor Jerry Stiller died of natural causes, as according to his son Ben Stiller. He was 92.
“I’m sad to say that my father, Jerry Stiller, passed away from natural causes,” Ben announced on Twitter. “He was a great dad and grandfather, and the most dedicated husband to Anne for about 62 years. He will be greatly missed. Love you Dad.”
Stiller is known for his TV roles as Frank Costanza on Seinfeld and Arthur Spooner on The King of Queens, and multiple films including, The Taking of Pelham One, Two, Three, John Waters’ Hairspray, his son’s Zoolander, and Richard Lester’s adaptation of Terrence McNally’s play, The Ritz, which Jerry also acted in on Broadway.
But he might be best remembered for being part of the comedy team Stiller & Meara, which he performed with his wife, Anne Meara. The pair met in 1953 at a New York casting call,...
“I’m sad to say that my father, Jerry Stiller, passed away from natural causes,” Ben announced on Twitter. “He was a great dad and grandfather, and the most dedicated husband to Anne for about 62 years. He will be greatly missed. Love you Dad.”
Stiller is known for his TV roles as Frank Costanza on Seinfeld and Arthur Spooner on The King of Queens, and multiple films including, The Taking of Pelham One, Two, Three, John Waters’ Hairspray, his son’s Zoolander, and Richard Lester’s adaptation of Terrence McNally’s play, The Ritz, which Jerry also acted in on Broadway.
But he might be best remembered for being part of the comedy team Stiller & Meara, which he performed with his wife, Anne Meara. The pair met in 1953 at a New York casting call,...
- 5/11/2020
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Jerry Stiller, an actor and comedian and father to Ben Stiller, has died of natural causes. He was 92.
Ben Stiller confirmed his father’s death early Monday morning, writing on Twitter: “I’m sad to say that my father, Jerry Stiller, passed away from natural causes. He was a great dad and grandfather, and the most dedicated husband to Anne for about 62 years. He will be greatly missed. Love you Dad.”
After a long career performing in comedy routines with his wife, Anne Meara, appearing on Broadway and guest-starring on TV series, Stiller became known for his role on “Seinfeld” as Frank Constanza, as Leah Remini’s father on “The King of Queens,” and as Zoolander’s manager in the comedy directed by Ben Stiller.
He appeared in 26 episodes of “Seinfeld” as Constanza, the father of George (Jason Alexander), from 1993-98, with Estelle Harris playing his wife, Estelle. Stiller...
Ben Stiller confirmed his father’s death early Monday morning, writing on Twitter: “I’m sad to say that my father, Jerry Stiller, passed away from natural causes. He was a great dad and grandfather, and the most dedicated husband to Anne for about 62 years. He will be greatly missed. Love you Dad.”
After a long career performing in comedy routines with his wife, Anne Meara, appearing on Broadway and guest-starring on TV series, Stiller became known for his role on “Seinfeld” as Frank Constanza, as Leah Remini’s father on “The King of Queens,” and as Zoolander’s manager in the comedy directed by Ben Stiller.
He appeared in 26 episodes of “Seinfeld” as Constanza, the father of George (Jason Alexander), from 1993-98, with Estelle Harris playing his wife, Estelle. Stiller...
- 5/11/2020
- by Carmel Dagan
- Variety Film + TV
Above: Light in the TropicsOne moment in Paula Gaitán’s seventh feature, Light in the Tropics, which premiered in Berlin in the Forum section, contains a visual key to the entire work. It’s an inverted image of the vast landmass, created by the camera obscura. Gaitán’s ambitious project draws not so much on literal parallels as loose continuities between the environs of contemporary New York and the Hudson Valley and Brazil’s Mato Grosso, including Pantanal, and up the Xingu River, into the Amazon. That continuity between two vastly distant locations is established mostly through the experiences of the areas’ indigenous communities. It’s also a connection that envisions a symbolic line leading from today’s artists—particularly a young sculptor featured in the New York part—to the expedition by the Russo-Prussian doctor, Georg Heinrich von Langsdorff, and his artsy stragglers, into the Amazon, in 1824. The varied group included the Swiss-French inventor,...
- 3/9/2020
- MUBI
‘Relic’
While some distributors are cutting back, Umbrella Entertainment plans to release approximately 18 titles in cinemas this year, up from 14 in 2019.
