Season one of CBS’s first international edition of the NCIS franchise, NCIS: Sydney, continues with episode three, “Brothers in Arms.” Directed by David Caesar from a script by Andrew Anastasios, episode three will air on Tuesday, November 28, 2023 at 8pm Et/Pt.
The series’ premiere on November 14, 2023 on the CBS Television Network in the US and on Global in Canada was a ratings winner, with 10 million viewers watching via CBS and Paramount+. In Australia, the series currently stands as the most-watched local show since Paramount+ launched.
“We are absolutely delighted that audiences locally and internationally have embraced NCIS: Sydney with its stellar cast and compelling storytelling,” stated Beverley McGarvey, executive vice president and chief content officer and head of Paramount+ Australia. “We are so appreciative of the opportunity to utilize the world-class NCIS brand to tell quintessentially Australian stories and it has been so productive to work closely with our...
The series’ premiere on November 14, 2023 on the CBS Television Network in the US and on Global in Canada was a ratings winner, with 10 million viewers watching via CBS and Paramount+. In Australia, the series currently stands as the most-watched local show since Paramount+ launched.
“We are absolutely delighted that audiences locally and internationally have embraced NCIS: Sydney with its stellar cast and compelling storytelling,” stated Beverley McGarvey, executive vice president and chief content officer and head of Paramount+ Australia. “We are so appreciative of the opportunity to utilize the world-class NCIS brand to tell quintessentially Australian stories and it has been so productive to work closely with our...
- 11/22/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
Chicago Med and Arrow star Colin Donnell is to lead Peacock’s Australia-set crime drama Irreverent.
The series, which Deadline revealed last month had scored a straight-to-series order, will also feature Pj Byrne, Kylie Bracknell, Briallen Clarke, Tegan Stimson, Ed Oxenbould, Wayne Blair, Russell Dykstra, Calen Tassone and Jason Wilder as series regulars.
Irreverent follows a criminal from Chicago who bungles a heist and is forced to hide out in a small Australian reef town in Far North Queensland posing as the new church Reverend.
Donnell will play Mack/Paulo, a skilled and articulate mediator who keeps the peace between organized crime families in Chicago. After a mediation goes badly wrong, Mack flees to a remote beach town in tropical Australia where he is forced to assume the identity of a Reverend in order to stay ahead of the people who want him dead.
Created by Paddy Macrae (Wanted), the...
The series, which Deadline revealed last month had scored a straight-to-series order, will also feature Pj Byrne, Kylie Bracknell, Briallen Clarke, Tegan Stimson, Ed Oxenbould, Wayne Blair, Russell Dykstra, Calen Tassone and Jason Wilder as series regulars.
Irreverent follows a criminal from Chicago who bungles a heist and is forced to hide out in a small Australian reef town in Far North Queensland posing as the new church Reverend.
Donnell will play Mack/Paulo, a skilled and articulate mediator who keeps the peace between organized crime families in Chicago. After a mediation goes badly wrong, Mack flees to a remote beach town in tropical Australia where he is forced to assume the identity of a Reverend in order to stay ahead of the people who want him dead.
Created by Paddy Macrae (Wanted), the...
- 9/22/2021
- by Alexandra Del Rosario
- Deadline Film + TV
Colin Donnell is trading his scrubs for a slightly different cloth. The former Chicago Med star will lead Peacock’s Irreverent, a co-production between the streamer and Netflix Australia, TVLine has learned.
Irreverent‘s official logline describes it as a “fish out of water drama that follows criminal mediator Paulo Keegan (Donnell) as he flees the United States after a mediation gone wrong and assumes the identity of Reverend Mackenzie ‘Mack’ Boyd. ‘Mack’ finds himself trapped in Clump, Australia — a small, eccentric beach town hundreds of miles away from civilization and phone reception. In order to stay alive, ‘Mack’ must...
Irreverent‘s official logline describes it as a “fish out of water drama that follows criminal mediator Paulo Keegan (Donnell) as he flees the United States after a mediation gone wrong and assumes the identity of Reverend Mackenzie ‘Mack’ Boyd. ‘Mack’ finds himself trapped in Clump, Australia — a small, eccentric beach town hundreds of miles away from civilization and phone reception. In order to stay alive, ‘Mack’ must...
- 9/22/2021
- by Michael Ausiello
- TVLine.com
Australian talent will be front and centre in Matchbox Pictures/NBCUniversal International Studios’ drama Irreverent when it starts production in Queensland tomorrow.
Kylie Bracknell, Calen Tassone, Briallen Clarke, Tegan Stimson, Ed Oxenbould, Wayne Blair, Russell Dykstra, and Jason Wilder will be series regulars on the Netflix and Peacock co-commission, with Susie Porter, Bridie McKim, Martin Sacks, and Ursula Yovich also set to appear.
Created by Paddy Macrae, Irreverent follows criminal mediator Paulo Keegan (Colin Donnell) as he flees the United States after a mediation gone wrong and assumes the identity of Reverend Mackenzie “Mack” Boyd in Clump, a small, Australian beach town hundreds of miles away from civilization and phone reception.
While there, he encounters Piper (Bracknell), a gifted cop who has returned to her hometown after a successful start to her career in the city, and begins to suspect he isn’t who he says he is. Clarke plays...
Kylie Bracknell, Calen Tassone, Briallen Clarke, Tegan Stimson, Ed Oxenbould, Wayne Blair, Russell Dykstra, and Jason Wilder will be series regulars on the Netflix and Peacock co-commission, with Susie Porter, Bridie McKim, Martin Sacks, and Ursula Yovich also set to appear.
Created by Paddy Macrae, Irreverent follows criminal mediator Paulo Keegan (Colin Donnell) as he flees the United States after a mediation gone wrong and assumes the identity of Reverend Mackenzie “Mack” Boyd in Clump, a small, Australian beach town hundreds of miles away from civilization and phone reception.
While there, he encounters Piper (Bracknell), a gifted cop who has returned to her hometown after a successful start to her career in the city, and begins to suspect he isn’t who he says he is. Clarke plays...
- 9/22/2021
- by Sean Slatter
- IF.com.au
Netflix and Peacock are co-commissioning partners for Matchbox Pictures and NBCUniversal International Studios’ Irreverent.
The 10-part series was first announced last year as part of a trio Universal Studio Group projects lured for Queensland thanks to the Federal Government’s Location Incentive Program and the state’s production attraction strategy – the others being Young Rock and Joe Exotic. It’s expected to start shooting in Mission Beach next month.
Created by Paddy Macrae, Irreverent follows an American crook who screws up a heist and is forced to hide out in Far North Queensland, where he poses as a church Reverend.
Penning the scripts with Macrae are writers Andrew Knight, Andrew Anastasios, Angela McDonald and Darlene Johnson.
Jonathan Teplitzky will be the set-up director. Macrae produces with Tom Hoffie, with EPs including Knight and Matchbox’s Debbie Lee.
Netflix Anz director of content Que Minh Luu describes Irreverent as “Northern Exposure...
The 10-part series was first announced last year as part of a trio Universal Studio Group projects lured for Queensland thanks to the Federal Government’s Location Incentive Program and the state’s production attraction strategy – the others being Young Rock and Joe Exotic. It’s expected to start shooting in Mission Beach next month.
Created by Paddy Macrae, Irreverent follows an American crook who screws up a heist and is forced to hide out in Far North Queensland, where he poses as a church Reverend.
Penning the scripts with Macrae are writers Andrew Knight, Andrew Anastasios, Angela McDonald and Darlene Johnson.
Jonathan Teplitzky will be the set-up director. Macrae produces with Tom Hoffie, with EPs including Knight and Matchbox’s Debbie Lee.
Netflix Anz director of content Que Minh Luu describes Irreverent as “Northern Exposure...
- 8/24/2021
- by Jackie Keast
- IF.com.au
Exclusive: Peacock is heading down under for its latest straight-to-series order.
The streamer has handed a ten-part order to Irreverent, an Australia-set crime drama from Matchbox Pictures, the production company behind Cate Blanchett’s Stateless.
Irreverant was created by Paddy Macrae (Wanted) and follows a criminal from Chicago bungles a heist and is forced to hide out in a small Australian reef town in Far North Queensland posing as the new church Reverend.
Matchbox Pictures is owned by NBCUniversal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group and the series is a co-production between Peacock and Netflix in Australia.
It will be filmed in Australia and will be exec produced by Debbie Lee (Hungry Ghosts) and Andrew Knight (Rake). Tom Hoffie (Clickbait) and Macrae will serve as producers.
Jonathan Teplitzky (A Discovery of Witches) is attached to direct three episodes, while Macrae, Knight, Andrew Anastasios (Wentworth), Angela McDonald (Operation Buffalo...
The streamer has handed a ten-part order to Irreverent, an Australia-set crime drama from Matchbox Pictures, the production company behind Cate Blanchett’s Stateless.
Irreverant was created by Paddy Macrae (Wanted) and follows a criminal from Chicago bungles a heist and is forced to hide out in a small Australian reef town in Far North Queensland posing as the new church Reverend.
