25 06 2019 - Media release Screen Australia announces $5.7m in production funding
Josh Lawson, Evie Macdonald, Grace Feng Fang Juan
Screen Australia has announced over $5.7 million in production funding for three feature films, two children's television series and two online projects.
The slate includes a psychological thriller from director Daina Reid called Run Rabbit Run; a film adaptation of Leah Purcell's award-winning play The Drover's Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson; and First Day, a children's series about a transgender girl starting high school.
Screen Australia's CEO, Graeme Mason said: It s great to see several established creatives taking on new challenges. Daina Reid has had incredible success in television here and overseas, and we're excited to see her returning to Australia to direct ghost thriller Run Rabbit Run, the debut screenplay from award-winning author Hannah Kent.
Leah Purcell has an impressive body of work, telling powerful stories from behind and in front of the camera, and we're thrilled to support her first feature as director and lead. The Drover's Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson is a brutal and beautiful story of identity, and there's no one better to tell it on screen.
It's also exciting to support some stories which offer viewers a chance to connect with Australian experiences and perspectives that are rarely seen on our screens. In First Day we see an authentic portrayal of personal growth and acceptance; and Girl, Interpreted, a bilingual comedy series about a Mandarin interpreter in Melbourne, brings humour that carries across cultural boundaries. I'm confident these will resonate with viewers, Mason continued.
The feature film projects are
Run Rabbit Run: A modern day ghost story from director Daina Reid (The Handmaid's Tale) and writer Hannah Kent, acclaimed author of the award-winning Burial Rites. The film follows Sarah, a fertility doctor, who is frightened by her young daughter's inexplicable memories of a past identity. This feature will be produced by Carver Films' Sarah Shaw and Anna McLeish (Relic, Snowtown) who previously worked with Reid on the SBS drama series Sunshine. Run Rabbit Run received development funding under Screen Australia's Gender Matters Brilliant Stories initiative and will be the third feature from the initiative to go into production. This project received major production investment from Screen Australia and 30WEST, in association with Film Victoria and the South Australian Film Corporation.
The Drover's Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson: A film adaptation of Leah Purcell's award-winning stage play and reimagining of Henry Lawson's classic short story. Set in the Snowy Mountains of NSW in 1893, the film follows Molly Johnson as she and her children struggle to survive the elements. Molly forms a bond with run-away man Yadaka, who helps her to understand her true identity. This revenge Western asks the question, how far will you go to protect the ones you love? It is written and directed by Purcell who will also star as Molly, alongside Rob Collins as Yadaka. The producers are David Jowsey and Greer Simpkin whose credits include Mystery Road and Sweet Country, as well as Bain Stewart (She.Say.). The project has received development support from Create NSW.
Tin: A romantic comedy and second feature from writer/director Josh Lawson (Little Death) who is collaborating again with producer Jamie Hilton (Breath) as well as Michael Pontin (Standing Up For Sunny) and Isabel Stanfield. This film tells the story of time-poor Teddy who wakes up the morning after his wedding to discover that every few minutes he is jumping forward to the next year. Teddy must use every precious moment wisely to keep from losing the love of his life, and to learn to love the life he's losing. This project is financed with support from Create NSW, Spectrum Films and Cumulus.
The full list of funded feature film blocklines can be found here
The children's television projects are
First Day: A four-part series which follows 12-year-old transgender girl Hannah as she navigates the challenges of starting high school and finding the courage to live her most authentic self. The series is based on the stand-alone episode created in 2017 through Screen Australia and ABC Children s Girls initiative, a funding program to uncover and support the next generation of Australian female content makers. The episode won the inaugural MIPCOM Diversify TV Excellence Award for Kids' Programming and the Gender Equity Prize at the prestigious Prix Jeunesse International Children s Television Festival in 2018. The series is written and directed by Julie Kalceff, creator of hit online drama Starting From Now, and will star Evie Macdonald as Hannah. Producers Kirsty Stark (Unboxed) and Kate Croser (Top End Wedding) and co-producer Kate Butler are also attached. This project is commissioned by ABC Children s and financed with support from the South Australian Film Corporation and the Australian Children's Television Foundation.
Kangaroo Beach: A 26-part animated series centred on the adventures of four junior lifeguards - joey Pounce, koala Frizzy, wombat Neville and platypus Gemma. The furry friends are never far from fun, or danger, but under the guidance of grown-up lifeguards the young cadets are on their way to becoming pint-sized heroes of Kangaroo Beach. Each episode has an important water safety message, and consulting on water safety information will be Bruce Hoppo' Hopkins (Bondi Rescue) and Craig Riddington of Surf Educators International. This series is created by Tim Bain who has written for global hits such as PJ Masks, Fireman Sam and Thomas the Tank Engine. The writers are Tim Bain, Charlotte Rose Hamlyn (Blinky Bill), Simon Dodd (Spongo, Fuzz
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
15/07/2026
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is a big deal for DAZN, which has distribution rights in three markets: Italy, Spain, and Japan. Each requires a different editorial app...