The distributor has high hopes for its Australian acquisitions which run the gamut of genres from drama, horror and Western to sci-fi.
“We’re passionate about overcoming the cultural cringe that Australian audiences still have a tendency to display and are dedicated to fostering new Australian talent,” Umbrella head of acquisitions Ari Harrison tells If.
“As a small, close-knit team, we aim to concentrate our efforts on films that we love and can support from the ground up. We want to work hand-in-hand with the filmmakers with the goal of getting their film ‘out there’ so that it finds its audience.
“Essentially we aim to ensure that the films we acquire have the capacity for national theatrical success in Australia and New Zealand, with potential for continued growth via their ancillary platforms.
While some distributors are cutting back, Umbrella Entertainment plans to release approximately 18 titles in cinemas this year, up from 14 in 2019.
The distributor has high hopes for its Australian acquisitions which run the gamut of genres from drama, horror and Western to sci-fi.
“We’re passionate about overcoming the cultural cringe that Australian audiences still have a tendency to display and are dedicated to fostering new Australian talent,” Umbrella head of acquisitions Ari Harrison tells If.
“As a small, close-knit team, we aim to concentrate our efforts on films that we love and can support from the ground up. We want to work hand-in-hand with the filmmakers with the goal of getting their film ‘out there’ so that it finds its audience.
“Essentially we aim to ensure that the films we acquire have the capacity for national theatrical success in Australia and New Zealand, with potential for continued growth via their ancillary platforms.
- 2/16/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Daniel Henshall (Photo credit: Alex Vaughan).
Daniel Henshall and Ian Meadows have joined the cast of Clickbait, the Netflix-commissioned eight-part thriller shooting in Melbourne.
Co-created by Tony Ayres and Christian White, the Us-set series explores the ways in which dangerous and uncontrolled impulses are fueled in the age of social media and the ever widening fractures between virtual and real-life personas.
As If reported, Zoe Kazan stars as Pia Brewer, a young woman who is desperate for answers in the search for her missing brother in a case that has become a media sensation.
Betty Gabriel and Adrian Grenier play Sophie and Nick Brewer, a couple in Oakland who get caught up in a bizarre crime, with Phoenix Raie as Roshan Amir, an Oakland detective who investigates the case.
Henshall portrays Simon Oxley, a traumatized social media moderator who is looking for a way to gain some control over the situation.
Daniel Henshall and Ian Meadows have joined the cast of Clickbait, the Netflix-commissioned eight-part thriller shooting in Melbourne.
Co-created by Tony Ayres and Christian White, the Us-set series explores the ways in which dangerous and uncontrolled impulses are fueled in the age of social media and the ever widening fractures between virtual and real-life personas.
As If reported, Zoe Kazan stars as Pia Brewer, a young woman who is desperate for answers in the search for her missing brother in a case that has become a media sensation.
Betty Gabriel and Adrian Grenier play Sophie and Nick Brewer, a couple in Oakland who get caught up in a bizarre crime, with Phoenix Raie as Roshan Amir, an Oakland detective who investigates the case.
Henshall portrays Simon Oxley, a traumatized social media moderator who is looking for a way to gain some control over the situation.
- 2/11/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Tony Award-winning actor Richard Easton, who broke a 30-year break from Broadway to make an acclaimed performance in Tom Stoppard’s 2001 play The Invention of Love, died Dec. 2 at age 86.
Easton’s death was announced in a Facebook post by his friend and colleague James Wallert, co-artistic director of Epic Theatre Ensemble. No cause of death was disclosed.
Born in Canada and building an acclaimed, six-decade Broadway career beginning in the 1950s, Easton won the Tony for leading actor for his performance as A.E. Housman in the Stoppard play.
Easton made news of a different sort when he appeared in another Stoppard play five years later: During a preview of The Coast of Utopia, Easton fainted on stage after experiencing a heart arrhythmia. Co-stars Ethan Hawke and Martha Plimpton called out for a doctor in the house.
Easton’s death was announced in a Facebook post by his friend and colleague James Wallert, co-artistic director of Epic Theatre Ensemble. No cause of death was disclosed.
Born in Canada and building an acclaimed, six-decade Broadway career beginning in the 1950s, Easton won the Tony for leading actor for his performance as A.E. Housman in the Stoppard play.