Matchbox Pictures is owned by NBCUniversal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group and the series is a co-production between Peacock and Netflix in Australia.
It will be filmed in Australia and will be exec produced by Debbie Lee (Hungry Ghosts) and Andrew Knight (Rake). Tom Hoffie (Clickbait) and Macrae will serve as producers.
Jonathan Teplitzky (A Discovery of Witches) is attached to direct three episodes, while Macrae, Knight, Andrew Anastasios (Wentworth), Angela McDonald (Operation Buffalo...
- 8/23/2021
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Bryan Brown and Greta Scacchi will lead the new mystery drama Darby and Joan, which Cjz is producing for Acorn TV.
The eight-part series stars Brown as a retired Australian policeman with a dog as his only company and Scacchi as a widowed English nurse. The pair meet each other and embark together on an epic odyssey in the outback of northern Australia.
Filming will begin in Queensland this month, with major production investment from Screen Australia in association with Screen Queensland.
Darby and Joan will be executive produced by Claire Tonkin, David Hannam, Matt Campbell, Bea Tammer and Catherine Mackin, with series producer Pino Amenta.
Created by Glenys Rowe and Phillip Gwynne, the series’ writers include Hannam, Beck Cole, Andrew Anastasios, Giula Sandler, Ainslie Clouston, Adam Zwar and Paul Bennett. The set-up director is David Caesar.
Cjz CEO Matt Campbell said the company was always convinced of the project’s potential.
The eight-part series stars Brown as a retired Australian policeman with a dog as his only company and Scacchi as a widowed English nurse. The pair meet each other and embark together on an epic odyssey in the outback of northern Australia.
Filming will begin in Queensland this month, with major production investment from Screen Australia in association with Screen Queensland.
Darby and Joan will be executive produced by Claire Tonkin, David Hannam, Matt Campbell, Bea Tammer and Catherine Mackin, with series producer Pino Amenta.
Created by Glenys Rowe and Phillip Gwynne, the series’ writers include Hannam, Beck Cole, Andrew Anastasios, Giula Sandler, Ainslie Clouston, Adam Zwar and Paul Bennett. The set-up director is David Caesar.
Cjz CEO Matt Campbell said the company was always convinced of the project’s potential.
- 8/5/2021
- by Sean Slatter
- IF.com.au
MTV released a trailer for “The Challenge: Spies, Lies and Allies” and announced the first-ever “The Challenge: Fantasy League.”
The new season of the long-running franchise, which premieres Aug. 11 at 8 p.m., will showcase 17 international players alongside U.S. players. It will then roll out globally across MTV’s international networks in more than 190 countries throughout the coming months.
The trailer, which you can watch below, starts off with contestants atop cars swerving around tracks. “The Challenge” host T.J. Lavin tells contestants that the competition will be more complicated than ever before. “Agents, here on ‘The Challenge,’ the missions are harder, my eliminations — tougher. So I’ve brought 34 of the most elite agents from around the globe to test every one of your skills,” he says.
Aside from physical competition, the trailer provides a sneak peek into the contestants’ personal lives, with dancing, partying and romance being showcased between the players.
The new season of the long-running franchise, which premieres Aug. 11 at 8 p.m., will showcase 17 international players alongside U.S. players. It will then roll out globally across MTV’s international networks in more than 190 countries throughout the coming months.
The trailer, which you can watch below, starts off with contestants atop cars swerving around tracks. “The Challenge” host T.J. Lavin tells contestants that the competition will be more complicated than ever before. “Agents, here on ‘The Challenge,’ the missions are harder, my eliminations — tougher. So I’ve brought 34 of the most elite agents from around the globe to test every one of your skills,” he says.
Aside from physical competition, the trailer provides a sneak peek into the contestants’ personal lives, with dancing, partying and romance being showcased between the players.
- 8/4/2021
- by Jennifer Yuma and Ethan Shanfeld
- Variety Film + TV
Cocktail star Bryan Brown and War & Peace’s Greta Scacchi are to play two strangers trekking on the road in the Australian outback in a new Australian drama series.
Acorn TV has ordered Darby and Joan and will air the eight-part series, which comes from My Life Is Murder producer Cjz, in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Latin America, Australia, Spain and Portugal.
Brown plays a retired Australian policeman with a dog as his only company and Scacchi, who also featured in AMC’s The Terror, as a widowed English nurse. The pair meet each other and embark together on an epic odyssey in the outback of northern Australia.
The series, which has received major production investment from Screen Australia in association with Screen Queensland, will air in 2022.
Darby and Joan shines a light on isolated and often unseen areas of regional Australia, and a myriad of characters...
Acorn TV has ordered Darby and Joan and will air the eight-part series, which comes from My Life Is Murder producer Cjz, in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Latin America, Australia, Spain and Portugal.
Brown plays a retired Australian policeman with a dog as his only company and Scacchi, who also featured in AMC’s The Terror, as a widowed English nurse. The pair meet each other and embark together on an epic odyssey in the outback of northern Australia.
The series, which has received major production investment from Screen Australia in association with Screen Queensland, will air in 2022.
Darby and Joan shines a light on isolated and often unseen areas of regional Australia, and a myriad of characters...
- 8/4/2021
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Keshet International has sold Seven Studios mini-series Secret Bridesmaids Business to a slew of territories in Europe, including Channel 4 in the UK, as well as to New Zealand and Indonesia.
Among those to pick up the series are Sbs in Belgium, Hrt in Croatia, Mola TV in Indonesia, Rte in Ireland and Talpa TV in the Netherlands, Tvnz in New Zealand, and TV4 in Sweden for its AVOD service TV4 Play.
Toplined by Abbie Cornish, Katie McGrath and Georgina Haig, the six-part drama, which aired on Seven in 2019, is a re-imagining of Elizabeth Coleman’s stage play.
The executive producer was MaryAnne Carroll with Amanda Crittenden as series producer.
The script producers/writers were Andrew Anastasios and David Hannam, working with writers Alli Parker, Trent Roberts, Chelsea Cassio and Shanti Gudgeon, and directors Tori Garrett and Jennifer Perrott.
As announced earlier this year, NBC is developing a US version...
Among those to pick up the series are Sbs in Belgium, Hrt in Croatia, Mola TV in Indonesia, Rte in Ireland and Talpa TV in the Netherlands, Tvnz in New Zealand, and TV4 in Sweden for its AVOD service TV4 Play.
Toplined by Abbie Cornish, Katie McGrath and Georgina Haig, the six-part drama, which aired on Seven in 2019, is a re-imagining of Elizabeth Coleman’s stage play.
The executive producer was MaryAnne Carroll with Amanda Crittenden as series producer.
The script producers/writers were Andrew Anastasios and David Hannam, working with writers Alli Parker, Trent Roberts, Chelsea Cassio and Shanti Gudgeon, and directors Tori Garrett and Jennifer Perrott.
As announced earlier this year, NBC is developing a US version...
- 5/28/2021
- by Staff Writer
- IF.com.au
A television adaptation of 2018’s Ladies in Black, a feature film from Bryan Brown, and a television drama from one of the creators of Offspring are among the 21 projects to share in more than $730,000 in development funding from Screen Australia.
Of the projects to receive funding, 10 have been supported through the Generate fund and 11 through the Premium fund.
Screen Australia’s head of content Sally Caplan said the agency was impressed by the “rigorous creativity” of Australian creators as the industry continued to rebound from Covid-19.
“It’s great to see a number of engaging stories set around iconic milestones in Australian history, from the building of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, to the social change that took place in the 60s or the recession in the 80s, and I look forward to seeing these projects develop further,” she said.
Features:
Premium:
1989
Sewing Pictures Pty Ltd
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Family
Writer...
Of the projects to receive funding, 10 have been supported through the Generate fund and 11 through the Premium fund.
Screen Australia’s head of content Sally Caplan said the agency was impressed by the “rigorous creativity” of Australian creators as the industry continued to rebound from Covid-19.
“It’s great to see a number of engaging stories set around iconic milestones in Australian history, from the building of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, to the social change that took place in the 60s or the recession in the 80s, and I look forward to seeing these projects develop further,” she said.
Features:
Premium:
1989
Sewing Pictures Pty Ltd
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Family
Writer...
- 3/1/2021
- by Sean Slatter
- IF.com.au
Natesha Somasundaram.
Growing up in Parramatta as the daughter of South Asian parents, Natesha Somasundaram never saw people like her on television.
She blames that invisibility for making it tough to develop a sense of her own identity – until she started writing for a living several years ago.
Her Sri Lankan Tamil parents emigrated to Australia in the late 1980s to escape the country’s civil war. “We grew up in a predominantly white area and I was the only person of colour at my school level,” she tells If.
“I had a very difficult time navigating my identity. I decided I never wanted to be associated with Sri Lanka or its culture. I shut that out of my system until the past couple of years as a writer when I reconnected with my culture.”
Intending initially to be an actor, she did a Bachelor of Performing Arts degree at Monash University,...
