AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALANDLISTINGS

AUSTRALIA

FINANCED

THE BET
Gerrycan Productions. Budget: tba. Backers: Private investors. Urban drama. Ayoung Sydney stockbroker risks it all to win a friendly bet about making money.Prod: Caroline Gerard. Dir: Mark Lee. Scr: Caroline Gordon. DoP: Hugh Miller.Production design: Sam Wilde. Costume design: Lara Blomfield. Hair/make-up:Cameron Jane. Music: John Gray. Production mgr: Sandra Alexander. Main cast:Matthew Newton, Aden Young. Shooting in Sydney from February 14 until March 19.
Contact: Caroline Gerard, 61 2 8354 0040.

ELEPHANT TALES (official French/Australian co-production)
(Adelaide Motion Picture Company (Australia), BreakOut (France) ). Budget: n/a.Backers: Film Finance Corporation Australia, Capreo Investments, SouthAustralian Film Corporation, private investors. Int'l sales: Myriad Pictures.Distrib: tba (Aust/NZ), UIP France/Canal + (France). Family. Two baby elephantsare orphaned as a result of poaching. The search for their mother takes themacross the African wilderness, where they team up with other orphaned animalsthat have suffered the same fate. Exec prods: Adam Krentzman, FrancoisLesterlin. Prods: Mario Andreacchio, Georges Campana. Dir/scr: Andreacchio.Co-writers: John Wild, Denis Whitburn. Main cast: two baby elephants, a babygiraffe, a baby chimp and a lion club. Shooting in South Africa from April toJune.
Contact, Kirk D'Amico, Myriad Pictures

THE BOOK OF REVELATION
(Wildheart Zizani) Budget: n/a. Backers: Film Finance Corporation Australia,ContentFilm, New South Wales Film and Television Office, Film Victoria, RoyalBank of Scotland (gap financing). Int'l sales: ContentFilm International.Distrib: Palace Films (Aust/NZ), ContentFilm (UK). Erotic mystery. A story ofpower and sex, the entanglement of victim and perpetrator, and a man's struggleto regain his self. Exec prod: Jamie Carmichael. Prod: Al Clark. Dir: AnaKokkinos. Scr: Kokkinos, Andrew Bovell, from the novel by Rupert Thomson. DoP:Tristan Milani. Ed: Martin Connor. Production design: Paul Heath. Costumedesign: Anna Borghesi. Hair/make-up: Christine Miller. Composer: Carl Vine.Choreographer: Meryl Tankard. Main cast: Tom Long, Greta Scacchi, Colin Friels.Shooting in Melbourne from February 28 to April 22.
Contact: Fran Lanigan, publicist, 61 3 9690 7557

CANDY
Candy Productions. Budget: n/a. Backers: Film Finance Corporation Australia,New South Wales Film and Television Office. Int'l sales: Renaissance Films.Distrib: Dendy Films (Aust/NZ). Drama. A powerful story of two lovers whoseintersecting lives take them on a journey of lust, addiction and selfdestruction. Exec prods: Andrew Mackie, Richard Payten, Angus Finney. Prods:Margaret Fink, Emile Sherman. Dir: Neil Armfield. Script: Luke Davies,Armfield. Line prod: Libby Sharpe. DoP: Garry Phillips. Ed: Dany Cooper.Production design: Robert Cousins. Costume design: Jodie Fried. Hair/make-up:Angela Conte. Main cast: Heath Ledger, Geoffrey Rush, Abbie Cornish. Shootingin Sydney from March 17 to May 6.
Contact: Mechele Axford, Sherman Pictures, 61 2 9357 0700.