Easton made news of a different sort when he appeared in another Stoppard play five years later: During a preview of The Coast of Utopia, Easton fainted on stage after experiencing a heart arrhythmia. Co-stars Ethan Hawke and Martha Plimpton called out for a doctor in the house.
- 12/11/2019
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
(L-r) John Sheedy, Daisy Axon, Julie Ryan, Lisa Hoppe and Tenille Kennedy (Photo credit: Court McAllister).
John Sheedy’s feature debut H is for Happiness, an adaptation of Barry Jonsberg’s young adult novel My Life as an Alphabet, has won this year’s $100,000 CinefestOZ Film Prize.
Announcing the award at the Saturday night gala, jury chair Rachel Ward said: “If we have the power as jurors to change the world to be a better place, then voting for H is for Happiness to win the CinefestOZ 2019 is our contribution. As juror Alex Dimitriades added, H is also for Hope.”
The other finalists were Owen Trevor’s Go!, Ben Lawrence’s Hearts and Bones, Mirrah Foulkes’ Judy & Punch and Paul Ireland’s Measure for Measure.
Sheedy said: “The competition was so tough. There were five amazing films, I saw all of them. To be chosen in such good company...
John Sheedy’s feature debut H is for Happiness, an adaptation of Barry Jonsberg’s young adult novel My Life as an Alphabet, has won this year’s $100,000 CinefestOZ Film Prize.
Announcing the award at the Saturday night gala, jury chair Rachel Ward said: “If we have the power as jurors to change the world to be a better place, then voting for H is for Happiness to win the CinefestOZ 2019 is our contribution. As juror Alex Dimitriades added, H is also for Hope.”
The other finalists were Owen Trevor’s Go!, Ben Lawrence’s Hearts and Bones, Mirrah Foulkes’ Judy & Punch and Paul Ireland’s Measure for Measure.
Sheedy said: “The competition was so tough. There were five amazing films, I saw all of them. To be chosen in such good company...
- 9/1/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Locally-made family drama, “H is for Happiness” won the top prize at the CinefestOZ festival in Busselton, West Australia, on Saturday. The film is an uplifting tale about a 12-year-old girl who is inspired by an unusual new boy at her school and sets out to mend her broken family.
Directed by John Sheedy, and filmed in the South Western part of the state where the festival is held, the film claimed the A$100,000 first prize, which has made CinefestOZ one of the most generous festivals in the world.
The competition jury, headed by actress turned director Rachel Ward, collectively voted in favor of the film, calling it “surprising” and a “tribute to the power of young people.”
Other titles in competition included Mirrah Foulkes’ “Judy & Punch,” Paul Ireland’s “Measure for Measure,” Ben Lawrence’s “Hearts & Bones” and Owen Trevor’s Busselton-set teen film “Go!”.
The only other...
Directed by John Sheedy, and filmed in the South Western part of the state where the festival is held, the film claimed the A$100,000 first prize, which has made CinefestOZ one of the most generous festivals in the world.
The competition jury, headed by actress turned director Rachel Ward, collectively voted in favor of the film, calling it “surprising” and a “tribute to the power of young people.”
Other titles in competition included Mirrah Foulkes’ “Judy & Punch,” Paul Ireland’s “Measure for Measure,” Ben Lawrence’s “Hearts & Bones” and Owen Trevor’s Busselton-set teen film “Go!”.
The only other...
- 9/1/2019
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
John Brumpton in ‘Measure for Measure.’
One of Australia’s hardest working actors, John Brumpton rarely turns down offers – except when he is asked to work for free.
In the past year he has played a rapist in Stephen Johnson’s Western High Ground, a gunslinger in the second season of Mystery Road, Hugo Weaving’s protector in Paul Ireland’s Measure for Measure and a worried dad in Jamie Helmer and Michael Leonard’s short The Diver, which premieres in competition in Venice.
IMDb lists 95 credits for the actor who made his screen debut in The Flying Doctors in 1989 and took up the profession after working as a surveyor and professional boxer.
“It’s a tough industry and surviving this long is an achievement,” he tells If. “My approach is: ‘Just be yourself.’”
He was inspired to become an actor by watching Bryan Brown in Stir, Breaker Morant and...
One of Australia’s hardest working actors, John Brumpton rarely turns down offers – except when he is asked to work for free.
