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A story with heart and a smartphone can be all that’s needed to make a feature in 2021, according to James Demitri.

The photographer-turned-writer/director used an iPhone 11 to shoot Misplaced earlier this year, and has since been successful in entering the black-and-white film into a host of festivals, both domestically and internationally.

So far, it has been selected to screen at events in Budapest, Barcelona, Rome, Kosice, and Montreal, and was also crowned Best Feature Film at the Paris Cinema Awards and the Masters of Cinema Awards in Moscow.

Filmed predominantly in Sydney’s inner west, the story follows a man who loses his ability to speak after the death of his mother, having been consumed by grief.

​As his life begins to fall apart, and he detaches from the world around him, he seeks the help of an unconventional doctor, leading to a dreamlike, reflective, and often beautiful...

"Michael - this is the beginning for you." It's time to get revenge! Vertical Entertainment has released an official trailer for Payback, a mob vengeance thriller marking the feature directorial debut of NY producer / filmmaker Joseph Mensch. A young stockbroker at a Mob-controlled Wall Street firm gets betrayed and sent to prison for six years. When he gets out, he seeks revenge. Matt Levett stars as Mike Markovich in the film. And the full cast also includes Anna Baryshnikov, Toby Leonard Moore, Lev Gorn, Rade Serbedzija, Elena Satine, Boris Lee Krutonog, and David Vadim. This actually looks way better than it should, even though it is entirely derivative, the footage in here is damn good. I'm intrigued! Have a look. Here's the first official trailer (+ poster) for Joseph Mensch's Payback, direct from YouTube: Mike Markovich (Matt Levett), a young stockbroker at a Mob-controlled Wall Street firm, is betrayed and imprisoned for six years.

Revenge is a dish best served cold, and after spending six years in prison for a crime you didn’t commit, you can bet that dish is going to be freezing in the upcoming revenge thriller Payback. Newcomer Matt Levett plays a young stockbroker named Mike who is making strides at a Wall Street firm that […]

The post ‘Payback’ Trailer: After Six Years in Prison, One Man is Out for Revenge appeared first on /Film.

Distributor plans early 2021 release.

Vertical Entertainment has acquired worldwide rights from XYZ Films to crime drama Payback.

Joseph Mensch makes his feature directing debut on the story of young stockbroker at a Mob-controlled Wall Street firm who gets betrayed and sent to prison for six years.

When he gets out, his quest for vengeance makes him a target of the Russian mafia.

Matt Levett (A Place To Call Home), Anna Baryshnikov (Manchester By the Sea), and Toby Leonard Moore (John Wick) star.

Vertical plans an early 2021 release.

Mensch and Metin Aksoy co-wrote the screenplay. Adam Folk produced the Mensch Productions and Bullet Pictures production.

Charmaine Bingwa.

Born in Western Australia to Zimbabwean parents, Charmaine Bingwa is the first openly gay and woman of colour to win the $US30,000 Heath Ledger Scholarship presented by Australians in Film.

“I’m stunned; this is an incredible platform,” Bingwa told If after accepting the award from Heath Ledger’s father Kim Ledger today at a dinner attended by eight of the 10 finalists at the Chateau Marmon in Los Angeles.

In her acceptance speech she told how Heath touched her life when she saw Brokeback Mountain. His character’s lines about ‘the pain of a life not lived’ inspired her to come out as a gay woman, she said.

“I heard the other day someone say that the most powerful currency you have is the impact you have on other people and I think Heath epitomises that. Heath personally taught me what the power of a performance can do,...