15/07/2026
As sports-media organizations manage rapidly growing content libraries and incre...
15/07/2026
HBS director of digital Johannes Franken talks SVG Europe through the operation built to serve FIFA World Cup 2026 rights holders remotely from Stratford, east ...
15/07/2026
IBC has unveiled the conference program for IBC2026, with this year's event ...
15/07/2026
Software-defined wideband RF platform supports 96-kHz monitoring, streamlined fr...
15/07/2026
New AI-powered module enables broadcasters and content owners to extract dialogu...
15/07/2026
Weeklong gathering at EBU headquarters will test new IPMX capabilities and expand certified product ecosystem...
15/07/2026
Force Tech has announced the appointment of Bryan Adams, CTS, as Vice President of Integration. Adams will oversee AV and broadcast integration project delivery...
15/07/2026
USA Sports has announced an exclusive English-language agreement with the Bundes...
15/07/2026
ITV Sport's FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage has been produced from one of the m...
15/07/2026
Program will provide professional camera kits, training, and technical support to participating local newsrooms...
15/07/2026
San Francisco church becomes first U.S. deployment of the 2 M/E production switcher...
15/07/2026
Former ESPN and NFL Network executive to advise startup league on media, distribution, technology, and fan engagement...
15/07/2026
The Houston-based RSN is the live-game home of the Astros and Rockets...
15/07/2026
Launched alongside new FreqSoft installer
Designed to bridge the gap between hardware and software, Freqport's FreqInOut FO1 unit provides a simple way ...
15/07/2026
Save up to 55% on software until 23 July 2026
Expressive E have just launched their Summer Offer sale, with discounts of up to 55% now applied across their ...
15/07/2026
Real-time stem-separation tool updated
zplane have recently released a new and improved version of their real-time stem-separation plug-in which they say ma...
15/07/2026
A new benchmark in bass enhancement
Described as a new benchmark in bass enhancement , Baby Audio's latest release has been designed to augment the lo...
15/07/2026
DMC Production's AR 1 and AR 2 units reverse the conventional OB workflow, keeping all production-critical processing at the venue while operators work remo...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
GigaCloud, a leading Ukrainian cloud service provider, and Cubbit, the first geo-distributed cloud storage enabler, today announced a new Business Alliance Part...
15/07/2026
SMPTE, the global society for media professionals, technologists, and engineers, has announced the launch of the SMPTE 110th Anniversary Campaign, a fundraising...
15/07/2026
Studio Technologies, a leading manufacturer of high-quality audio, video, and fiber-optic solutions, unveils the new StudioComm Model 762 Stereo Level Control, ...
15/07/2026
COW Jobs: Producer, Virtual Events - Hybrid, Full Time, Salaried
Brie Clayton July 15, 2026
0 Comments
Producer, Virtual Events (Hybrid | Full-time | ...
15/07/2026
Brazilian media organization builds nationwide CDN with Broadpeak's high-performance software for low-latency streaming and new content distribution service...
15/07/2026
DHD announces a new utility designed to increase the efficiency of its audio mixing systems during initial installation and subsequent configuration.
Anyone w...
15/07/2026
BCNEXXT Brings Next-Generation Vipe to IBC2026, Breaking the 1:1 Channel-to-Server Ratio New innovations liberate broadcasters from legacy playout infrastructur...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
Wednesday 15 July 2026
Screeners and press pack now available: Gomorrah: The Or...
15/07/2026
Trinity's Treasures features Ruth Negga, Eleanor McEvoy, and David Norris, a...
15/07/2026
Join geographer Dr Susan Hegarty, Engineer Tim Joyce and Architect Orla Murphy a...
15/07/2026
Home to leading manufacturers, robotics pioneers, infrastructure builders and gaming, of course, Japan is one of the world's centers of AI - building across...
14/07/2026
South end zone videoboard, cloud-based control system will be ready for 2026 football season...
14/07/2026
Redesigned website, enhanced mobile app unify content, ticketing, and personalized fan engagement...
14/07/2026
Agreement spans sponsorship sales, digital monetization, radio production, and new practice facility naming rights...
14/07/2026
Independent league adds 14 regional sports network affiliates, growing distribut...
14/07/2026
New strategy aims to unify competitions, content, fan engagement, and commercial...
14/07/2026
ESPN and Disney+ become exclusive home of PFL events in key international MMA market...
14/07/2026
Gill will oversee engineering, technology, and sports operations across the company's 64 local television stations...
14/07/2026
Submitted by North American Broadcasters Association (NABA)
As broadcasters con...
14/07/2026
Modernized mobile unit combines HOME Apps, mc 56 console, and IP infrastructure ...
14/07/2026
Every match of the 32-team tournament will air across ION and Scripps Sports platforms in English and Spanish...
14/07/2026
FloHockey to stream every game of the annual international tournament under four...
25 06 2019 - Media release Screen Australia announces $5.7m in production funding 