In the past year he has played a rapist in Stephen Johnson’s Western High Ground, a gunslinger in the second season of Mystery Road, Hugo Weaving’s protector in Paul Ireland’s Measure for Measure and a worried dad in Jamie Helmer and Michael Leonard’s short The Diver, which premieres in competition in Venice.
IMDb lists 95 credits for the actor who made his screen debut in The Flying Doctors in 1989 and took up the profession after working as a surveyor and professional boxer.
“It’s a tough industry and surviving this long is an achievement,” he tells If. “My approach is: ‘Just be yourself.’”
He was inspired to become an actor by watching Bryan Brown in Stir, Breaker Morant and...
- 8/29/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Marta Dusseldorp, Glenn Gainor, Alex Dimitriades and Ben Young will join chair Rachel Ward on the jury which will determine the winner of this year’s $100,000 CinefestOz Film Prize.
Owen Trevor’s Go!, John Sheedy’s H is for Happiness, Ben Lawrence’s Hearts and Bones, Mirrah Foulkes’ Judy & Punch and Paul Ireland’s Measure for Measure will compete for Australia’s biggest film prize.
“The quality of this year’s Film Prize finalists is exceptionally high and we are delighted to have a jury of equal calibre to decide on the winner,” CinefestOZ chair Helen Shervington said.
Dimitriades made his acting debut in Michael Jenkins’ The Heartbreak Kid followed by Ana Kokkinos’ Head On. Other film performances include Three Blind Mice, Ghost Ship, Deuce Bigalow, Kings of Mykonos, Summer Coda, The Infinite Man and Ruben Guthrie.
His TV credits include The Slap, The Principal, Seven Types of Ambiguity, Wanted,...
Owen Trevor’s Go!, John Sheedy’s H is for Happiness, Ben Lawrence’s Hearts and Bones, Mirrah Foulkes’ Judy & Punch and Paul Ireland’s Measure for Measure will compete for Australia’s biggest film prize.
“The quality of this year’s Film Prize finalists is exceptionally high and we are delighted to have a jury of equal calibre to decide on the winner,” CinefestOZ chair Helen Shervington said.
Dimitriades made his acting debut in Michael Jenkins’ The Heartbreak Kid followed by Ana Kokkinos’ Head On. Other film performances include Three Blind Mice, Ghost Ship, Deuce Bigalow, Kings of Mykonos, Summer Coda, The Infinite Man and Ruben Guthrie.
His TV credits include The Slap, The Principal, Seven Types of Ambiguity, Wanted,...
- 8/7/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
‘Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan.’
The box office results for the Australian films and feature docs released in cinemas this year underline yet again the deep polarisation in the indie film market between the higher earners and the also-rans.
The top five titles – Wayne Blair’s Top End Wedding, Shawn Seet’s Storm Boy, Anthony Marais’ Hotel Mumbai, Damon Gameau’s 2040 and Richard Lowenstein’s Mystify: Michael Hutchence – accounted for $15.8 million or 93 per cent of the Oz releases’ takings.
The Aussie films plus holdovers racked up nearly $17 million through the end of July, according to the Motion Picture Distributors Association of Australia.
That’s a long way below the $40.6 million generated in the same period last year, led by Peter Rabbit’s $26.6 million, Breath’s $4.4 million (finishing with $4.6 million) and Sweet Country’s $2 million.
Surveying the challenges facing the indie film business, Transmission Films’ Andrew Mackie tells If:...
The box office results for the Australian films and feature docs released in cinemas this year underline yet again the deep polarisation in the indie film market between the higher earners and the also-rans.
The top five titles – Wayne Blair’s Top End Wedding, Shawn Seet’s Storm Boy, Anthony Marais’ Hotel Mumbai, Damon Gameau’s 2040 and Richard Lowenstein’s Mystify: Michael Hutchence – accounted for $15.8 million or 93 per cent of the Oz releases’ takings.
The Aussie films plus holdovers racked up nearly $17 million through the end of July, according to the Motion Picture Distributors Association of Australia.
That’s a long way below the $40.6 million generated in the same period last year, led by Peter Rabbit’s $26.6 million, Breath’s $4.4 million (finishing with $4.6 million) and Sweet Country’s $2 million.
Surveying the challenges facing the indie film business, Transmission Films’ Andrew Mackie tells If:...