CHARLOTTE'S WEB [US]
(Paramount Pictures, Kerner Entertainment, Walden Media) Budget: n/a. Familyanimation. Exec prods: Edgar Bronsman Snr, Paul Neesan, Bernie Williams. Prod:Jordan Kerner. Dir: Gary Winick. Scr: Susannah Grant, Karey Kirkpatrick, fromEB White's book of the same name. Production mgr: Tony Winley. Main cast(voices): Julia Roberts, Oprah Winfrey, John Cleese, Steve Buscemi, Cedric theEntertainer, Reba McEntire, Kathy Bates, Thomas Haden Church, Andre Benjamin.Shooting throughout Victoria from Jan 31 until June.
Contact: production office, 61 3 9279 7777

DECEMBER BOYS
(Becker Films) Backers: Film Finance Corporation Australia, South AustralianFilm Corporation. Int'l sales: MBM (German-speaking territories), AuraEntertainment (rest of world). Distrib: Becker (Aust/NZ). Drama. Four orphansgo for a holiday by the sea. Friendships are tested and new alliances made whenrumours emerge that two seaside families are looking to adopt. Prod: Richard Becker.Line prod: Rocky Bester. Dir: Rod Hardy. Scr: Marc Rosenberg from the book byMichael Noonan. Shooting in South Australia in mid 2005.
Contact: Steve Bickel, Aura Entertainment, 1 310 278 9991

GHOST RIDER
(Columbia Pictures Entertainment, Marvel Studios)Budget: n/a. Marvel comics classic. Famous stunt motorcyclist Johnny Blazeseeks justice against villains for the safety of his true love. Exec prod:Bennett E Walsh. Prods: Gary Foster, Michael de Luca, Steven Paul, Avi Arad.Dir/scr: Mark Steven Johnson. Main cast: Nicholas Cage. Shooting at CentralCity Studios in Melbourne from February 14 until June.
Contact: production office, 61 3 8327 2800

JINDABYNE
(April Films) Budget: n/a. Backers: private investors the April Babcock &Brown Movie Venture, Film Finance Corporation Australia. Int'l sales/distrib:April Films. Modern-day ghost story about what haunts us. Exec prods: PhilippaBateman, Garry Charny. Prod: Catherine Jarman. Dir: Ray Lawrence. Scr: BeatrixChristian. DoP: David Williamson. Ed: Karl Sodersten. Production/costumedesign: Margot Wilson. Main cast: Laura Linney, Gabriel Bryne. Shooting inJindabye from March 7 until May 4.
Contact: Philippa Bateman, 61 2 9360 5811

THE LAST STAND
(Redline Films) Budget: tba. Backers: private investors. Int'l sales/distrib:tba. Dramatic action thriller. A small group of people, struggling in a worlddominated by adversaries, realise that those who most adaptable to change willsurvive. Prod: Matthew Graham. Dir/scr: Shane Abbess. DoP: Jules O'Loughlin.Ed: Adrian Rostirolla. Production design: Alex Holmes. Sound design: SeanO'Reilly. Music: Brian Cachia. Creature effects: Luke Polti. Main cast: DwaineStevenson, Michael Piccirilli. Shooting in Sydney and regional Australia frommid 2005.
Contact: Anna Cridland, producer's assistant, 61 416 180 324

LONG WAY TO FREO
(Taylor Media, Pork Chop) Budget: n/a. Backers: ScreenWest, private investors.Psychological thriller. Two bored, restless ex-cons board a train looking fortrouble. Exec prods: Sue Taylor, Jeremy Sims, Joan Peters. Prods: Taylor, GregDuffy, Lisa Duff. Dir: Sims. Scr: Reg Cribb, from his own play, The Return.DoP: Toby Oliver. Production design: Clayton Jauncy. Main cast: Steve LeMarquand. Shooting in Perth from April 2005.
Contact: Sue Taylor, 61 8 9227 0420

LOST AND FOUND
(Lost and Found Operations) Budget: n/a. Backers: private investors. Int'lsales/distrib: tba. Suspense drama. A successful architect comes across hisgirlfriend being kissed by an exact replica of himself. After disturbing,destructive encounters with his double, he is finally made to account for hispast, in particular, the role he played in the death of his seven-year-oldbrother. Prods: David Blake, Kate Carmichael. Dir/scr: David Blake. DoP: AlanCole. Ed: tba. Production design: David Jackson. Costume design: BridgetteNelson. Hair/make-up: Karchi Magyar, Helen Moran. Composer: Caerwen Martin.Main cast: Brett Climo, Rebecca Gibney, Nicholas Hope, Frankie J Holden, SharnHammond. Shooting in Melbourne from February 21 until March 19.
Contact: David Blake, 61 3 9818 6266.

