28/03/2014 - Kim Farrant directs a mystery drama at Australian locations

Director Kim Farrant (Naked on the Inside) will commence filming this week in Sydney, Broken Hill and Canowindra, Australia, for the Irish-Australian co-production Strangerland, starring Nicole Kidman, Joseph Fiennes and Hugo Weaving. The film is a mystery drama about a couple whose lives unravel after their two teenage children go missing in the harsh Australian desert. 

The film is written by UK-based Australian writer Fiona Seres and Irish writer Michael Kinirons,and produced by Naomi Wenck for Australia’s Dragonfly Pictures and Macdara Kelleher for Ireland’s Fastnet Films. US outfit Worldview Entertainment’s Christopher Woodrow, Molly Conners, Maria Cestone and Sarah E Johnson are executive-producing alongside Andrew Mackie and Richard Payten. Transmission Films is the Australian and New Zealand distributor, with Wild Bunch taking international rights.

Kidman said, “I am always looking for the right script to bring me home to Australia.  The moment I read Strangerland, I knew this was a film I couldn’t say no to. I’m looking forward to working on a film in Australia, and I’m very excited to be working with Joseph Fiennes and Hugo Weaving.”

Kelleher said, “It’s wonderful for Fastnet Films to be producing an incredible project that has attracted an A-list cast in Nicole Kidman, Joe Fiennes and Hugo Weaving.” 

Screen Australia, the Irish Film Board, Screen NSW and Worldview Entertainment are backing Strangerland.