- 8/2/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Owen Trevor’s Go!, John Sheedy’s H is for Happiness, Ben Lawrence’s Hearts and Bones, Mirrah Foulkes’ Judy & Punch and Paul Ireland’s Measure for Measure will compete for Australia’s biggest film prize.
Those are the finalists for the $100,000 prize at CinefestOZ, which will run from August 28 to September 1 in Bunbury, Busselton, Margaret River and surrounds.
CinefestOZ festival chair Helen Shervington said it had been another stellar year for the film prize entries and this year’s finalists are the cream of the crop.
The prize was established in 2014 to recognise excellence in Australian filmmaking and is awarded on the gala night by a five-member industry jury, this year chaired by director/writer Rachel Ward.
Scripted by Paper Planes‘ Steve Worland and produced by See Pictures’ Jamie Hilton and Sonia Borella, Go! stars William Lodder, Anastasia Bampos, Darius Amarfio-Jefferson, Dan Wyllie, Cooper Van Grootel, Damian De Montemas,...
Those are the finalists for the $100,000 prize at CinefestOZ, which will run from August 28 to September 1 in Bunbury, Busselton, Margaret River and surrounds.
CinefestOZ festival chair Helen Shervington said it had been another stellar year for the film prize entries and this year’s finalists are the cream of the crop.
The prize was established in 2014 to recognise excellence in Australian filmmaking and is awarded on the gala night by a five-member industry jury, this year chaired by director/writer Rachel Ward.
Scripted by Paper Planes‘ Steve Worland and produced by See Pictures’ Jamie Hilton and Sonia Borella, Go! stars William Lodder, Anastasia Bampos, Darius Amarfio-Jefferson, Dan Wyllie, Cooper Van Grootel, Damian De Montemas,...
- 7/4/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Fayssal Bazzi. (Photo: Amelia J Dowd)
Actor Fayssal Bazzi’s father is Lebanese and his mother is Syrian, so for much of his career he was determined to avoid being typecast as Arabic characters, particularly criminals and terrorists.
After scoring the lead role in Mark Grentell’s comedy-drama The Merger, he has enjoyed a higher profile and portrayed a diverse range of characters.
“I just want to play characters whose ethnicity is incidental and I’ve been lucky to be able to do that in the past few years,” he tells If.
Earlier this year he played the son-in-law of Damon Herriman’s seedy night club owner in the second season of FX/Foxtel’s Mr Inbetween, created by and starring Scott Ryan and directed by Nash Edgerton. That was his second collaboration with Herriman following Abe Forsythe’s 2015 Cronulla race riot drama Down Under.
Currently he is in Adelaide shooting Stateless,...
Actor Fayssal Bazzi’s father is Lebanese and his mother is Syrian, so for much of his career he was determined to avoid being typecast as Arabic characters, particularly criminals and terrorists.
After scoring the lead role in Mark Grentell’s comedy-drama The Merger, he has enjoyed a higher profile and portrayed a diverse range of characters.
“I just want to play characters whose ethnicity is incidental and I’ve been lucky to be able to do that in the past few years,” he tells If.
Earlier this year he played the son-in-law of Damon Herriman’s seedy night club owner in the second season of FX/Foxtel’s Mr Inbetween, created by and starring Scott Ryan and directed by Nash Edgerton. That was his second collaboration with Herriman following Abe Forsythe’s 2015 Cronulla race riot drama Down Under.
Currently he is in Adelaide shooting Stateless,...
- 6/23/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
‘H is for Happiness’.
Seven films supported by the Melbourne International Film Festival (Miff) Premiere Fund will make their premiere at this year’s iteration, including Maziar Lahooti’s Below and Paul Ireland’s Measure for Measure.
The Premiere Fund provides minority co-financing to new Australian quality theatrical (narrative and documentary) feature films that then premiere at Miff, and over its history, has invested in more than 70 projects.
The seven films include:
Director John Sheedy’s H is for Happiness, which as previously announced, will form the festival’s Family Gala. The film tells the story of a relentlessly optimistic and hilariously forthright girl who hatches a variety of outlandish schemes to make her fractured family happy again. This charming adaptation of award-winning novel My Life as an Alphabet stars Miriam Margolyes (Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries), Emma Booth (Hounds of Love), Richard Roxburgh (Rake), Deborah Mailman (The Sapphires) and...
