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Julia Savage, Simon Baker, Josh Lawson, Yael Stone star.

Gravitas Ventures has acquired US rights from Mk2 to Australian coming-of-age fantasy drama and Tribeca selection Blaze starring Julia Savage, Simon Baker, Josh Lawson, and Yael Stone.

Del Kathryn Barton directed the story about a young girl who suffers catatonic shock after she witnesses a violent crime. Struggling to make sense of what she saw, she ultimately finds hope within her own imagination. Barton and Huna Amweero co-wrote the screenplay.

Gravitas Ventures has set a theatrical release for January 20 2023 on Blaze, which marks Barton’s feature directorial debut following the 2015 Berlinale...

Stars: Julia Savage, Simon Baker, Yael Stone, Josh Lawson, Sofia Hampson | Written by Del Kathryn Barton, Huna Amweero | Directed by Del Kathryn Barton

A pre-teen girl retreats into a world of fantasy after witnessing a horrific sexual assault in this striking horror debut from acclaimed Australian artist Del Kathryn Barton. Superbly acted and consistently imaginative, it’s a powerfully moving coming-of-ager that uses magical realism to process deep-seated trauma.

Julia Savage plays 12-year-old Blaze, who lives in an Australian suburb with her widowed father Luke (Simon Baker). One day, in an alleyway on the way home from school, Blaze sees two adults (Josh Lawson and Yael Stone) arguing, which swiftly escalates into a violent rape and accidental murder.

Unable to process what she’s seen, Blaze retreats into her imagination, represented by a large, sequinned dragon in her bedroom and a collection of little toys. However, when she’s forced...

Blaze Trailer — Del Kathryn Barton‘s Blaze (2022) movie trailer has been released by Bonsai Films. The Blaze trailer stars Julia Savage, Simon Baker, Yael Stone, Josh Lawson, and Sofia Hampson. Crew Del Kathryn Barton and Huna Amweero wrote the screenplay for Blaze. Sam Petty and Angel Olsen created the music for the film. Jeremy Rouse [...]

Continue reading: Blaze (2022) Movie Trailer: Julia Savage Witnesses a Traumatic Event in Del Kathryn Barton’s Coming-of-age Film...

Blaze star and executive producer Simon Baker (in front of a Rosemary’s Baby poster) with Anne-Katrin Titze on Del Kathryn Barton: “She’s quite a celebrated artist in Australia. I got sent the script and it was unlike any script I have ever read before.”

Del Kathryn Barton’s Blaze, co-written with Huna Amweero, and a highlight of the 21st edition of the Tribeca Film Festival, stars Julia Savage and Simon Baker (The Mentalist and director of Breath) with Yael Stone, Josh Lawson, and Sofia Hampson with Jacques Brel’s Ne Me Quitte Pas and a poignant song by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis in the soundtrack.

Simon Baker on Nick Cave and Warren Ellis: “I obviously know of them and love their stuff, but I don’t know them.” Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze

The opening shots of Blaze (cinematography by ) are as mysterious and alluring as those of Simon’s film Breath.

No 12-year-old should have to confront the violent act Blaze (Julia Savage) witnesses seven minutes into the imaginative empowerment story that bears her name. But Blaze is no ordinary girl, and fine artist-turned-filmmaker Del Kathryn Barton’s “Blaze” reflects that, using a dazzling combination of digital and practical effects to represent the interior world of a survivor who has long relied on make-believe to cope with an overwhelming world.

Produced by Australian elevated-horror shingle Causeway Films (“The Babadook”), “Blaze” marks the feature directing debut of a distinctive new voice, and though there’s a certain woodenness to the narrative, the visuals — glitter dreams of a 10-foot fuchsia dragon — radiate with originality. In the film’s prologue, we meet Blaze as a toddler, seated before a wall of Barton’s psychedelic paintings: five panels depicting nude goddesses entwined with radiant birdlike creatures. The artwork is colorful but unclear, though it’s...

Simon Baker, Yael Stone, Josh Lawson and newcomer Julia Savage are among the key cast of director Del Kathryn Barton’s debut feature Blaze (formerly Puff), which recently wrapped shooting in Sydney.