Growing up in Parramatta as the daughter of South Asian parents, Natesha Somasundaram never saw people like her on television.
She blames that invisibility for making it tough to develop a sense of her own identity – until she started writing for a living several years ago.
Her Sri Lankan Tamil parents emigrated to Australia in the late 1980s to escape the country’s civil war. “We grew up in a predominantly white area and I was the only person of colour at my school level,” she tells If.
“I had a very difficult time navigating my identity. I decided I never wanted to be associated with Sri Lanka or its culture. I shut that out of my system until the past couple of years as a writer when I reconnected with my culture.”
Intending initially to be an actor, she did a Bachelor of Performing Arts degree at Monash University,...
- 9/9/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
(L-r) Katie McGrath, Abbie Cornish and Georgina Haig. (Photo: Ben King)
Abbie Cornish, Katie McGrath and Georgina Haig are playing the leads in Seven Studios’ female-driven romantic thriller Secret Bridesmaids’ Business.
A re-imagining of Elizabeth Coleman’s stage play, the series is now shooting in Melbourne and on locations in Victoria, directed by Tori Garrett and Jennifer Perrott, backed by Film Victoria.
Announced at the Seven Network’s upfronts, the plot revolves around three friends at a wedding which turns deadly after one of the bridesmaids unknowingly invites a malevolent stranger into their lives, triggering a deadly chain reaction that blows open a world of secrets.
According to the synopsis, as the narrative unfolds the power of female friendship could be the difference between life and death.
Cornish plays Melanie, a mother and wife who appears to have an an idyllic life. However when harsh home truths are revealed, her...
Abbie Cornish, Katie McGrath and Georgina Haig are playing the leads in Seven Studios’ female-driven romantic thriller Secret Bridesmaids’ Business.
A re-imagining of Elizabeth Coleman’s stage play, the series is now shooting in Melbourne and on locations in Victoria, directed by Tori Garrett and Jennifer Perrott, backed by Film Victoria.
Announced at the Seven Network’s upfronts, the plot revolves around three friends at a wedding which turns deadly after one of the bridesmaids unknowingly invites a malevolent stranger into their lives, triggering a deadly chain reaction that blows open a world of secrets.
According to the synopsis, as the narrative unfolds the power of female friendship could be the difference between life and death.
Cornish plays Melanie, a mother and wife who appears to have an an idyllic life. However when harsh home truths are revealed, her...
- 5/8/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Variety has exclusively learned that Australia’s Seven Studios has begun principal photography on the series “Secret Bridesmaids’ Business.”
The show stars Abbie Cornish, Katie McGrath (“Supergirl”), and Georgina Haig (“Once Upon A Time”).
In the series, a bride’s perfect wedding turns deadly after one of her bridesmaids unknowingly invites a malevolent stranger into their lives, triggering a destructive chain reaction that blows open a hidden world of secrets. As the show unfolds, the power of female friendship could be the difference between life and death.
Cornish plays Melanie, who appears to have an idyllic life: she’s a mother and wife, with a successful career and a beautiful home. However, when her life choices are put to the test by some harsh home truths, her ideal world starts to spiral out of control. McGrath is Saskia, a fast-rising lawyer and an arresting, high-octane British truth-bomb. She is relentlessly intelligent and fiercely loyal.
The show stars Abbie Cornish, Katie McGrath (“Supergirl”), and Georgina Haig (“Once Upon A Time”).
In the series, a bride’s perfect wedding turns deadly after one of her bridesmaids unknowingly invites a malevolent stranger into their lives, triggering a destructive chain reaction that blows open a hidden world of secrets. As the show unfolds, the power of female friendship could be the difference between life and death.
Cornish plays Melanie, who appears to have an idyllic life: she’s a mother and wife, with a successful career and a beautiful home. However, when her life choices are put to the test by some harsh home truths, her ideal world starts to spiral out of control. McGrath is Saskia, a fast-rising lawyer and an arresting, high-octane British truth-bomb. She is relentlessly intelligent and fiercely loyal.
- 5/8/2019
- by Rachel Yang
- Variety Film + TV
Ann Dowd and Jeffrey Walker on the set of ‘Lambs of God’ (Photo credit: Mark Rogers).
When director Jeffrey Walker was sent Sarah Lambert’s scripts for the first two episodes of Lambs of God, he replied he’d have to take the job so he could read episode three.
That was in jest – but he could not resist the challenge to direct Lingo Pictures’ comedic drama commissioned by Foxtel, which is unlike any show he had ever directed in the past 15 years.
The four hour miniseries adapted from Marele Day’s novel “treads a fine line between dark comedy, fantasy, fairytale and thriller,” he tells If.
“It definitely pushes the boundaries of expectations and lives in its own space. The scripts were completely unpredictable, from page to page.”
Walker, Lambert and Lingo Pictures’ Jason Stephens attended the world premiere of the first two episodes at the Series Mania festival...
When director Jeffrey Walker was sent Sarah Lambert’s scripts for the first two episodes of Lambs of God, he replied he’d have to take the job so he could read episode three.
That was in jest – but he could not resist the challenge to direct Lingo Pictures’ comedic drama commissioned by Foxtel, which is unlike any show he had ever directed in the past 15 years.
The four hour miniseries adapted from Marele Day’s novel “treads a fine line between dark comedy, fantasy, fairytale and thriller,” he tells If.
“It definitely pushes the boundaries of expectations and lives in its own space. The scripts were completely unpredictable, from page to page.”
Walker, Lambert and Lingo Pictures’ Jason Stephens attended the world premiere of the first two episodes at the Series Mania festival...
- 4/8/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
(L-r) Tanya Phegan, Ian Collie, Rachael Turk and Rob Gibson.
Bolstered by the arrival of Rob Gibson as CEO and producer, Ian Collie’s Easy Tiger Productions is ramping up the development of Australian and internationally-targeted projects, drawing on emerging talent as well as seasoned creatives.
“The difficulty we all recognise is that people like Tony McNamara, Andrew Knight and Kris Mrksa are getting pulled into Us or UK projects,” says Collie, who launched the company in 2017 with the backing of Fremantle.
“Our big focus is working with tomorrow’s talent, the wonderful emerging writers and creators who hopefully will be the next generation.”
Gibson adds: “It’s very much a two-pronged strategy of finding prestige projects and international opportunities with our increasingly sought after partners like Andrew Knight and Tony McNamara, and also working with rising stars and the next generation.
Collie and Gibson are working with development executives...
Bolstered by the arrival of Rob Gibson as CEO and producer, Ian Collie’s Easy Tiger Productions is ramping up the development of Australian and internationally-targeted projects, drawing on emerging talent as well as seasoned creatives.
“The difficulty we all recognise is that people like Tony McNamara, Andrew Knight and Kris Mrksa are getting pulled into Us or UK projects,” says Collie, who launched the company in 2017 with the backing of Fremantle.
“Our big focus is working with tomorrow’s talent, the wonderful emerging writers and creators who hopefully will be the next generation.”
Gibson adds: “It’s very much a two-pronged strategy of finding prestige projects and international opportunities with our increasingly sought after partners like Andrew Knight and Tony McNamara, and also working with rising stars and the next generation.
Collie and Gibson are working with development executives...
- 2/13/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Rani Mukerji won hearts everywhere with her outstanding performance in Yash Raj Films’ superhit film Hichki. As Naina Mathur, a passionate teacher who deals with Tourette Syndrome, Rani delivered a powerful performance, also communicating a key message about equal treatment for people with physical challenges in India. Her character inspires positive change in school students from economically backward origins, a story that resonated globally for Hichki to become a massive hit and now Indian Film Festival of Melbourne has awarded Rani with the Best Actress Award for the year.
Hugely popular with sizeable Indian diaspora living in Melbourne, Rani expressed her gratitude saying, “Indian Film Festival of Melbourne has always welcomed the best of Indian cinema and celebrated our form of storytelling. I feel very proud and thankful that Hichki has been accepted and loved by audiences here. It’s a story with universal resonance, and it’s spirit of...
Hugely popular with sizeable Indian diaspora living in Melbourne, Rani expressed her gratitude saying, “Indian Film Festival of Melbourne has always welcomed the best of Indian cinema and celebrated our form of storytelling. I feel very proud and thankful that Hichki has been accepted and loved by audiences here. It’s a story with universal resonance, and it’s spirit of...
