SBS's thrilling new Australian drama Safe Harbour premieres Wednesday 7 March at 8.30pm

SBS's thrilling new Australian drama Safe Harbour premieres Wednesday 7 March at 8.30pm

Tuesday, 30 January 2018

News Release

Continuing SBS's streak of critically acclaimed and thought-provoking original drama series, Safe Harbour is a bold new psychological thriller from the award-winning Matchbox Pictures about a group of friends whose sailing holiday of a lifetime alters their lives forever after they cross paths with a struggling fishing boat overloaded with asylum seekers en-route to Australia.

The Australians decide to tow the refugees, but when they wake the next morning the fishing boat is gone. Five years later they learn the truth - someone cut the rope between the two boats, with tragic consequences.

Old secrets come to light, relationships are shattered and lives are put in danger. One question hangs over it all - who cut the rope?

Cinematic, compelling and provocative, the four-part drama will premiere on SBS at 8.30pm Wednesday 7 March and runs for four weeks.

SBS Director of Television and Online Content, Marshall Heald said:

Safe Harbour is one of SBS's proudest achievements - it's not only a gripping thriller that will keep audiences guessing, but an exploration of the ethical decisions people make under pressure. It combines high concept drama with relatable characters that put a human lens on an issue typically only discussed in news and current affairs programs and political debate. Safe Harbour forces us to ask hard questions of ourselves.

Safe Harbour is helmed by a stellar ensemble cast featuring award-winning actor Ewen Leslie (Rake, Janet King, Top of the Lake: China Girl), acclaimed actress Leeanna Walsman (Seven Types of Ambiguity, Cleverman, Looking for Alibrandi), AACTA and Logie award-winner Joel Jackson (Peter Allen: Not the Boy Next Door, Deadline Gallipoli), Australian making waves internationally Phoebe Tonkin (The Vampire Diaries, The Originals, H2O Just Add Water), Hazem Shammas (Underbelly), rising star Nicole Chamoun (Romper Stomper), Robert Rabiah (Tomorrow When the War Began), and award-winner Jacqueline McKenzie (Romper Stomper, The 4400, The Water Diviner).

Filmed on location in the often underused backdrop of beautiful Brisbane, Safe Harbour is directed by Glendyn Ivin (Seven Types of Ambiguity, The Beautiful Lie) and executive produced by SBS's Sue Masters (The Principal, Deep Water, The Family Law) and Matchbox Pictures' Debbie Lee (Mustangs FC, Hyde & Seek, Oddlands) and produced by Stephen Corvini (Better Man, Hyde & Seek). It is based on an original concept by Simon Kennedy and Phil Enchelmaier, who co-created the four part drama with showrunner and writer Belinda Chayko (Barracuda, Secret City) along with a strong writing team that included Matt Cameron (Sunshine, Secret City) and Phil Enchelmaier (Jar Dwellers).

Executive Producer Debbie Lee said: Matchbox Pictures prides itself in producing groundbreaking content. The amazing Belinda Chayko has taken a brilliant idea from Simon and Phil and turned it into a relevant and poignant drama, expertly produced by Stephen Corvini.

The four-part series is a Matchbox Pictures production for SBS, and is produced with major production funding from Screen Australia in association with Screen Queensland with NBCUniversal International Distribution handling international sales.

Safe Harbour airs over four weeks, premiering Wednesday 7 March at 8.30pm on SBS.

Episodes will be available after broadcast anytime, anywhere, for free via SBS On Demand.

Join the conversation #SafeHarbour

Review copies and images available at the SBS Media Centre: sbs.com.au/mediacentre

Trailer: https://youtu.be/aMWPaRBXrX8

ENDS

LINK:	https://www.sbs.com.au/aboutus/news-media-releases/view/id/2362/h/SBS-...
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