Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Daisy Ridley set to star in Zak Hilditch's new film We Bury the Dead in Western Australia

01/11/2023

01 11 2023 - Media release Daisy Ridley set to star in Zak Hilditch's new film We Bury the Dead in Western Australia

Writer/director Zak Hilditch and star Daisy Ridley

Screen Australia and Screenwest are pleased to announce Daisy Ridley (Star Wars sequel trilogy) is set to star in Zak Hilditch's new horror film, We Bury the Dead, to be filmed in Western Australia.

We Bury the Dead is a terrifying yet moving story about grief, loss and the undead, written and to be directed by Hilditch (These Final Hours, 1922). The film will be produced by Kelvin Munro and Grant Sputore of WA production company The Penguin Empire (I Am Mother, The Furnace), alongside Hilditch's frequent collaborator Ross Dinerstein (1922, Rattlesnake) of Campfire Studios in the US. Also producing are Gramercy Park s Joshua Harris and Mark Fasano with executive producers Nathan Klingher and Ford Corbett.

The film follows Ava (Daisy Ridley), a desperate woman whose husband is missing in the aftermath of a catastrophic military experiment. Hoping to find him alive, Ava joins a body retrieval unit , but her search takes a chilling turn when the corpses she's burying start showing signs of life.

The project has attracted production funding from Screen Australia, Screenwest, Lotterywest, the WA Regional Screen Fund and Gramercy Park Media. NEON and UTA Independent Film Group are launching international and U.S. sales, respectively, at AFM in Santa Monica this week. Umbrella Entertainment will distribute the film theatrically in Australia.

Written and directed in his signature style, We Bury The Dead will be Hilditch's fourth feature film following two Netflix Original Films Rattlesnake and Stephen King adaptation 1922, and his debut feature These Final Hours which was filmed in Perth and made its world premiere at the 2014 Cannes Director's Fortnight.

Screen Australia Head of Content Grainne Brunsdon said, We are delighted to support this compelling project featuring the talents of Daisy Ridley with director Zak Hilditch, which will provide a dark and powerful cinematic journey. We Bury the Dead promises a fresh take on the zombie/horror genre and plenty of gut-wrenching thrills for audiences, whilst delving deep into the world of loss, grief and the undead.

Screenwest CEO Rikki Lea Bestall said, After supporting Zak's debut feature, These Final Hours, which launched his career a decade ago, Screenwest is thrilled to be backing his latest film. Zak is one of Western Australia's leading storytellers, and it's great to have him and The Penguin Empire team home in WA to bring We Bury the Dead to life.

Of the film's upcoming production in his home state, Zak Hilditch said, In many ways it's fitting that I'll be making We Bury The Dead here in Western Australia. This film is very much the spiritual successor to These Final Hours, the last film I made in WA and the one that launched my career. To be coming home with a film and to do so with someone of Daisy Ridley's talents in the lead is a dream come true.

"We re thrilled to be joining forces with Zak on this project," said producers Grant Sputore and Kelvin Munro. "Zak is uniquely gifted when it comes to making movies that are just as moving as they are terrifying. Bringing one of his projects to our home state of Western Australia is especially exciting."

Ridley, known for her leading role in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, is returning to the franchise for a new film set after the events of The Rise of Skywalker. In addition to We Bury the Dead, Ridley's other upcoming films include The Marsh King's Daughter, starring opposite Ben Mendelsohn for director Neil Burger; Young Woman and the Sea from director Joachim R nning; and Sometimes I Think About Dying, in which Ridley both starred and produced. Sometimes I Think About Dying premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and will be released in January 2024.

Ridley is repped by CAA and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern. Hilditch is repped by Sugar 23 and Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz. The Penguin Empire is repped by Navigation Media Group. Campfire Studios is repped by UTA.

We Bury the Dead is set to head into production in the Great Southern region in Western Australia in February 2024.