POWER SURGE
(Film Graphics Entertainment, TG Fellman). Budget: n/a. Backers: Film FinanceCorporation Australia, Form LLC, New South Wales Film and Television Office.Int'l sales: eFilm Worldwide. Distrib: Accent Filmed Entertainment (Aust/NZ).Psychological thriller. A dangerous young couple on the run take refuge in aprivate country estate whose owner, an agoraphobic art dealer, becomes theirhostage. Exec prods: Dan Halsted, David Denneen. Prods: Anna Fawcett, MarkLazarus, Todd Fellman. Dir: Denneen. Scr: Dave Warner. Shooting in mid 2005.
Contact: Mark Lazarus, 61 2 9439 4233

SUPERMAN
(tba) Backers: Warner Bros. Int'l sales/distrib: tba. Superhero. The nextinstalment of the Superman franchise. Prods: Gil Adler, Jon Peters, BryanSinger. Dir: Singer. Scr: Michael Dougherty, Dan Harris. Main cast: BrandonRouth, Kevin Spacey. Shooting in Fox Studios Australia, Sydney, from March 3.
Contact: Fox Studios Australia, 61 8 9383 4100

TEN CANOES
(Fandango Australia/Vertigo Productions) Budget: n/a. Backers: Film FinanceCorporation Australia, South Australian Film Corporation, Adelaide FilmFestival, SBS Independent. Int'l sales: Wild Bunch. Distrib: Palace (Aust/NZ),Italy (Fandango). Drama. A Yolngu tale in the Yolngu language set in ArnhemLand 120 years ago. Exec prods: Sue Murray, Domenico Procacci, Bryce Menzies.Prods: Julie Ryan, Rolf de Heer. Dirs: David Gulpilil, Rolf de Heer. Script:Rolf de Heer. DOP: Ian Jones. Ed: Tania Nehme. Cast: David Gulpilil. Shootingin Arnhem Land from April until May 2005.
Contact: Julie Ryan, 61 8 8348 9382

PRODUCTION

EUCALYPTUS
Gum Tree Productions. Budget: n/a. Backers/int'l sales: Fox Searchlight.Distrib: 20th Century Fox (Aust/NZ). Drama. A father plants hundreds ofvarieties of eucalyptus trees and demands that only a man who can name everyone of them may have his daughter's hand in marriage. Exec prod: Russell Crowe.Prods: Uberto Pasolini, Lynda House. Dir: Jocelyn Moorhouse. Scr: Moorhousefrom the novel by Murray Bail. DoP: Mandy Walker. Ed: Jill Bilcock. Productiondesign: Michelle McGahey. Costume design: Janet Patterson. Main cast: NicoleKidman, Russell Crowe, Jack Thompson. Shooting in northern New South Wales fromJanuary 1 until May 1.
Contact: Wendy Day, 61 412 110 702

FEED
(All At Once) Budget: n/a. Backers: private investors. Int'l sales: BeckerFilms International. Distrib: tba. Psychological thriller. If Super Size Me wasa Psychological thriller, this would be it. Exec prod: Jack Thompson. Prod:Melissa Beauford. Co-prod: . Dir: Brett Leonard. Scr: Kieran Galvin. DoP: SteeArnold. Ed: Mark Bennett. Production design: Jessamy Llewelyn. Cost design:Helen Mather. Hair/make-up:Jo Cotter . Music: . Main cast: Patrick Thompson,Alex O'Loughlin, Gaby Millgate, Jack Thompson, David Field. Shooting in Sydneyfrom December 18, 2004, to February 20 with a six-week break.
Contact: Melissa Beauford 61 414 977 929