- 8/13/2018
- by Stacey Yount
- Bollyspice
CinemaWhile Fahadh has been nominated for ‘Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum’, Keerthy has been nominated for her performance in ‘Mahanati’.Digital NativeDigital NativeThe Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (Iffm) is scheduled to take place from August 10 - 22. On the jury are Simi Garewal, Nikkhil Advani, Sue Maslin, Jill Bilcock, Andrew Anastasios and Geoffrey Wright who will be selecting winners under these categories – Best Film, Best Indie Film, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, Best Supporting Role and Best Director. A majority of the films competing for the awards are from Bollywood, such as Padman, Hichki, Padmaavat, Sanju, Secret Superstar and Raazi. Two Tollywood films, Mahanati and Rangasthalam, are also in the competition for the Best Film award. The nominees for the Best Actor award are Ranbir Kapoor (Sanju), Varun Dhawan (October), Fahadh Faasil (Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum), Ranveer Singh (Padmaavat), Akshay Kumar (Padman), Manoj Bajpayee (In the Shadows), Soumitra Chatterjee (Mayurakshi) and Shahid Kapoor (Padmaavat). The heroines vying for the Best Actress award are Keerthy Suresh (Mahanati), Rani Mukerji (Hichki), Vidya Balan (Tumhari Sulu), Deepika Padukone (Padmaavat), Alia Bhatt (Raazi), Bhanita Das (Village Rockstars), Tillotama Shome (Sir) and Zaira Wasim (Secret Superstar). In the Best Director category, the nominations are Rajkumar Hirani (Sanju), Shoojit Sircar (October), R Balki (Padman), Siddharth P Malhotra (Hichki), Advait Chandan (Secret Superstar), Dipesh Jain (In the Shadows), Ere Gowda (Balekempa), Suresh Triveni (Tumhari Sulu), Sanjay Leela Bhansali (Padmaavat), Rima Das (Village Rockstars), Meghna Gulzar (Raazi), Tabrez Noorani (Love Sonia) and Rohena Gera (Sir). Samantha Akkineni has been nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category for her performance in Mahanati. A galaxy of stars, including Freida Pinto, Rani Mukerji, Vicky Kaushal, Ram Charan, Richa Chadha, Rajkumar Hirani, Ali Fazal, Simi Garewal and Malaika Arora, will attend this year’s Iffm. Legendary actors Shashi Kapoor and Sridevi, who passed away recently, will be honoured with special screenings of their iconic films Siddhartha and Chandni, respectively. Also read: Marathon hearing on Section 377 concludes, Sc reserves verdict (Content provided by Digital Native)...
- 7/17/2018
- by Monalisa
- The News Minute
Ian Collie on the Doctor Doctor set.
The second episode of Essential Media.s Doctor Doctor, broadcast on Wednesday night, avoided the second ep dip, growing the show.s week-on-week to an average audience of.821,000.viewers.and a peak of.1.024 million.across the 5 City Metro, according to Nine.
The show.s producer, Essential Media.s Ian Collie, initially thought the series would bow next year, closer to the start of the ratings season, but the scheduling move made perfect sense once Nine explained it, he told If.
"They love it, which is the main thing. They know their audience and their schedule. Programs like My Kitchen Rules, which is on four or five nights a week from February onwards, tend to dominate the schedule..
If spoke to Collie about the project.s inception, bringing Claudia Karvan on board, and what else is on Essential Media.s slate.
Was Doctor Doctor...
The second episode of Essential Media.s Doctor Doctor, broadcast on Wednesday night, avoided the second ep dip, growing the show.s week-on-week to an average audience of.821,000.viewers.and a peak of.1.024 million.across the 5 City Metro, according to Nine.
The show.s producer, Essential Media.s Ian Collie, initially thought the series would bow next year, closer to the start of the ratings season, but the scheduling move made perfect sense once Nine explained it, he told If.
"They love it, which is the main thing. They know their audience and their schedule. Programs like My Kitchen Rules, which is on four or five nights a week from February onwards, tend to dominate the schedule..
If spoke to Collie about the project.s inception, bringing Claudia Karvan on board, and what else is on Essential Media.s slate.
Was Doctor Doctor...
- 9/23/2016
- by Harry Windsor
- IF.com.au
Guy Pearce and Roy Billing in Jack Irish.
Asked how he's doing after a whirlwind year, screenwriter Andrew Knight is characteristically understated:.
"I'm alive and trying to construct a breakfast at the moment".
In between film work last year, Knight wrote new seasons of Rake and Jack Irish simultaneously, a process he calls "a blur"..
The new Jack.begins this Thursday - a six-part series instead of the earlier telemovies.
Knight calls the change "liberating"..
"We had more time to tell a story. The hard part was working out where everything would fall. We had an overall story, but assigning things episodically was a constant trade-off and shifting game"..
"I worked closely with the other two writers, Matt Cameron and Andrew Anastasios. The three of us would go away and write our bits, then we'd come back and say - that needs to move, this needs to shift"..
"If you're just writing a tele-movie,...
Asked how he's doing after a whirlwind year, screenwriter Andrew Knight is characteristically understated:.
"I'm alive and trying to construct a breakfast at the moment".
In between film work last year, Knight wrote new seasons of Rake and Jack Irish simultaneously, a process he calls "a blur"..
The new Jack.begins this Thursday - a six-part series instead of the earlier telemovies.
Knight calls the change "liberating"..
"We had more time to tell a story. The hard part was working out where everything would fall. We had an overall story, but assigning things episodically was a constant trade-off and shifting game"..
"I worked closely with the other two writers, Matt Cameron and Andrew Anastasios. The three of us would go away and write our bits, then we'd come back and say - that needs to move, this needs to shift"..
"If you're just writing a tele-movie,...
- 2/8/2016
- by Harry Windsor
- IF.com.au
Newcomers Elias Anton and Ben Kindon are playing the leads in Barracuda, the 4-part Matchbox Pictures drama for ABC directed by Rob Connolly.
The ABC revealed the casts and storylines of its 2016 adult dramas, all previously commissioned and announced, at its upfronts presentation on Tuesday night.
The broadcaster confirmed a third season of Matchbox Pictures. Nowhere Boys and announced two animated series. Planet 55 Studios. sci-fi/adventure Prisoner Zero follows teen heroes Tag and Gem and their mysterious friend Prisoner Zero.
Stark Production.s The Deep is the saga of the Nekton family who encounter leviathans swimming through sunken cities, modern day pirates lurking amidst floating black markets and mysterious guardians who conceal long lost secrets.
The teen-targeted slate also includes Ambience Entertainment.s Tomorrow, When the War Began, based on the novels by John Marsden. In Barracuda, Anton plays Danny Kelly, a Melbourne teenager who yearns for a gold medal...
The ABC revealed the casts and storylines of its 2016 adult dramas, all previously commissioned and announced, at its upfronts presentation on Tuesday night.
The broadcaster confirmed a third season of Matchbox Pictures. Nowhere Boys and announced two animated series. Planet 55 Studios. sci-fi/adventure Prisoner Zero follows teen heroes Tag and Gem and their mysterious friend Prisoner Zero.
Stark Production.s The Deep is the saga of the Nekton family who encounter leviathans swimming through sunken cities, modern day pirates lurking amidst floating black markets and mysterious guardians who conceal long lost secrets.
The teen-targeted slate also includes Ambience Entertainment.s Tomorrow, When the War Began, based on the novels by John Marsden. In Barracuda, Anton plays Danny Kelly, a Melbourne teenager who yearns for a gold medal...
- 11/24/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Andrew Anastasios and Andrew Knight.s The Water Diviner won the top prize and the gong for best original feature at the 2015 Awgie Awards.
It was the first time a feature collected the Australian Writers' Guild's Major Award and the gong for original feature since 2012 when Tony Briggs and Keith Thompson won with The Sapphires.
The prize for feature film adaptation was shared by Brendan Cowell for Scarlett Productions'. Ruben Guthrie and Tommy Murphy for Matchbox Pictures' Holding the Man.
Matchbox and Full Clip.s Deadline Gallipoli was named best original TV miniseries, acknowledging the work of writers Jacquelin Perske (also script producer), Stuart Beattie, Shaun Grant and Cate Shortland.
FremantleMedia.s Wentworth Season 3, Episode 3 The Governor.s Pleasure by Stuart Page shared the TV series award with Endemol Australia.s Offspring Episode 511 by Michael Lucas. Jan Sardi and Mac Gudgeon took the award for best miniseries adaptation for...
It was the first time a feature collected the Australian Writers' Guild's Major Award and the gong for original feature since 2012 when Tony Briggs and Keith Thompson won with The Sapphires.
The prize for feature film adaptation was shared by Brendan Cowell for Scarlett Productions'. Ruben Guthrie and Tommy Murphy for Matchbox Pictures' Holding the Man.
Matchbox and Full Clip.s Deadline Gallipoli was named best original TV miniseries, acknowledging the work of writers Jacquelin Perske (also script producer), Stuart Beattie, Shaun Grant and Cate Shortland.
FremantleMedia.s Wentworth Season 3, Episode 3 The Governor.s Pleasure by Stuart Page shared the TV series award with Endemol Australia.s Offspring Episode 511 by Michael Lucas. Jan Sardi and Mac Gudgeon took the award for best miniseries adaptation for...
- 9/14/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Based in the Us for the past three years, Kieran Darcy-Smith had not seen the Jack Irish telepics when he was offered the gig as set-up director of the spin-off series starring Guy Pearce as a former criminal lawyer turned private investigator and debt collector.
After watching the telepics and reading the scripts for the 6-part ABC series by Andrew Knight, Matt Cameron and Andrew Anastasios, Darcy-Smith readily agreed.