Production credit: We Bury the Dead is a Penguin Empire production in partnership with Campfire Studios. Major production investment from Screen Australia in association with Screenwest, Lotterywest and the WA Regional Screen Fund. Local distribution by Umbrella Entertainment. International sales by NEON.

SCREENWEST MEDIA ENQUIRIES Lauren Elliott | Public Relations Executive, Screenwest

0424 368 839 | [email protected]

Media enquiries Maddie Walsh | Publicist

61 2 8113 5915 | [email protected]

Ted Rose | Senior Publicist

61 2 8113 1091 | 61 456 558 679 | ted.rose@screenaustralia.gov.au

All other general/non-media enquiries

Sydney 61 2 8113 5800 | Melbourne 61 3 8682 1900 | [email protected]
LINK: https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/sa/media-centre/news/2023/11-01-dai...
See more stories from screenaustralia

More from Screen Aus

10/10/2024

Screen Australia announces $8.1 million of production funding for 15 projects

10 10 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces $8.1 million of production funding for 15 projects L-R: Love Adjacent director Louise Alston, Watching Y...

17/09/2024

Screen Australia and Paramount+ Announce New Murder Mystery, Playing Gracie Darling

16 09 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and Paramount Announce New Murder M...

11/09/2024

Endemol Shine Australia and Screen Australia announce Early Career Writers Program

10 09 2024 - Media release Endemol Shine Australia and Screen Australia announce...

04/09/2024

Screen Australia invests over $2 million in Australian Games Industry

04 09 2024 - Media release Screen Australia invests over $2 million in Australian Games Industry Zodiac Mountain Screen Australia has announced over $2 milli...

28/08/2024

Screen Australia and ABC announce four new children's programs

28 08 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and ABC announce four new children's programs Andy Lee at Richmond Primary School with his nephews Freddy Mile...

22/08/2024

Screen Australia announces $3 million for 13 documentaries

22 08 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces $3 million for 13 documentaries We Are Jeni Screen Australia has announced 11 documentaries through the...

19/08/2024

Production starts on RFDS season three

19 08 2024 - Media release Production starts on RFDS season three RFDS cast. Photo Credit John Platt. Pre-production on the third season of the Seven Network...

15/08/2024

Maggie and Arthur return to the ABC for a second season of Mother and Son

15 08 2024 - Media release Maggie and Arthur return to the ABC for a second season of Mother and Son Denise Scott and Matt Okine in Mother and Son Fans of t...

06/08/2024

Bruce Beresford's Film Overture starts production in Western Australia

06 08 2024 - Media release Bruce Beresford's Film Overture starts production in Western Australia Overture cast (L-R) Susie Porter, Luke Bracey and Bryan ...

17/07/2024

Screen Australia and YouTube Australia announce Online Creators set to Skip Ahead

17 07 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and YouTube Australia announce Onlin...

12/07/2024

Screen Australia and ABC announce new comedy series Optics

12 07 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and ABC announce new comedy series Optics Optics. Photo credit: Joel Pratley ABC and Screen Australia have annou...

10/07/2024

Shipwreck Hunters Australia back on the water for Season 2

10 07 2024 - Media release Shipwreck Hunters Australia back on the water for Season 2 Shipwreck Hunters Australia Screen Australia and The Walt Disney Compan...

09/07/2024

Applications Open for Digital Originals, and three new dramas coming to screens

09 07 2024 - Media release Applications Open for Digital Originals, and three new dramas coming to screens (L-R) Moonbird director, co-creator and co-writer N...

30/05/2024

Screen Australia, Australians in Film and VicScreen announce FUTURE VISION

30 05 2024 - Media release Screen Australia, Australians in Film and VicScreen announce FUTURE VISION Lee Sung Jin and Joanna Calo Australians in Film, Scree...