Barton, a dual Archibald prize winner, wrote the script with Huna Amweero (Jade of Death), with the work inspired by Barton’s painting ‘sing blood-wings sing’, which was in turn inspired by Peter Paul and Mary song ‘Puff, the Magic Dragon’.

A hybrid work of live-action, VFX and animation, Blaze sees Savage plays a young girl who accidentally witnesses a woman being violently attacked, leaving her catatonic with shock and struggling to make sense of what she saw.

She retreats into imaginary worlds, where Zephyr, the shimmering magic dragon who has been her companion since childhood, allows her to activate her own rage and ultimately find renewal.

Also starring are Morgan Davies, Bernie Van Tiel, Remy Hii, John Waters,...

Rachel Okine.

Angie Fielder and Polly Staniford’s Aquarius Films has stepped up its feature film and TV drama development slate, collaborating with such creatives as Justine Flynn, Del Kathryn Barton and Huna Amweero, Clementine Ford, Anya Beyersdorf, Roger Monk and Rhys Graham.

The production company gained momentum after hiring former eOne and Hopscotch Features executive Rachel Okine in the newly created role of managing director.

Okine joined in March, just as the pandemic struck. After a pause when, she says, Aquarius’ focus on growth switched to survival mode, the development pace picked up.

The Unusual Suspects, a four-part crime caper for Sbs co-funded by Screen Australia starts pre-production next week. A whodunit set in the Filipino domestic worker community in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, it’s scripted by Jessica Redenbach, Roger Monk (Nowhere Boys) and Vonne Patiag (Halal Gurls).

Parent Up, a Korean/Australian kids spy comedy, is in...

Joel Edgerton will produce and star in Thomas M Wright’s ‘The Unknown Man’.

Amid turbulent times for the sector, Screen Australia has some positive news, announcing production funding for three feature films, four television series, a children’s series and two online projects.

Overall, the projects, including Thomas M Wright’s The Unknown Man, produced by See-Saw Films and Anonymous Content, and starring Joel Edgerton and Sean Harris, will share in $8.5 million of production funding.

Other projects include family drama The Midwife from Playmaker Media for Nine; a comedy created by Kitty Flanagan called Entitled for the ABC, and the debut feature film from artist Del Kathryn Barton, Puff, produced by Causeway Films.

“We’re blown away by the projects in this slate and it’s great to see such a wide range of genres. I am particularly delighted to support Puff, the directorial debut of renowned artist Del Kathryn Barton,...

Ben Lawrence, Meg O’Connell and Mithila Gupta.

Screen Australia has selected 11 creatives to travel to New York in April as part of the Talent USA: New York delegation, where they will attend the Australian International Screen Forum.

The program is designed give Australian creators an opportunity to learn on the ground in the Us, and provides networking and professional opportunities.

Screen Australia CEO Graeme Mason said: “To achieve success in this global industry it is imperative we help Australian talent establish and foster creative and business relationships in the Us – the largest English speaking market for screen content. This group were chosen because they are at the point in their careers where they can really take advantage of the opportunity and leverage these connections for their upcoming projects.”

Australian International Screen Forum co-founder and executive director Michael Kelleher said, “We are excited to showcase the 2020 Talent USA delegation to a New York industry audience.

Margaret Morgan, Niki Aken and Taylor Litton-Strain.

Twelve female creators have been selected for a four-day genre masterclass, hosted by Bunya Productions and taught by Us writer/producer Raelle Tucker and Canadian director Jeremy Podeswa (Game of Thrones, The Handmaid’s Tale).

The Engendered Masterclass, supported as part of Screen Australia’s Gender Matters: Brilliant Careers program, will be held next week and see participants workshop their active projects directly with Tucker and Podeswa.

“Genre is what is really cutting through on TV at the moment, so the Engendered Masterclass funded by Screen Australia represents a tremendous opportunity for female creators,” said Bunya Productions’ Greer Simpkin.

“Jeremy and Raelle are masters of delivering premium genre, and furthermore when you think of the likes of The Handmaid’s Tale and Sacred Lies, they have made dramas that have proven the creative and commercial worth of female-led storytelling.”

“The 12 Australian creators selected...