In his first TV drama assignment, the director whose breakthrough was Wish You Were Here is directing two episodes and Mark Joffe and Daniel Nettheim are each helming two. Essential Media and Entertainment.s Ian Collie is the series producer.
.The scripts are sensational; this is as good as TV drama gets,. Kieran tells If as shooting is underway in Melbourne to be followed by a week in the Philippines. .I am working with the A-team..
The plot is under wraps so Darcy-Smith is circumspect,...
After watching the telepics and reading the scripts for the 6-part ABC series by Andrew Knight, Matt Cameron and Andrew Anastasios, Darcy-Smith readily agreed.
In his first TV drama assignment, the director whose breakthrough was Wish You Were Here is directing two episodes and Mark Joffe and Daniel Nettheim are each helming two. Essential Media and Entertainment.s Ian Collie is the series producer.
.The scripts are sensational; this is as good as TV drama gets,. Kieran tells If as shooting is underway in Melbourne to be followed by a week in the Philippines. .I am working with the A-team..
The plot is under wraps so Darcy-Smith is circumspect,...
- 8/9/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Nine features have been nominated for this year's Awgie Awards for performance writing.
Eight telemovies and miniseries are in contention. The Australian Writers. Guild says nominations in the 25 categories for the 48th Annual Awgie Awards reflect the abundance of outstanding work currently being produced in Australia. Nominees for best original telemovie are Steven McGregor for Redfern Now: Promise Me and Katherine Thomson for House of Hancock, while Christopher Lee.s Gallipoli and Jan Sardi and Mac Gudgeon.s The Secret River contend for best adaptation in a television miniseries. There are four nominees for original television mini-series: The Principal by Alice Addison and Kristen Dunphy; The Kettering Incident by Vicki Madden, Andrew Knight, Cate Shortland and Louise Fox; Deadline Gallipoli by Jacquelin Perske, Stuart Beattie, Shaun Grant and Cate Shortland; and Love Child: Series 2 from Tim Pye, Cathryn Strickland, Chris McCourt, Jane Allen and Tamara Asmar. In the categories...
Eight telemovies and miniseries are in contention. The Australian Writers. Guild says nominations in the 25 categories for the 48th Annual Awgie Awards reflect the abundance of outstanding work currently being produced in Australia. Nominees for best original telemovie are Steven McGregor for Redfern Now: Promise Me and Katherine Thomson for House of Hancock, while Christopher Lee.s Gallipoli and Jan Sardi and Mac Gudgeon.s The Secret River contend for best adaptation in a television miniseries. There are four nominees for original television mini-series: The Principal by Alice Addison and Kristen Dunphy; The Kettering Incident by Vicki Madden, Andrew Knight, Cate Shortland and Louise Fox; Deadline Gallipoli by Jacquelin Perske, Stuart Beattie, Shaun Grant and Cate Shortland; and Love Child: Series 2 from Tim Pye, Cathryn Strickland, Chris McCourt, Jane Allen and Tamara Asmar. In the categories...
- 7/23/2015
- by Staff writer
- IF.com.au
For the 4th consecutive year, The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne that celebrates Indian cinema internationally is all set to take place in Melbourne this August. With the core theme of the festival being equality, the festival is endorsed by the talented Vidya Balan. The festival believes in bringing forth both independent Indian films and blockbuster films to the audience of Australia thus giving Indian films a global platform.
Judging great films like these are an esteemed panel of jury members including Nikhil Advani- producer, director and screenwriter who is best known for his movies like Kal Ho Naa Ho and D Day, joining him will be film critic Rajeev Masand and yesteryear actress and TV anchor Simi Garewal. While on the global front, the jury also includes popular Australian director of The Water Diviner- Andrew Anastasios and Jill Billock who is an award winning Australian film editor.
Judging great films like these are an esteemed panel of jury members including Nikhil Advani- producer, director and screenwriter who is best known for his movies like Kal Ho Naa Ho and D Day, joining him will be film critic Rajeev Masand and yesteryear actress and TV anchor Simi Garewal. While on the global front, the jury also includes popular Australian director of The Water Diviner- Andrew Anastasios and Jill Billock who is an award winning Australian film editor.
- 7/14/2015
- by Bollywood Hungama News Network
- BollywoodHungama
For the fourth year in a row Vidya will be seen as the face of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. But what is special is this time around the festival theme, which is around equality, has been suggested by Bollywood's favorite and the lovely Vidya Balan. And look who is impressed by Vidya's idea. Well it's none other than filmmaker Nikhil Advani, maker of Kal Ho Naa Ho, Salaam-e-ishq a D-day and now gearing up for Katti Batti.
Nikhil, who is on the panel of jury members for The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne that celebrates Indian cinema internationally, says, "I love this year's theme of equality. I am really happy that Vidya suggested a theme which even I love and support. I have been a supporter of this festival right from its inception days. The fact that they have - 'supported and advocated equality to embrace the diversity...
Nikhil, who is on the panel of jury members for The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne that celebrates Indian cinema internationally, says, "I love this year's theme of equality. I am really happy that Vidya suggested a theme which even I love and support. I have been a supporter of this festival right from its inception days. The fact that they have - 'supported and advocated equality to embrace the diversity...
- 7/13/2015
- GlamSham
ABC TV has confirmed new series of. Janet King, Rake, Jack Irish, The Code and The Doctor Blake Mysteries.
Marta Dusseldorp will star in the second series of Janet King, Richard Roxburgh returns as Cleaver Greene in the fourth series of Rake and Guy Pearce stars in a six-part series based on the crime novels by Peter Temple in Jack Irish: The Series, a spin-off of the three telepics. Craig McLachlan returns as. Dr Lucien Blake in the fourth outing of The Doctor Blake Mysteries, together with Nadine Garner as his housekeeper Jean Beazley. Dan Spielman and Ashley Zuckerman are back for the second season of The Code. ABC Head of Fiction Carole Sklan said: .ABC TV is very happy to be able to bring back this collection of hugely entertaining, favourite dramas. They feature such a wonderful, eclectic mix of indelible characters.. Head of Programming Brendan Dahill said: .This...
Marta Dusseldorp will star in the second series of Janet King, Richard Roxburgh returns as Cleaver Greene in the fourth series of Rake and Guy Pearce stars in a six-part series based on the crime novels by Peter Temple in Jack Irish: The Series, a spin-off of the three telepics. Craig McLachlan returns as. Dr Lucien Blake in the fourth outing of The Doctor Blake Mysteries, together with Nadine Garner as his housekeeper Jean Beazley. Dan Spielman and Ashley Zuckerman are back for the second season of The Code. ABC Head of Fiction Carole Sklan said: .ABC TV is very happy to be able to bring back this collection of hugely entertaining, favourite dramas. They feature such a wonderful, eclectic mix of indelible characters.. Head of Programming Brendan Dahill said: .This...
- 6/30/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Andrew Knight is not a critic of Australia.s film schools but if he were invited to lecture on screenwriting he.d take a radically different approach.
The veteran writer/producer disagrees with an over- emphasis on structure, formulas and genres. .Too much of it and you start to stifle creativity, to pigeon-hole and not let it take to the open air,. Knight tells If, elaborating on the Aacta masterclasses he delivered in Sydney and Melbourne this month.
.When you start hearing hard and fast rules like .there must be a crisis by page 23. - maybe it.s time to check if you.ve paid your medical insurance..
In January he received Aacta.s inaugural Longford Lyell Award which recognised his contributions to screen culture in a career spanning more than 30 years.
His credits as head writer or co-writer include The Water Diviner, SeaChange, The Broken Shore, Fast Forward, Full Frontal,...
The veteran writer/producer disagrees with an over- emphasis on structure, formulas and genres. .Too much of it and you start to stifle creativity, to pigeon-hole and not let it take to the open air,. Knight tells If, elaborating on the Aacta masterclasses he delivered in Sydney and Melbourne this month.
.When you start hearing hard and fast rules like .there must be a crisis by page 23. - maybe it.s time to check if you.ve paid your medical insurance..
In January he received Aacta.s inaugural Longford Lyell Award which recognised his contributions to screen culture in a career spanning more than 30 years.
His credits as head writer or co-writer include The Water Diviner, SeaChange, The Broken Shore, Fast Forward, Full Frontal,...
- 6/25/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Turkey Dressing: Crowe’s Well-Intentioned Debut Ultimately Mundane
In the comparable tradition of Mel Gibson and Kevin Costner, actor Russell Crowe makes a big budget, historically relevant directorial debut with The Water Diviner, a World War I Australian drama. As penned by Andrew Knight and Andrew Anastasios, both writers accustomed to writing almost exclusively for television, the film’s significance is straightjacketed into a garden variety of manipulative clichés, replete with an unnecessary and oddly provoked romance that ends an otherwise workmanlike tale of woe on a sour note.
