Hunger Games' Liam Hemsworth joins Kate Winslet on The Dressmaker

The Hunger Games star Liam Hemsworth, Now You See Me star Isla Fisher and rising talent Elizabeth Debicki are set to join Kate Winslet and Judy Davis in Jocelyn Moorhouse’s romantic drama The Dressmaker, which Embankment Films will be shopping in Cannes.

Principal photography is due to get underway in Victoria, Australia on October 13, 2014. Embankment co-reps US rights with CAA.

Winslet will play an avenging angel who returns home to the remote country town from which she fled as a child after being accused of murder, to make amends with her eccentric mother.

Although ostracised, as an exponent of the most stunning 1950’s haute couture inspired by Madame Vionnet and Balenciaga, she liberates and empowers the town’s women with her quick wit and beautiful clothing. She unexpectedly finds love and ultimately exacts sweet revenge on those who wronged her.

Jocelyn Moorhouse (Proof), who directs her script adaptation of the eponymous novel by Rosalie Ham, said: “The cast is extraordinary. Kate Winslet is perfect for Tilly. She’s beautiful, intelligent, and deeply mysterious on screen.

“Judy Davis is amongst the great contemporary actresses and she will bring powerful wit and charm to the role of Molly. Liam Hemsworth is a laid back, genuine charmer who’s also tall, dark and movie-star handsome. He’ll create a character for the audience to fall in love with.”

The stellar production team will include director of photography Don McAlpine (Moulin Rouge!, Romeo + Juliet), costume designer Tim Chappel (The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert), production designer Roger Ford (Babe) and editor Jill Bilcock (Elizabeth: The Golden Age).

Sue Maslin produces through Film Art Media with financing coming from Screen Australia, Fulcrum Media Finance, White Hot Productions, Film Victoria, Soundfirm and developed with the assistance of Screen NSW.

The film is also financed by Ingenious Senior Film Fund, represented by Gavin Poolman and Michael Shyjka, and will be distributed by Universal Pictures in Australia.

As revealed yesterday on ScreenDaily, Embankment will be introducing Cannes buyers to ballet comedy-drama Prima, set to star Peter Sarsgaard and Vera Farmiga, and Bryan Bertino horror There are Monsters.

Tim Haslam and Hugo Grumbar’s London-based outfit will have first footage of Boychoir, an FX showreel of Robot Overlords and a new promo of Pressure.

The company’s Cannes slate also includes Jean Doumanian production Galveston, The Kidnapping of Freddy Heineken, which is in post-production, and Animal Farm.