Elena Satine and Australian actor Matt Levett will star in the indie revenge thriller, Caviar, along with Anna Baryshnikov (Manchester by the Sea), Toby Leonard Moore (John Wick), Bill Sage (Hap and Leonard), and Rade Serbedzija (Proud Mary). Directed by Joseph Mensch, pic is based on the memoir Career Criminal. Set in a Russian mafia of 90s era Brooklyn, the plot revolves around Misha “Mike” Markovich (Levett), a gifted young stockbroker who gets betrayed by his people and sentenced to six years in prison. When he gets out, his need for vengeance puts him in the crosshairs of Alexander Pushka, Mike’s former mentor and the head of New York’s Russian mob. Satine will play Katiuska, the only woman in the Russian mob who has ambitions of her own. Mensch and Metin Aksoy cowrote the screenplay, which is...

The Secret Daughter.

Seven has announced that The Secret Daughter, starring Jessica Mauboy, will premiere October 3.

Mauboy leads series cast as Billie Carter, a part-time country pub singer whose life changes forever after a chance meeting with wealthy city hotelier Jack Norton, played by Colin Friels.

The drama also stars Bonnie Sveen (Home and Away), Matt Levett (A Place To Call Home, Devil.s Playground), David Field (Catching Milat, No Activity), Rachel Gordon (Winter, The Moodys, Blue Heelers), Salvatore Coco (The Principal, Catching Milat) and Jared Turner (The Almighty Johnsons, The Shannara Chronicles).

The Secret Daughter is a Screentime, a Banijay Group company, production for Channel Seven produced with the financial assistance of Screen Australia and Screen Nsw.

The series was directed by Leah Purcell, Geoff Bennett and Paul Moloney, and written by Justin Monjo, Greg Haddrick, Louise Bowes and Keith Thompson.

Following two theatrical releases, "Wolf Creek" is coming to the small screen with Australian streaming service Stan setting it up as a six-part original TV series premiering later this year. John Jarratt returns to his iconic role of psychopathic outback murderer Mick Taylor.

This time out he targets a family of unsuspecting American tourists. Lucy Fry plays the 19-year-old daughter Eve who survives the attack and vows revenge. Also onboard are Robert Taylor ("Longmire"), Dustin Clare ("Spartacus"), Matt Levett ("Drown") and Deborah Mailman ("The Sapphires"). All six episodes will be available from May 12th.

Heath Ledger.

Applications are now open for the eighth annual Heath Ledger Scholarship run by Australians in Film.

Established in memory of Australian actor Heath Ledger, who served as an ambassador for AiF, the scholarship is open to emerging Australian actors 18-35 years old.

Since the prize was established in 2008, $230,000 in scholarship prizes have been awarded to date.

"The judges will be looking for an extraordinary young Australian actor with raw talent and charisma — someone who has the potential for real career longevity in Hollywood, not just [to be] the .next big thing., said AiF President Simonne Overend.

The recipient will obtain a Usd $10,000 cash fund, a two year scholarship at the Stella Adler Academy of Acting and Theatre in Los Angeles, two flights on Virgin Australia - one to attend the announcement ceremony and a second flight when the winner is ready to transition their career to the United States -...

When Matt Levett was nominated for this year.s Heath Ledger Scholarship along with 17 other rising talents, the actor didn.t fancy his chances amongst what he described as a .an intimidating. line-up.

So he was both stunned and stoked to win the award presented on Monday night Us time in Los Angeles.

The 2009 Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts (Waapa) graduate says the $US10,000 cash prize will enable him to further his ambitions in Hollywood.

.It will give me the ability to stay longer and give me a foot in the door,. says Levett, who first went to the Us last September/October, when he signed with the Gersh Agency. The runners-up are fellow Waapa graduate Emilie Cocquerel and Lily Sullivan, who each get a round-trip ticket to Los Angeles and a scholarship to attend Masterclasses at Screenwise Film & TV School for actors in Sydney.

On behalf of the judges,...

Rising young actors who.ve appeared in Unbroken, The Water Diviner, Deadline Gallipoli, Anzac Girls and The Code are among the finalists for the 7th annual Heath Ledger Scholarship.

In all 20 are in contention for the prize which includes two round-trip flights to L.A., a two-year scholarship at the Stella Adler Academy, $5,000 worth of visa and immigration services and $10,000 cash.