Beginning in 1919 Australia, well-digger Joshua Connor (Crowe) lives alone with his wife (Jacqueline McKenzie), using his powers of water divining (basically a concept where a stick or similar apparatus is used to steer a user toward a water source—often called water witching) to continue their idyllic farm. All is not well with the Connor’s, as he comes home to...
In the comparable tradition of Mel Gibson and Kevin Costner, actor Russell Crowe makes a big budget, historically relevant directorial debut with The Water Diviner, a World War I Australian drama. As penned by Andrew Knight and Andrew Anastasios, both writers accustomed to writing almost exclusively for television, the film’s significance is straightjacketed into a garden variety of manipulative clichés, replete with an unnecessary and oddly provoked romance that ends an otherwise workmanlike tale of woe on a sour note.
Beginning in 1919 Australia, well-digger Joshua Connor (Crowe) lives alone with his wife (Jacqueline McKenzie), using his powers of water divining (basically a concept where a stick or similar apparatus is used to steer a user toward a water source—often called water witching) to continue their idyllic farm. All is not well with the Connor’s, as he comes home to...
- 4/24/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
The Water Diviner Warner Bros. Reviewed by: Harvey Karten for CompuServe ShowBiz. Databased on Rotten Tomatoes. Grade: B+ Director: Russell Crowe Screenwriter: Andrew Knight, Andrew Anastasios Cast: Russell Crowe, Yilmaz Erdogan, Cem Yilmaz, Jai Courtney, Ryan Corr Screened at: Warner, NYC, 4/20/15 Opens: April 24, 2015 For his directing debut, Russell Crowe chose a tale first attempted by Peter Weir in that helmsman’s 1981 film “Gallipoli”—about two sprinters who go from Australia to Turkey to fight in the disastrous battle of Gallipoli. But Crowe adds a patina of romance and sentimentality while showing the movie audience that war is hell. “The Water Diviner” is an old-fashioned Hollywood treatment in which [ Read More ]
The post The Water Diviner Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post The Water Diviner Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 4/24/2015
- by Harvey Karten
- ShockYa
Russell Crowe gives a nice try but gets no cigar in this maudlin rehash of a horrendous moment in history.Russell Crowe comes out swinging with his narrative fiction feature directorial debut but fouls out as this war story drops off the deep end into the irretrievably maudlin. Screenwriters Andrew Knight and Andrew Anastasios are partly to blame, but Crowe should have known better. The setting is Australia circa 1915, on the eve of the dreadful battle of Gallipoli. Russell Crowe plays Connor, a hardworking man of the earth, divining a living out of the parched and unforgiving Australian outback. He […]...
- 4/24/2015
- by Ron Wilkinson
- Monsters and Critics
Once upon a time, to cast Russell Crowe in a film was to immediately give the project a pedigree. He gave undeniable gravitas to period pieces like Cinderella Man and Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, just a few years after getting three straight Best Actor Oscar nominations (and one win, for Gladiator). In the last few years, however, he has become a kind of Hollywood punching bag, mainly for his emotionless turn as Jor-El in Man of Steel and his fruitless attempt at playing Javert in Les Misérables. (His howlingly inept turn in Winter’s Tale is a footnote, since very few had the misfortune of seeing that abysmal drama.)
In a bit of good news, Crowe’s feature directorial debut, The Water Diviner, is a step in the right direction – even if it is a largely hit-and-miss affair. One can clearly see the influence of Crowe’s collaborators,...
In a bit of good news, Crowe’s feature directorial debut, The Water Diviner, is a step in the right direction – even if it is a largely hit-and-miss affair. One can clearly see the influence of Crowe’s collaborators,...
- 4/23/2015
- by Jordan Adler
- We Got This Covered
The Water Diviner
Written by Andrew Knight & Andrew Anastasios
Directed by Russell Crowe
Australia/Turkey/USA, 2014
Russell Crowe comes out swinging with his directorial debut, the ambitious wartime melodrama, The Water Diviner. While there’s no denying the clarity of his artistic vision, the unwieldy story eventually overwhelms him. The stunning visuals and strong performances can’t overcome the film’s mismatched halves, which ping between brooding character study and simplistic actioner. Ultimately, there’s much to like about this promising debut, but it lacks the emotional wallop that Crowe intended.
Struggling to survive the Australian dustbowl of 1919, Connor (Crowe) is a humble farmer who wanders the vast desert searching for unseen pockets of water buried beneath the surface. He’s remarkably adept at this ancient, some would say mystical art. What he truly seeks, however, continues to elude him; the final resting place of his three sons. The three boys,...
Written by Andrew Knight & Andrew Anastasios
Directed by Russell Crowe
Australia/Turkey/USA, 2014
Russell Crowe comes out swinging with his directorial debut, the ambitious wartime melodrama, The Water Diviner. While there’s no denying the clarity of his artistic vision, the unwieldy story eventually overwhelms him. The stunning visuals and strong performances can’t overcome the film’s mismatched halves, which ping between brooding character study and simplistic actioner. Ultimately, there’s much to like about this promising debut, but it lacks the emotional wallop that Crowe intended.
Struggling to survive the Australian dustbowl of 1919, Connor (Crowe) is a humble farmer who wanders the vast desert searching for unseen pockets of water buried beneath the surface. He’s remarkably adept at this ancient, some would say mystical art. What he truly seeks, however, continues to elude him; the final resting place of his three sons. The three boys,...
- 4/23/2015
- by J.R. Kinnard
- SoundOnSight
Chicago – Actor and Oscar Winner Russell Crowe, known for films such as “L.A. Confidential,” “Gladiator,” “A Beautiful Mind,” “Cinderella Man,” “Les Miserables” and “Man of Steel,” breaks out in his directorial debut and also stars in “The Water Diviner,” a story of war and his native Australia.
The film centers on Crowe as Connor, an Australian farmer who sends his three sons to World War One in 1915. The fate of the boys is the driver for the story, that takes Crowe’s character into former war zones and an exotic land. Filled with beautiful imagery under his direction, the movie – adapted from a novel – is also an homage to his native Australia, and the sacrifices that families make in times of war. “The Water Diviner” opens wide on April 24th, 2015.
Photographer Joe Arce of HollywoodChicago.com was at the Red Carpet for the Chicago premiere of “The Water Diviner,...
The film centers on Crowe as Connor, an Australian farmer who sends his three sons to World War One in 1915. The fate of the boys is the driver for the story, that takes Crowe’s character into former war zones and an exotic land. Filled with beautiful imagery under his direction, the movie – adapted from a novel – is also an homage to his native Australia, and the sacrifices that families make in times of war. “The Water Diviner” opens wide on April 24th, 2015.
Photographer Joe Arce of HollywoodChicago.com was at the Red Carpet for the Chicago premiere of “The Water Diviner,...
- 4/23/2015
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Russell Crowe proves to be a proficient director in need of better material with The Water Diviner, an adaptation of Andrew Anastasios and Dr. Meaghan Wilson-Anastasios's inspired-by-true-events novel. In 1919, Joshua Connor (Crowe), a "water diviner" — i.e., someone with the quasi-mystical ability to use tuning rods to locate underground H2O — is left alone after his wife (Jacqueline McKenzie) commits suicide, shattered by the death of her three sons at Wwi's 1915 Battle of Gallipoli. Determined to honor her wishes, Connor travels to the famed Turkish battlefield, where he endeavors to locate his boys' corpses and, ultimately, one child he hopes is still alive. Crowe's visual framing and dramatic staging are as assured as his compelling lead ...
- 4/22/2015
- Village Voice
Chicago – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 50 pairs of advance-screening movie passes up for grabs to the new war drama “The Water Diviner” starring Russell Crowe (his directorial debut!) and Olga Kurylenko!
“The Water Diviner,” which opens on April 24, 2015 and is rated “R,” also stars Jai Courtney, Isabel Lucas, Megan Gale, Damon Herriman, Ryan Corr, Jacqueline McKenzie, Cem Yilmaz and Yilmaz Erdogan from director Russell Crowe and writers Andrew Knight and Andrew Anastasios! Note: You must be 17+ to win and attend this “R”-rated screening.
To win your free “The Water Diviner” passes courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just get interactive with our social media widget below. That’s it! This screening is on Tuesday, April 21, 2015 at 7 p.m. in downtown Chicago. The more social actions you complete, the more points you score and the higher yours odds of winning! Completing these social actions only increases your odds...
“The Water Diviner,” which opens on April 24, 2015 and is rated “R,” also stars Jai Courtney, Isabel Lucas, Megan Gale, Damon Herriman, Ryan Corr, Jacqueline McKenzie, Cem Yilmaz and Yilmaz Erdogan from director Russell Crowe and writers Andrew Knight and Andrew Anastasios! Note: You must be 17+ to win and attend this “R”-rated screening.
To win your free “The Water Diviner” passes courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just get interactive with our social media widget below. That’s it! This screening is on Tuesday, April 21, 2015 at 7 p.m. in downtown Chicago. The more social actions you complete, the more points you score and the higher yours odds of winning! Completing these social actions only increases your odds...