POST-PRODUCTION

LIKE MINDS (UK/Australian co-production)
Bluewater Pictures/Gunpowder Films. Budget: n/a. Backers: Film FinanceCorporation Australia, South Australian Film Corporation, Screen Yorkshire, NewSouth Wales Film and Television Office, International Film Collective, BeckerEntertainment. Int'l sales: Becker Films International. Distrib: Becker(Aust/NZ), Redbus (UK), Svensk (Scandinavia). Psychological thriller. Forensicpsychologist Sally Rowe has to determine whether there is sufficient evidenceto lay murder charges against 16-year-old Alex Bennett following the shotgun deathof his school mate. Prods: Jonathan Shteinman, Piers Tempest. Dir/scr: GregoryRead. DoP: Nigel Bluck. Ed: Mark Warner. Production design: Steven Jones Evans.Costume design: Odile Disks-Mireaux. Main cast: Toni Collette, Eddie Redmayne,Tom Sturridge, Richard Roxburgh, Patrick Malahide. Shooting in Adelaide and theHunter Valley from December 1, 2004, to January 22, and in Leeds from February10 to March 4.
Contact: Reiko Bradley, Becker, 61 2 9438 3377

LITTLE FISH
Porchlight Films. Budget: n/a. Backers: Mullis Capital, Film FinanceCorporation Australia, New South Wales Film and TV Office. Int'l sales: MyriadPictures. Distrib: Icon (Aust/NZ). Drama. Tracy clings to the hope of a newlife but her brother and ex-boyfriend threaten to destroy her chance ofhappiness as they embark on one last criminal venture. Exec prods: KirkD'Amico, Marion Pilowsky, Devesh Chetty, Barrie M Osborne, Robert Mullis.Prods: Vincent Sheehan, Liz Watts, Richard Keddie. Dir: Rowan Woods. Scr:Jacquelin Perske. DoP: Danny Ruhlmann. Ed: John Scott. Production design: LuigiPittorino. Costume design: Melinda Doring. Main cast: Cate Blanchett, SamNeill, Hugo Weaving, Martin Henderson, Noni Hazlehurst, Dustin Nguyen. Shootingin Sydney from October 25 to December 17, 2004.
Contact: Maxine Leonard, Myriad Pictures, 1 310 279 4000.

POBBY AND DINGAN (UK/Aust co-production)
(Academy Productions [UK], Sherman Pictures [Australia]). Budget: n/a. Backers:BBC Films, UK Film Council's Premier Fund, South Australian Film Corporation.Int'l sales: Renaissance Films. Distrib: Icon (Aust/NZ), Gaga (Japan) and,through buying alliance Indie Circle, A-Film (The Netherlands), Cineart(Belgium), Lucky Red (Italy), Haut et Court (France), Frenetic Films(Switzerland). Drama. Pobby and Dingan are invisible and live in an Australianopal town and are friends with 9-year-old Kellyanne. Their inexplicabledisappearance has a big impact not just on the family but on the whole town.Exec prods: Angus Finney, Robert Jones, David Thompson, Ben Rice, Finola Dwyer.Prods: Lizie Gower, Nick Morris, Emile Sherman. Assoc prod: Kate Myers. Dir:Peter Cattaneo. Scr: Cattaneo, Ben Rice, Phil Trail, based on a novella byRice. Line prod: Elisa Argenzio. 1st asst dir: Brendan Campbell. DoP: RobertHumphreys. Ed: Jim Clark. Production design: Elizabeth Mary Moore. Costumedesign: Ruth De La Lande. Casting dir: Nikki Barratt. Main cast: VinceColosimo, Jacqueline McKenzie. Shooting in South Australia from August 19 untilOctober 21, 2004.
Contact: Fiona Searson, DDA, 61 2 9907 6950