Seven films supported by the Melbourne International Film Festival (Miff) Premiere Fund will make their premiere at this year’s iteration, including Maziar Lahooti’s Below and Paul Ireland’s Measure for Measure.
The Premiere Fund provides minority co-financing to new Australian quality theatrical (narrative and documentary) feature films that then premiere at Miff, and over its history, has invested in more than 70 projects.
The seven films include:
Director John Sheedy’s H is for Happiness, which as previously announced, will form the festival’s Family Gala. The film tells the story of a relentlessly optimistic and hilariously forthright girl who hatches a variety of outlandish schemes to make her fractured family happy again. This charming adaptation of award-winning novel My Life as an Alphabet stars Miriam Margolyes (Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries), Emma Booth (Hounds of Love), Richard Roxburgh (Rake), Deborah Mailman (The Sapphires) and...
- 6/18/2019
- by jkeast
- IF.com.au
Doris Younane in ‘Five Bedrooms’
After years of fighting against being typecast as Lebanese or other Middle Eastern characters, actor Doris Younane is in a very happy place in her career.
She’s played a variety of characters, most of no specific ethnicity, in the past five years with recurring roles in Five Bedrooms, The Wrong Girl and Party Tricks plus guest appearances in Secret City, Harrow and Janet King.
“I just want to be seen as an actor in Australia,” she tells If. “I no longer want to be a pin-up for multiculturalism; I have passed that baton on to others. I’ve been really lucky. I think I am a good, solid actor and that’s what has got me through.”
Currently Younane is winning plaudits for her performance as the firebrand Heather in Five Bedrooms, Hoodlum Entertainment’s eight-part comedy-drama for Network 10 created by Christine Bartlett and Michael Lucas.
After years of fighting against being typecast as Lebanese or other Middle Eastern characters, actor Doris Younane is in a very happy place in her career.
She’s played a variety of characters, most of no specific ethnicity, in the past five years with recurring roles in Five Bedrooms, The Wrong Girl and Party Tricks plus guest appearances in Secret City, Harrow and Janet King.
“I just want to be seen as an actor in Australia,” she tells If. “I no longer want to be a pin-up for multiculturalism; I have passed that baton on to others. I’ve been really lucky. I think I am a good, solid actor and that’s what has got me through.”
Currently Younane is winning plaudits for her performance as the firebrand Heather in Five Bedrooms, Hoodlum Entertainment’s eight-part comedy-drama for Network 10 created by Christine Bartlett and Michael Lucas.
- 5/22/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Megan Hajjar in ‘M4M’
Since graduating from Waapa in 2016 Megan Hajjar has built an impressive resume with roles in Breath, Love Child, The Secret Daughter, Harrow and the upcoming movies M4M and The Naked Wanderer.
You may not recognise the name because, until recently, she was known as Megan Smart. The actor has decided to use Hajjar, her mother’s maiden name, to more closely identify with her Lebanese heritage.
“I wasn’t being considered for some Middle Eastern roles because the producers did not recognise my heritage,” she tells If.
While she does play a Lebanese woman in Paul Ireland’s M4M, she mostly portrays characters whose nationality is incidental. For example, she had fun playing a serial killer named Charlotte in the ABC/Hoodlum Entertainment’s Harrow and troublemaker Anna Hennessy in Screentime/Seven’s The Secret Daughter.
In Alan Lindsay’s romantic comedy The Naked Wanderer...
Since graduating from Waapa in 2016 Megan Hajjar has built an impressive resume with roles in Breath, Love Child, The Secret Daughter, Harrow and the upcoming movies M4M and The Naked Wanderer.
You may not recognise the name because, until recently, she was known as Megan Smart. The actor has decided to use Hajjar, her mother’s maiden name, to more closely identify with her Lebanese heritage.
“I wasn’t being considered for some Middle Eastern roles because the producers did not recognise my heritage,” she tells If.
While she does play a Lebanese woman in Paul Ireland’s M4M, she mostly portrays characters whose nationality is incidental. For example, she had fun playing a serial killer named Charlotte in the ABC/Hoodlum Entertainment’s Harrow and troublemaker Anna Hennessy in Screentime/Seven’s The Secret Daughter.
In Alan Lindsay’s romantic comedy The Naked Wanderer...
- 4/23/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
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