- 4/20/2015
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
When director Crowe sticks to historical adventure, his film is tense and exciting. But it lacks a sense of magic that it needs to make it fully engaging. I’m “biast” (pro): love Russell Crowe
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
I have not read the source material
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
In 1919, four years after the disastrous Australian defeat at the Wwi battle of Gallipoli, a father travels to the Ottoman Empire hoping to find his lost sons. It’s sorta like Saving Private Ryan, except the soldiers to be found are dead, and the stack of needles farmer Connor (Russell Crowe: Noah, Winter’s Tale) has to search for his needles is the battle-scarred landscape upon which are scattered the long-dead bones of the 10,000 Australians — and 70,000 Turks — who were killed there.
How does Connor propose to accomplish such an impossible task?...
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
I have not read the source material
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
In 1919, four years after the disastrous Australian defeat at the Wwi battle of Gallipoli, a father travels to the Ottoman Empire hoping to find his lost sons. It’s sorta like Saving Private Ryan, except the soldiers to be found are dead, and the stack of needles farmer Connor (Russell Crowe: Noah, Winter’s Tale) has to search for his needles is the battle-scarred landscape upon which are scattered the long-dead bones of the 10,000 Australians — and 70,000 Turks — who were killed there.
How does Connor propose to accomplish such an impossible task?...
- 4/8/2015
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
Director: Russell Crowe; Screenwriters: Andrew Knight, Andrew Anastasios; Starring: Russell Crowe, Jai Courtney, Olga Kurylenko, Isabel Lucas; Running time: 111 mins; Certificate: 15
Coinciding with the centenary of the Battle of the Gallipoli, where 8,709 Australians were killed during the First World War, The Water Diviner comes as a reminder that this was a tragedy on both sides. Russell Crowe boldly chooses this subject to make his feature directorial debut - picking up where Peter Weir left off with Gallipoli (1981) - and also stars as a father looking for his sons' remains after the guns are laid down in Turkey. His case isn't watertight, but he angles for tear-jerking drama and delivers.
Realism takes second place to mysticism and the foreword, claiming this story to be based on real events, is a leap given that the writers were inspired by just a single line in a letter penned by Lt-Colonel Cyril Hughes (here...
Coinciding with the centenary of the Battle of the Gallipoli, where 8,709 Australians were killed during the First World War, The Water Diviner comes as a reminder that this was a tragedy on both sides. Russell Crowe boldly chooses this subject to make his feature directorial debut - picking up where Peter Weir left off with Gallipoli (1981) - and also stars as a father looking for his sons' remains after the guns are laid down in Turkey. His case isn't watertight, but he angles for tear-jerking drama and delivers.
Realism takes second place to mysticism and the foreword, claiming this story to be based on real events, is a leap given that the writers were inspired by just a single line in a letter penned by Lt-Colonel Cyril Hughes (here...
- 4/2/2015
- Digital Spy
In a distinguished career spanning more than 30 years, writer-producer Andrew Knight has rarely been so busy.
The co-writer (with Andrew Anastasios) of The Water Diviner concurrently is working on the Jack Irish series, the fourth season of Rake and three movies.
He is collaborating with actor-writer Osamah Sami on the screenplay of Ali.s Wedding, a feature which is due to start shooting in June, directed by Wayne Blair for Matchbox Pictures. He.s developing two other features, The Cartographer (co-written with Anastasios) for South Pacific Pictures, and King of Thieves, a co-production between Essential Media and Entertainment.s Ian Collie and UK producer David Parfitt.s Trademark Films.
.It.s a fantastic time to be writing and producing drama; I am doing exactly what I want to do,. Knight tells If.
In January he won Aacta.s Longford Lyell Award which recognises outstanding contribution to the enrichment of Australia.s screen environment and culture.
The co-writer (with Andrew Anastasios) of The Water Diviner concurrently is working on the Jack Irish series, the fourth season of Rake and three movies.
He is collaborating with actor-writer Osamah Sami on the screenplay of Ali.s Wedding, a feature which is due to start shooting in June, directed by Wayne Blair for Matchbox Pictures. He.s developing two other features, The Cartographer (co-written with Anastasios) for South Pacific Pictures, and King of Thieves, a co-production between Essential Media and Entertainment.s Ian Collie and UK producer David Parfitt.s Trademark Films.
.It.s a fantastic time to be writing and producing drama; I am doing exactly what I want to do,. Knight tells If.
In January he won Aacta.s Longford Lyell Award which recognises outstanding contribution to the enrichment of Australia.s screen environment and culture.
- 3/8/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
If you.ve been watching Ian .Molly. Meldrum on TV for years and think you know a lot about the former Countdown host, the Molly biopic on the Seven Network is likely to surprise.
.Viewers will learn a lot about the man they thought they knew well; there are many dimensions to Molly,. says John Molloy, who is producing the two-part program in Melbourne.
Meldrum wanted Samuel Johnson to portray him, which happily coincided with the views of Molloy, director Kevin Carlin and the network. .Molly knew Sam and really trusts him,. Molloy tells If on Thursday, day 14 of the 37-day shoot.
The supporting cast includes Tom O.Sullivan (Wonderland, Packed to the Rafters) as executive producer Michael Shrimpton and T. J Power (The Little Death, Underbelly) as producer-director Rob Weekes, who co-created Countdown with Meldrum in 1974.
The show ran until 1987, launching and supporting the careers of dozens of acts including Inxs,...
.Viewers will learn a lot about the man they thought they knew well; there are many dimensions to Molly,. says John Molloy, who is producing the two-part program in Melbourne.
Meldrum wanted Samuel Johnson to portray him, which happily coincided with the views of Molloy, director Kevin Carlin and the network. .Molly knew Sam and really trusts him,. Molloy tells If on Thursday, day 14 of the 37-day shoot.
The supporting cast includes Tom O.Sullivan (Wonderland, Packed to the Rafters) as executive producer Michael Shrimpton and T. J Power (The Little Death, Underbelly) as producer-director Rob Weekes, who co-created Countdown with Meldrum in 1974.
The show ran until 1987, launching and supporting the careers of dozens of acts including Inxs,...
- 2/19/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
A long-held ambition, Russell Crowe finally got his directorial debut The Water Diviner before cameras last year. We've already seen a sombre introductory featurette, but now he's a full trailer for the Australian historical drama, heralding its imminent release.Written by Andrew Knight and Andrew Anastasios, the film follows an Australian man (Crowe) who travels to Turkey after World War II in an attempt to discover what happened to his three sons, who disappeared at Gallipoli.A brutal, months-long campaign by the Allies against the Ottoman Empire, the battle saw the ANZACs (the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) suffer more than 26,000 casualties. But it wasn’t just those countries involved, and the story explores the relationships the soldiers struck up with, among other people, Turkish nationals.With Olga Kurylenko, Jai Courtney, Yimaz Erdogan and Cem Yilmaz in the cast, The Water Diviner will be out in the UK on...
- 2/16/2015
- EmpireOnline
After ordering the script for the pilot for a Us version of Jack Irish, the Fox network has opted not to proceed with the project.
Chernin Entertainment, which has a first-look deal with Fox, had pitched the idea of a one-hour series adapted from Essential Media and Entertainment.s trio of telepics starring Guy Pearce as a former criminal lawyer turned private investigator and debt collector.
The script was written by Anna Fricke (Being Human), who would have served as the showrunner, and Seamus Kevin Fahey (Spartacus: Blood and Sand).
.Fox network passed and our Us agents are currently talking to Fox about getting the rights back,. Essential partner/head of drama Ian Collie tells If.
.Our preference now is to focus on the Australian series, due to go to air on ABC in 2016, which will set up a better series template for any further reversions of this program..
The...
Chernin Entertainment, which has a first-look deal with Fox, had pitched the idea of a one-hour series adapted from Essential Media and Entertainment.s trio of telepics starring Guy Pearce as a former criminal lawyer turned private investigator and debt collector.
The script was written by Anna Fricke (Being Human), who would have served as the showrunner, and Seamus Kevin Fahey (Spartacus: Blood and Sand).
.Fox network passed and our Us agents are currently talking to Fox about getting the rights back,. Essential partner/head of drama Ian Collie tells If.
.Our preference now is to focus on the Australian series, due to go to air on ABC in 2016, which will set up a better series template for any further reversions of this program..
The...
- 2/2/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Jeffrey Walker is in New York directing the first four episodes of a comedy executive produced by Amy Poehler and commissioned by streaming service Hulu.
Difficult People stars Julie Klausner and Billy Eichner (both of Funny or Die and Billy on the Street, which airs in Oz on The Comedy Channel) as best friends whose irreverent behaviour lands them in awkward situations.
The series is the first collaboration between Hulu, a joint venture of Disney, 21st Century Fox and NBCUniversal, and Universal Cable Prods.. The project had been in development at NBCUniversal.s USA Network. Klausner wrote the pilot and is co-exec producing with Poehler and Dave Becky (Louie).
After that the Los Angeles-based Walker will make his feature directing debut on The Cartographer, based on the Australian novel by Peter Twohig, produced by South Pacific Pictures. John Barnett.