08/05/2024

Olivia Colman and John Lithgow Star in Sophie Hyde's New Project JIMPA

08 05 2024 - Media release Olivia Colman and John Lithgow Star in Sophie Hyde's New Project JIMPA Olivia Colman and John Lithgow in JIMPA. Photo credit: M...

29/04/2024

Screen Australia announces James J. Robinson's debut feature First Light

29 04 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces James J. Robinson's debut feature First Light First Light Principal Photography is underway on Firs...

24/04/2024

Screen Australia celebrates Australian projects bound for Cannes Film Festival 2024

24 04 2024 - Media release Screen Australia celebrates Australian projects bound...

18/04/2024

Screen Australia and Dynamic Television announce new Scripted Initiative

18 04 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and Dynamic Television announce new Scripted Initiative Savage River Screen Australia and Los Angeles-based telev...

11/04/2024

Screen Australia and Meta launch fourth year of First Nations Creators Program for Instagram

11 04 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and Meta launch fourth year of First...

10/04/2024

Screen Australia announces over $2.3 million for nine documentaries

10 04 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces over $2.3 million for nine documentaries Guardians of the River Screen Australia has announced nine doc...

21/03/2024

Screen Australia announces over $1.6 million in support of the games industry

21 03 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces over $1.6 million in support of the games industry Which Way Up: Galaxy Games Screen Australia has anno...

18/03/2024

Screen Australia and VicScreen launch new Screen Careers initiative

18 03 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and VicScreen launch new Screen Careers initiative LTR Denise Eriksen, Esther Coleman Hawkins, Caroline Pitcher, K...

15/03/2024

The Creators 2024 Participants Announced

15 03 2024 - Media release The Creators 2024 Participants Announced The Creators program recipients. L-R Thomas Duncan-Watt, Vanessa Gazy, Sarah Lambert, Lea...

13/03/2024

Screen Australia announces dramas Critical Incident and Sunny Nights for Stan

13 03 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces dramas Critical Incident and Sunny Nights for Stan Critical Incident: Akshay Khanna and Zoe Boe. Photo c...

28/02/2024

Screen Australia announces over $810,000 in development funding for 29 projects

28 02 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces over $810,000 in development funding for 29 projects Willy Screen Australia has announced 23 feature fi...

27/02/2024

Michael Ebeid AM appointed as new Screen Australia Chair

27 02 2024 - Media release Michael Ebeid AM appointed as new Screen Australia Chair Michael Ebeid AM and Megan Brownlow The Hon. Minister for the Arts, Tony...

21/02/2024

Screen Australia and Australians in Film Announce Applications Open for UNTAPPED 2024

21 02 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and Australians in Film Announce App...

15/02/2024

Screen Australia announces over $560,000 for crew and gamemaker skills programs

15 02 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces over $560,000 for crew and gamemaker skills programs Liz Keogh Palmer (Australian Production Design Guil...

13/02/2024

Six Australian projects bound for South by Southwest Festival in the US

22 01 2024 - Media release Six Australian projects bound for South by Southwest Festival in the US Audrey, Birdeater, The Moogai Six Australian screen projec...

12/02/2024

Screen Australia and YouTube Australia Launch Skip Ahead 9

12 02 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and YouTube Australia Launch Skip Ahead 9 Uncovering Street Dance: Australia from Skip Ahead 8. Photographed by Ry...

08/02/2024

Screen Australia and ABC announce Bay of Fires is back for season two

08 02 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and ABC announce Bay of Fires is back for season two Marta Dusseldorp as Stella in Bay of Fires ABC, Screen Austr...

22/01/2024

Five Australian projects bound for South by Southwest Festival in the US

22 01 2024 - Media release Five Australian projects bound for South by Southwest Festival in the US Audrey, Birdeater, The Moogai Five Australian screen proj...

17/01/2024

Brendan Cowell and Asher Keddie star in Screen Australia and ABC's new drama series Plum

17 01 2024 - Media release Brendan Cowell and Asher Keddie star in Screen Austra...

