Australia Day drama to premiere at Sydney Film Festival

Foxtel’s upcoming drama Australia Day will have its world premiere at the Sydney Film Festival next month ahead of a wider cinema release and Subscription TV screening.

The movie, produced by Hoodlum, stars Bryan Brown, Shari Sebbens, Sean Keenan, Matthew Le Nevez  plus Daniel Webber, Elias Anton, Jenny Wu, Isabelle Cornish and Phoenix Raei and 14-year-old newcomer Miah Madden.

Written by Stephen M Irwin’s (Secrets & Lies) and directed by Kriv Stenders (Red Dog) in Brisbane, Australia Day takes place over 12 hours and interweaves the stories of three Australians from diverse backgrounds: those of April Tucker (Miah Madden), a 14-year-old Indigenous girl, Sami Ghaznavi (Elias Anton), a 17-year-old Persian boy, and Lan (Jenny Wu), a 19-year-old Chinese woman.  Each is alone, each is terrified for their life…

Taking place on our most controversial national holiday, Australia Day illuminates contemporary issues that simmer beneath the surface of modern Australia.

Foxtel’s Head of Drama Penny Win said: “The feature film Australia Day is another bold first for our production slate. It is thrilling to be able to bring Foxtel’s passion and commitment to telling original and daring Australian stories to a different format with this thought-provoking and ultimately moving drama delivered by Hoodlum’s brilliant production team.”

Hoodlum’s Executive Producer Nathan Mayfield said: “We are so delighted to be premiering at Sydney Film Festival. The film takes audiences on a gripping ride through contemporary Australia and is set to ignite conversations about what it means to be Australian.”

Following its Sydney Film Festival premiere, Australia Day will be released in cinemas later in 2017 before having its TV premiere on Foxtel.

Australia Day is financed by Foxtel, Screen Australia and Screen Queensland. Executive Producers are Nathan Mayfield, Tracey Robertson, Leigh McGrath and Foxtel’s Head of Drama Penny Win and Producer Edward Herbert.