The Water Diviner.s Andrew Anastasios and Andrew Knight are writing the screenplay.
Difficult People stars Julie Klausner and Billy Eichner (both of Funny or Die and Billy on the Street, which airs in Oz on The Comedy Channel) as best friends whose irreverent behaviour lands them in awkward situations.
The series is the first collaboration between Hulu, a joint venture of Disney, 21st Century Fox and NBCUniversal, and Universal Cable Prods.. The project had been in development at NBCUniversal.s USA Network. Klausner wrote the pilot and is co-exec producing with Poehler and Dave Becky (Louie).
After that the Los Angeles-based Walker will make his feature directing debut on The Cartographer, based on the Australian novel by Peter Twohig, produced by South Pacific Pictures. John Barnett.
The Water Diviner.s Andrew Anastasios and Andrew Knight are writing the screenplay.
- 1/15/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
For the second consecutive year, Warner Bros. Pictures International has exceeded the coveted $3 billion mark at the international box office. This benchmark comes on the heels of the release of The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies, a production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, which surpassed $400 million at the international box office this weekend and is still going strong.
Nine Warner Bros. Pictures films have exceeded $100 million internationally, topped by Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar (with Paramount Pictures), which has taken in an astounding $467 million outside of the U.S. to date, and Godzilla (with Legendary Pictures), which has earned $327 million overseas.
Four titles – Doug Liman’s Edge Of Tomorrow (with Village Roadshow Pictures), Phil Lord & Christopher Miller’s The Lego Movie (also with Village Roadshow Pictures), and Noam Murro and Zack Snyder’s 300: Rise Of An Empire (with Legendary), along with the 2014 spillover grosses from The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug...
Nine Warner Bros. Pictures films have exceeded $100 million internationally, topped by Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar (with Paramount Pictures), which has taken in an astounding $467 million outside of the U.S. to date, and Godzilla (with Legendary Pictures), which has earned $327 million overseas.
Four titles – Doug Liman’s Edge Of Tomorrow (with Village Roadshow Pictures), Phil Lord & Christopher Miller’s The Lego Movie (also with Village Roadshow Pictures), and Noam Murro and Zack Snyder’s 300: Rise Of An Empire (with Legendary), along with the 2014 spillover grosses from The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug...
- 12/30/2014
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Russell Crowe-Directed Movie Up for Australian Film Award; Crowe Shortlisted Only in Acting Category
Director Russell Crowe Movie up for Best Film: Australian Academy Awards 2015 nominations (photo: Actor-director Russell Crowe in 'The Water Diviner') Aacta Awards: Feature Film Categories Best Film The Babadook Kristina Ceyton and Kristian Moliere Charlie's Country Nils Erik Nielsen, Peter Djigirr and Rolf de Heer Predestination Paddy McDonald, Tim McGahan, Peter Spierig and Michael Spierig The Railway Man Chris Brown, Andy Paterson and Bill Curbishley Tracks Emile Sherman and Iain Canning The Water Diviner Andrew Mason, Keith Rodger and Troy Lum Best Director The Babadook Jennifer Kent Charlie's Country Rolf de Heer Predestination Peter Spierig and Michael Spierig The Rover David Michôd Best Actress Kate Box The Little Death Essie Davis The Babadook Sarah Snook Predestination Mia Wasikowska Tracks Best Actor Russell Crowe The Water Diviner David Gulpilil Charlie's Country Damon Herriman The Little Death Guy Pearce The Rover Best Supporting Actor Patrick Brammall The Little Death Yilmaz Erdogan...
- 12/3/2014
- by Steve Montgomery
- Alt Film Guide
Screen Australia announced today it will invest nearly $10.7 million in 11 television and film projects which will trigger production worth almost $59 million.
In one of the most hotly contested funding rounds, six features succeeded. They include Wayne Blair.s romantic comedy Ali.s Wedding; Joe Cinque.s Consolation, a thriller about a troubled law student who tries to kill her boyfriend, from director Sotiris Dounoukos, whose A Single Body won best short at the Toronto International Film Festival, and Cameron and Colin Cairnes. horror movie Scare Campaign.
The other three are Taboo, the narrative feature debut of documentary filmmakers Bentley Dean and Martin Butler; Rachel Perkins. murder mystery Jasper Jones, based on the novel and play by Craig Silvey, adapted by Shaun Grant;. and Greg Mclean.s true-life thriller Jungle.
The TV projects are Shine Australia.s Peter Allen: Not the Boy Next Door for the Seven Network; a Jack...
In one of the most hotly contested funding rounds, six features succeeded. They include Wayne Blair.s romantic comedy Ali.s Wedding; Joe Cinque.s Consolation, a thriller about a troubled law student who tries to kill her boyfriend, from director Sotiris Dounoukos, whose A Single Body won best short at the Toronto International Film Festival, and Cameron and Colin Cairnes. horror movie Scare Campaign.
The other three are Taboo, the narrative feature debut of documentary filmmakers Bentley Dean and Martin Butler; Rachel Perkins. murder mystery Jasper Jones, based on the novel and play by Craig Silvey, adapted by Shaun Grant;. and Greg Mclean.s true-life thriller Jungle.
The TV projects are Shine Australia.s Peter Allen: Not the Boy Next Door for the Seven Network; a Jack...
- 11/26/2014
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Warner Bros. Pictures has announced that it has acquired the U.S. distribution rights to Academy Award winner Russell Crowe’s (“Gladiator”) directorial debut, from RatPac Entertainment, The Water Diviner, which the Studio will release in select U.S. theaters on April 24, 2015.
Starring Russell Crowe (Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind) and Olga Kurylenko (Oblivion, Quantum Of Solace), The Water Diviner is an epic adventure set four years after the devastating battle of Gallipoli in Turkey during World War I.
Australian farmer Connor (Crowe) travels to Istanbul to discover the fate of his sons, reported missing in the action, where he forges a relationship with the beautiful Turkish woman (Kurylenko) who owns the hotel in which he stays. Holding on to hope, and with the help of a Turkish Officer, Connor embarks on a journey across the country to find the truth about the fate of his sons. The Water Diviner is an extraordinary tale of love,...
Starring Russell Crowe (Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind) and Olga Kurylenko (Oblivion, Quantum Of Solace), The Water Diviner is an epic adventure set four years after the devastating battle of Gallipoli in Turkey during World War I.
Australian farmer Connor (Crowe) travels to Istanbul to discover the fate of his sons, reported missing in the action, where he forges a relationship with the beautiful Turkish woman (Kurylenko) who owns the hotel in which he stays. Holding on to hope, and with the help of a Turkish Officer, Connor embarks on a journey across the country to find the truth about the fate of his sons. The Water Diviner is an extraordinary tale of love,...
- 11/9/2014
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Warner Bros has acquired distribution to Russell Crowe‘s directorial debut “The Water Diviner.” Crowe also co-stars in the World War I epic, which follows an Australian father who travels to Turkey to find his three sons who went missing in action during the battle of Gallipoli. Olga Kurylenko plays the owner of the hotel where Crowe's character stays. See photos: Party Report in Pictures: Jon Hamm, Russell Crowe, Tucker Tooley, Jason Blum and Demi Moore (Photos) Andrew Knight and Andrew Anastasios wrote the screenplay. The rest of the cast includes Jai Courtney, Isabel Lucas and Ryan Corr. Also read:...
- 11/7/2014
- by Linda Ge
- The Wrap
Warner Bros. has picked up domestic distribution for Russell Crowe’s period drama The Water Diviner. The studio has set an April 24, 2015 release date. Crowe directed the movie and also stars as an Australian who goes to Turkey to search for his two sons, who are missing after the battle of Gallipoli in 1919. Olga Kurylenko and Jai Courtney also star. Penned by Andrew Knight and Andrew Anastasios, The Water Diviner is being produced by Andrew Mason and Troy Lum for Hopscotch Features and by Keith Rodger for Fear of God Films. Brett Ratner's RatPac Entertainment, Seven Network Australia and private
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- 11/7/2014
- by Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
"Go big or go home": A skateboarder mindset, a Sarah Palin slogan, the name of a "Parks & Recreation" episode," and now, the guiding mantra of Russell Crowe's directorial debut, "The Water Diviner." Via the magic of Twitter, Crowe debuted the first trailer for the war drama, a shiny blockbuster reminiscent of the high-impact Hollywood productions that shaped the actor's career. When it's not blowing up World War I battlefields, it's swelling with emotional power strings. Written by Andrew Knight and Andrew Anastasios (both involved with Guy Pearce's "Jack Irish" movies), "The Water Diviner" follows a father from New Zealand who flocks to Turkey to find his two sons, gone missing after the 1915 Battle of Gallipoli. Working with remaining troops (including an Australian Liuetentn played by Jai Courtney), Crowe's Connor burrows into the mystery, which appears to flash back and forth between his search and his son's time in the trenches.
- 10/1/2014
- by Matt Patches
- Hitfix
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