Presented by Australians in Film, the winner will be announced in Los Angeles on June 1. Two runners up will each receive a round-trip ticket to La and a scholarship to attend masterclasses at Screenwise Film & TV School for actors in Sydney.

Previous recipients were Cody Fern (The Last Time I Saw Richard), James Mackay (The Dressmaker, The Tomorrow People), Anna McGahan (Anzac Girls, House Husbands), Ryan Corr (The Water Diviner, Wolf Creek 2), Bella Heathcote (Dark Shadows, The Rewrite) and Oliver Ackland (Party Tricks, Blinder).

The finalists were selected...

Distributors in the Us, UK and Germany have bought Drown, an Australian drama which its director Dean Francis describes as confronting and controversial. Adapted from Stephen Davis. play which prompted walk outs when it was staged by the Queensland Theatre Company, the film centres on three surf lifesavers whose big night out is marred by jealousy, homophobic fears, unrequited lust and violence.

The night culminates in a tragic, booze-fuelled episode of bullying. There is a graphic gay sex scene, says Francis, who does not want to speculate on the likely film classification.

The international sales agent, London-based High Point Films & TV, showed a work-in-progress to potential buyers at the Cannes Film Market.

German distributor Salzgeber quickly signed a deal and is planning a national cinema release. Subsequently Strand Releasing bought the rights for the Us, where it will have a niche theatrical release, and Peccadillo Pictures, which specialises in art house,...

Daniel Feuerriegel (Spartacus: Blood and Sand) is attached to play the lead in Mayday Hill, an Australian horror/thriller inspired by true events.

The film will be shot at the former Beechworth Lunatic Asylum in Victoria, a notorious institution known as Mayday Hills to the locals. The asylum, which was the site of deaths, abuse and gruesome medical treatment, closed in 1995 after operating for 128 years.

The screenplay by Matthew Barker centres on a couple (Daniel and an actress who is now in negotiation) who visit the location and are confronted by the horrors of the past.

Director Dean Francis, who made his feature debut with 2010.s Road Train, told If the film melds true events with demonology and medical malpractice.. "It ties in with the gentrification of institutions into apartments, which hide a dark history," he said.

The producers are Janice Eymann (executive producer of Jon Amiel.s Creation), who brought the project to Francis,...

Local feature film Drown has cast Matt Levett in the lead role and has launched an online crowd-funding campaign.

The low-budget film, which will tackle themes of bullying and homophobia, aims to raise $100,000 in 65 days via Indiegogo.

Levett is currently working on upcoming Seven Network drama, A Place To Call Home, and has previously appeared in Winners & Losers, All Saints, Home and Away, Rescue Special Ops, Two Twisted and as a series regular on ABC.s third season of Bed of Roses.

He will play lead character Len in Drown, which follows three lifesavers on a big night out when jealousy, homophobic fears and unrequited lust culminate in a tragic booze-fueled episode of bullying.

Other roles will be cast shortly through Maura Fay Casting.

Drown is being directed by local filmmaker Dean Francis and is based on a play by Stephen Davis. Francis made his feature film debut with Road Train...

A Sydney based filmmaker will join the top 15 finalists of Tropfest after an online audience vote.

Matt Levett’s Unwanted Friend has been selected as the 16th film to screen on Sunday 19 February.

The seven minute short beat our nine other films with 60,000 views and 40,000 votes over a 10 day period.

Unwanted Friend is Levett’s first film but has appeared on Home and Away and Winners and Losers.

Synopsis: Unwanted Friend tackles the difficult topic of sexually transmitted infections through a comedic lens. The film follows Max as he struggles with a new companion who has an infectious personality. However, the race is on to get rid of his new mate before it’s too late.

Tropfest founder John Polson said ““It was just spellbinding watching the votes just grow and grow and when we hit the 40,000 votes mark it was so exciting to see how much people care about...