THE PROPOSITION (Australian/UK co-production)
(Autonomous [UK]/Jackie O Productions in association with Pictures In Paradisefor Surefire Films) Budget: n/a. Backers: UK Film Council's Premiere Fund, TheFilm Consortium, Pacific Film and Television Commission, TV1 GeneralEntertainment Partnership. Int'l sales: The Works. Distrib: Columbia TriStar(Aust/NZ), Tartan Films (UK), Lusomundo (Portugal), A Film (Benelux). Perioddrama. A local law enforcer pits three notorious outlaw brothers against eachother. Prods: Cat Villiers, Chiara Menage, Chris Brown, Jackie O'Sullivan.Assoc prod: Pam Collis. Line prod: Gina Black. Dir: John Hillcoat. Scr: NickCave. DoP: Denoit Delhomme. Ed: Jon Gregory. Production design: Chris Kennedy.Costume design: Margot Wilson. 1st assist dir: Darren Mallett. Casting dirs:Nikki Barratt (Australia), Gary Davy (UK). Main cast: Guy Pearce, Ray Winstone,Danny Huston, John Hurt, David Wenham, Emily Watson. Shooting in Queenslandfrom October 11 until December 3, 2004.
Contact: Fiona Searson, DDA, 61 2 9907 6950

PUPPY
(Springer Films) Budget: n/a. Backers: private investors, Film Victoria. Int'lsales: Becker Films International. A love story with bite. Falsely believingshe is his missing wife, a delusional man rescues a young woman from killingherself only to hold her captive at his remote property. The young woman playsalong. When the man's real wife returns, the young woman isn't ready to leave.Prods: Melissa Beauford, Kieran Galvin. Dir/scr: Kieran Galvin. DoP: TomGleeson. Ed: Mark Atkin. Production design: Jessamy Llewellyn. Main cast: NadiaTownsend, Bernard Curry. Shooting in Melbourne and Healesville from August 9until September 6, 2004
Contact: Melissa Beauford 61 414 977 929

THE RIVAL
(Centaur Enterprises). Budget: n/a. Backers: private investors. Int'lsales/distrib: tba. Drama. Gritty middle-aged widower trains a young femaleboxer for a state title fight. They become lovers just prior to him beingincarcerated for a crime he didn't commit. His son takes over the boxingtraining - and eventually the sex, just prior to the father being acquitted andreturning home. Prods: John Meagher, Margie Wentworth. Dir/scr: John Meagher.DoP: John Biggins. Wardrobe: Lynette Matheson. Make-up: Sarah Toner. Main cast:Steve Leeder, Vincent Stone, Brendan Rock, Wilma Kaddissi, Suzie Steen.Shooting in Sydney from September 27, 2004.
Contact: John Meagher 61 2 9999 0656

SAFETY IN NUMBERS
(Safety Movie Project) Budget: n/a. Backers: private investors. Int'lsales/distrib: tba. Psychological thriller. Several contestants in aSurvival-style reality show return to the island for a weekend reuniontelevision show and get more than they bargained for. Exec prods: Don Spencer,Bruce Morrison. Prod: David Douglas. Co-prod: Kelvin Crumplin. Line prod: HarryYates. Dirs: Douglas, Crumplin. Scr: Douglas. DoP: Mark Bliss. Ed: DavidStiven. Production design: Ian Allan. Costume design: Robyn Smith.Hair/make-up: Sue Kelly-Tait. Main cast: Jessica Napier, Karen Pang, TasmaWalton, Teo Gebert, Henry Nixon, Peter Rasmussen, Ben Tari. Shooting in Sydneyand environs from September 20 until October 29, 2004.
Contact: Harry Yates, 61 416 144 699

HAPPY FEET
(Kennedy Miller) Budget: n/a. Backers: Warner Bros Pictures, Village RoadshowPictures. Animated musical. The adventures of a young penguin in Antarctica.Exec prod: Bruce Berman. Prods: Doug Mitchell, Bill Miller, George Miller. Dir:George Miller. Scr: George Miller, John Collee, Warren Coleman, Judy Morris.CGI/animation: Animal Logic. Main cast (voices): Robin Williams, Nicole Kidman,Hugh Jackman, Elijah Wood, Brittany Murphy, Leslie Neilsen, Anthony La Paglia,Steve Irwin, Savion Glover. In production at Animal Logic, Fox StudiosAustralia, Sydney, in 2004/2005.
Contact: Erin Jamieson, Roadshow, 61 3 9829 0666

NEW ZEALAND

FINANCED

NUMBER 2
(Colonial Encounters). Budget: n/a. Backers: New Zealand Film Commission,Working Title Films. Int'l sales: NZ Film. Distrib: Miramax (Aust/NZ), WorkingTitle (UK). Drama. A fractured Fijian family comes together for one day whentheir matriarch decides to name her successor. Prods: Tim White, LydiaLivingston, Philippa Campbell. Dir/scr: Toa Fraser. Shooting in early 2005.
Contact: Kathleen Drumm, New Zealand Film, 64 4 382 7685.

