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Cameras roll on While The Men Are Away

Italy's Michela De Rossi to lead impressive ensemble cast of queer revisionist dramedy, now filming for SBS.

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Filming for SBS WWII dramedy While The Men Are Away has commenced in Sydney.

Italian star Michela De Rossi (Many Saints of Newark, Briganti) leads the queer revisionist dramedy set in 1940s rural Australia.

While the men are off fighting in WWII, the people who have been excluded from power suddenly find themselves running the show. Two Women’s Land Army recruits from Sydney arrive in the country and undergo a heady course in race relations, rural politics, spirituality, sex, and personal growth – oh, and farming.

Joining her are Matt Testro (Jack Irish, The Gloaming), Phoebe Grainer, Jana Zvedeniuk (Bump), and supporting cast Googoorewon Knox (Black Snow), Sacha Horler (The Dressmaker, The Letdown), Tara Morice (Dance Academy, Strictly Ballroom), Katrina Foster (Rake) Ella Scott Lynch (Upright), Rebecca Massey (Utopia), Tony Llewellyn-Jones (Colin from Accounts), Evan Stanhope (Thor: Love & Thunder, Christmas Ransom), Jing Xuan Chan (Harrow) Warren Lee and introducing Zavier Morris.

Previously announced cast members include Benedict Hardie, Gemma Ward, Max McKenna and Shaka Cook.

Series Showrunner and Co-Creator, Kim Wilson says “I’m beyond thrilled to have Michela bringing her incredible talent to our lead role. The character of Frankie is fiercely independent, intelligent, charming and complex. Michela delivers all of this, and so much more. She’s the perfect addition to a phenomenal cast.”

SBS’ Commissioning Editor, Julie Eckersley “While the Men Are Away is an irreverent, witty and queer celebration of social outsiders, and the revolution of being who you really are. The extraordinary talent of Michela joining the cast puts a cherry on the top of what promises to be a truly delightful and heart-warming series.”

Rodrigo Herrera Ibarguengoytia, VP Scripted Acquisitions & Co-productions, at Red Arrow Studios International added: “We were immediately drawn to the show’s witty and irreverent take on World War II, offering fresh and distinct perspectives that we’re convinced will resonate with international audiences. Michela’s addition caps off a talented ensemble cast that will bring this heartfelt vision to life and we can’t wait to take out this title worldwide.”

While The Men Are Away will premiere on SBS in 2023.

De Rossi plays Francesca, an Italian immigrant struggling to run her husband’s farm after he enlists (or does he?) “Frankie” is joined by Gwen (McKenna) and Esther (Zvedeniuk), somewhat naive city-recruits of the Women’s Land Army to deliver the farm’s annual apple harvest. Helping Frankie is Aboriginal farmhand Kathleen (Grainer), and conscientious objector Robert (Testro).

As the tragedy of war gets close to them their lives become intwined in surprising ways that test their relationships, prejudices and identities in ways they never could have imagined. And once they experience life as it could be, it’s impossible to go back.

Director Elissa Down (Ivy + Bean, The Black Balloon) will lead the eight-part series While The Men Are Away, with director Monica Zanetti (Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie’s Dead Aunt), Iggy & Ace) joining to direct an episode.

While The Men Are Away is produced by AACTA Award winning producer Lisa Shaunessy (Sissy, 2067, Hipsters), in her first scripted series under the Arcadia banner.

While The Men Are Away is created by acclaimed writer Kim Wilson (Wentworth, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart), Alexandra Burke (Sissy) and Monica Zanetti (Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie’s Dead Aunt)). The series is written and developed by Kim, Alexandra and Monica, alongside Magda Wozniak, Enoch Mailangi, Jada Alberts and Sam Icklow.

While The Men Are Away is an Arcadia production for SBS with major production investment from Screen Australia in association with SBS. Financed with support from Screen NSW. Red Arrow is managing international sales.

One Response

  1. Demeaning the memory of soldiers by cynically framing their conscription as akin to respite for those “excluded from power” despite conscription being perhaps the most disempowering and dehumanising imposition on the male sex is a rather deranged mischaracterisation of the enormous burden that these men (and boys) had to bear.

    The idea of exploring the lives of women left behind during wartime is admittedly an intriguing one, but the framing of the series’ premise strikes me as rather out of touch and serves to trivialise the suffering endured by all involved.

    Sure, the series certainly sounds irreverent all right, by propagating anachronistic intersectionalist platitudes while using history as a backdrop, because apparently having your limbs blown off and watching your fellow soldiers die pales in comparison to the sort of make-believe indignation that I expect the writers to contrive.

    I was hoping for a trailer, but I strongly doubt it will subvert my expectations.

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