14/12/2023

Screen Australia announces over $6.9 million of production funding for 11 projects

14 12 2023 - Media release Screen Australia announces over $6.9 million of produ...

12/12/2023

Applications open for The Creators program

12 12 2023 - Media release Applications open for The Creators program The Creators program Screen Australia and the Australian Writers Guild (AWG) have annou...

11/12/2023

Screen Australia announces Talent USA: New York recipients 2023

11 12 2023 - Media release Screen Australia announces Talent USA: New York recipients 2023 Enoch Mailangi, Noora Niasari, Hannah Carroll Chapman Screen Austr...

30/11/2023

Screen Australia announces 14 placements through BTL: Next Step Stage 2

30 11 2023 - Media release Screen Australia announces 14 placements through BTL: Next Step Stage 2 Image courtesy: Screen Warriors Screen Australia has annou...

29/11/2023

Screen Australia announces over $1.7 million for seven documentaries

29 11 2023 - Media release Screen Australia announces over $1.7 million for seven documentaries Deeper Screen Australia has announced three documentaries fun...

23/11/2023

Screen Australia announces over $900,000 in development funding for 31 projects

23 11 2023 - Media release Screen Australia announces over $900,000 in development funding for 31 projects Wishes Screen Australia has announced 18 feature f...

10/11/2023

Cameras roll in Canberra on new ABC comedy Austin

09 11 2023 - Media release Cameras roll in Canberra on new ABC comedy Austin Austin - Ben Miller, Michael Theo, Sally Phillips Screen Australia, ABC, ITV Stu...

10/11/2023

Screen Australia, SBS and NITV announce Digital Originals shortlist for 2023

10 11 2023 - Media release Screen Australia, SBS and NITV announce Digital Originals shortlist for 2023 Screen Australia Digital Originals Workshop. Image by ...

09/11/2023

Kangaroo Beach to return for a third series

09 11 2023 - Media release Kangaroo Beach to return for a third series Kangaroo Beach Series 3 Screen Australia and ABC are thrilled to announce that a third...

09/11/2023

Screen Australia and ABC announce TV adaptation of Shaun Tan's Tales From Outer Suburbia

09 11 2023 - Media release Screen Australia and ABC announce TV adaptation of Sh...

08/11/2023

Applications Open for Screen Australia's Enterprise 2024 Program

08 11 2023 - Media release Applications Open for Screen Australia's Enterprise 2024 Program Behind the scenes of Total Control 3 - Wayne Blair, Jub Clerc ...

02/11/2023

Drama Report 2022/23: $2.34 billion spent in Australia from 213 productions

02 11 2023 - Media release Drama Report 2022/23: $2.34 billion spent in Australia from 213 productions NCIS: Sydney, The New Boy, Ginger and the Vegesaurs. S...

01/11/2023

Daisy Ridley set to star in Zak Hilditch's new film We Bury the Dead in Western Australia

01 11 2023 - Media release Daisy Ridley set to star in Zak Hilditch's new fi...

31/10/2023

Deirdre Brennan appointed as new Screen Australia CEO

31 10 2023 - Media release Deirdre Brennan appointed as new Screen Australia CEO Screen Australia is pleased to announce the appointment of Deirdre Brennan a...

31/10/2023

Screen Australia announces participants in Access Coordinator Training Program

31 10 2023 - Media release Screen Australia announces participants in Access Coordinator Training Program Access Coordinator Training Program workshop in Sydn...

31/10/2023

Screen Australia and NITV announce Journey Home - David Gulpilil

31 10 2023 - Media release Screen Australia and NITV announce Journey Home - David Gulpilil Writer/director/producers Maggie Miles and Trisha Morton-Thomas, a...

30/10/2023

South Australian-Made feature film With or Without You announced

30 10 2023 - Media release South Australian-Made feature film With or Without You announced With or Without You stars Melina Vidler, Marta Dusseldorp and Albe...