RONNY ROMAN
(Strumming Teeth Pictures, Tamarillo Films) Backers: Creative New Zealand, NewZealand Film Commission. Int'l sales: tba. Distrib: Arkles Entertainment(Aust/NZ). Romantic Comedy. Ronny Roman is an illusionist with a death defyingescape act and one shot at the big time. But his act is minus a glamorousassistant after he caught the last one -- his beautiful fiancee -- in bed witha rival magician. Exec prods: John Davies, Andy Conlan. Prod: Alex Lee.Dir/scr: Andy Conlan. DoP: Duncan Cole. Main cast: Andy Conlan, Michael Hurst,David Hornblow, Matthew Sunderland, Win Forsman, Georgie Hill. Shooting fromApril 1 to 30.
Contact: Gina Dellabarca, Star Publicity, 64 21 427 553

PRODUCTION

THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA:THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE[US]
(Disney/Walden Media) Budget: n/a. Backers: Walt Disney Studios. Fantasy. Fourchildren in World War II England, enter the world of Narnia through a magicalwardrobe. They discover a charming, peaceful land inhabited by talking beasts,dwarfs, centaurs and giants, but facing an eternal winter due to the evil WhiteWitch. With the noble lion Aslan, they fight the curse. Exec prods: AndrewAdamson, Philip Steuer, Perry Moore. Prods: Mark Johnson. Dir: Adamson. Scr:Adamson, Anne Peacock, Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely, from the book by CSLewis. DoP: Donald McAlpine. Ed: Sim Evan-Jones, Jim May. Production design:Roger Ford. Costume design: Isis Mussenden. Composer: Harry Gregson-Williams.VFX super: Dean Wright. VFX: Rhythm & Hues, Sony Imageworks. Main cast: TildaSwinton, James McAvoy, Kiran Shah, Jim Broadbent, James Cosmo, (voice) RayWinstone, Rupert Everett, Dawn French, (children) Georgie Henley, SkandarKeynes, Anna Popplewell, William Moseley. Shooting in Auckland, Queenstown,Oamaru, Christchurch, Bristol and the Czech Republic from June 28, 2004, toJanuary 2005.
Contact: Ernie Malik, location publicist, 64 27 258 9165.

KING KONG

(Big Primate Pictures).Budget: n/a. Backers: Universal Pictures. Drama. Remake of the 1933 classic. Anexpedition explores a remote island with a gigantic ape deity known as Kong.Kong falls in love with a beautiful actress attached to a filmmaking expeditionto a remote island, after she is offered as a sacrifice. After her rescue, Kongis captured and taken to New York. Prods: Jan Blenkin, Carolynne Cunningham,Fran Walsh, Peter Jackson. Dir: Jackson. Asst dir: Cunningham. Second unit dir:Randy Cook. Scr: Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Jackson. DoP: Andrew Lesnie. Ed: JamieSelkirk. Production design: Grant Major. Art dir/set decorator: Dan Hennah.Costume designer: Terry Ryan. Sound: Hammond Peek. Choreographer: ShonaMcCullagh. Composer: Howard Shore. Unit production mgr: Anne Bruning. Casting:Liz Mullane, Victoria Burrows. Main cast: Naomi Watts, Jack Black, AdrienBrody, Thomas Kretschmann, Colin Hanks, Andy Serkis, Jamie Bell, Evan Parke,Lobo Chan, Kyle Chandler, John Sumner, Craig Hall. Shooting at Stone StreetStudios in Wellington from September 6, 2004, until March 2005.
Contact: Guy Adan, unit publicist, 64 4 380 5000.

LUELLA MILLER
(Blackbox Films) Backers: Creative New Zealand, New Zealand Film Commission.Int'l sales: tba. Distrib: Arkles Entertainment (Aust/NZ). Psychologicalthriller. Lydia has opened her door to a lost young woman. Before her stay isover, both will wish the door had remained closed. Prod: Robert Rowe. Dir: DaneGiraud. Scr: Giraud, Owen Black. DoP: Paul Tomlins. Ed: Campbell Farquhar. Maincast: Sara Wiseman, Sia Trokenheim, Philip Brown, Alistair Browning. Shootingin Hawkes Bay, NZ, from January 10 until February 2.
Contact: Gina Dellabarca, Star Publicity, 64 21 427 553

POST-PRODUCTION

PERFECT CREATURE
(Crimbil Equities [NZ], Roc Media [UK]). Budget: NZ$20 million. Backers: NewZealand Film Production Fund, New Zealand Film Commission, Movision, Royal BankOf Scotland. Roc Media. Int'l sales: Arclight (worldwide), NZ Film (Aust/NZ,South East Asia). Distrib: Nikatsu (Japan), Scanbox (Scandinavia). Futuristicvampire thriller. An original retelling of the vampire myth. Prods: TimSanders, Russel Fischer, Haneet Vaswani, Michael Cowan, Jason Piette.Dir/script: Glenn Standring. DoP: Leon Narbey. Ed: Chris Blunden. Prod design:Phil Ivey. Costume design: Kirsty Cameron. Composer: Anne Dudley. Cast: DougrayScott, Saffron Burrows, Stuart Wilson, Scott Wills, Leo Gregory. Shooting inDunedin and Auckland, New Zealand, from May 23 until August 12, 2004.
Contact: Tim Sanders, c/o New Zealand Film Commission, (64 4) 382 7680

RIVER QUEEN (NZ/UK co-production)
(Silverscreen Films [NZ], The Film Consortium [UK]) Budget: n/a. Backers: NewZealand Film Production Fund, New Zealand Film Commission, The Film Consortium,The UK Film Council, Endgame, Invicta. Int'l sales: The Works (worldwide exceptfor Japan and Asia), NZ Film (all Asian territories including Japan). Distrib:20th Century Fox (UK, Aust, NZ). Period drama. The story of a young woman'sconflict when caught between two cultures. Exec prods: James Stern, NeilPeplow, Geoff Dixon. Prods: Don Reynolds, Chris Auty. Co-prod: Tainui Stephens.Dirs: Vincent Ward, Alun Bollinger. Scr: Ward, Toa Fraser. DoP: Bollinger. Ed:Ewa Lind. Production design: Rick Kofoed. Costume design: Barbara Darragh.Hair/make-up: Linda Wall. Script ed: Kely Lyons. Line prod: Trishia Downie.Casting: Diana Rowan (NZ), Celestia Fox (UK). Main cast: Samantha Morton,Kiefer Sutherland, Cliff Curtis, Temuera Morrison. Shooting in the North Islandfrom June 28 until November 29, 2004, with a break midway.
Contact Sue May, publicist (64) 274 739 318

WORLD'S FASTEST INDIAN
(Roger Donaldson/Gary Hannam Production) Budget: n/a. Backers: OLC/RightsEntertainment, New Zealand Film Production Fund, New Zealand Film Commission.Int'l sales: OLC/Rights Entertainment (Korea, Taiwan, Japan), New Zealand Film(all remaining rights except North America). Distrib: Becker (Aust/NZ). Drama.After 42 years of perfecting and modifying his beloved 1920 Indian Scoutmotorcycle, Burt Munro fulfils his lifelong ambition to race at the BonnevilleSalt Flats in Utah. With all odds against him, he sets a new world land speedrecord. Exec prods: Charles Hannah, Masaharu Inaba. Prods: Roger Donaldson,Gary Hannam. Dir/scr: Donaldson. DoP: David Gribble. Ed: John Gilbert.Production design: Dennis Washington. Special effects: Phil Cory. Main cast:Anthony Hopkins. Shooting in Utah and the South Island of New Zealand fromSeptember 27, 2004.
Contact: Kathleen Drumm, New Zealand Film, (644) 382 7685.