Production to commence this year in Sydney Seville International to launch sales in Berlin

Sydney, Australia – February 7th, 2018 - Entertainment One (eOne), Seville International and Screen Australia in association with Create NSW announced today that Bryan Brown, Sam Neill, Greta Scacchi and Jacqueline McKenzie will star in PALM BEACH, a new feature film written by Joanna Murray-Smith to be directed by critically acclaimed filmmaker Rachel Ward. Seville International to launch sales in Berlin.

PALM BEACH is a New Town Films and Soapbox Industries production with principal production investment from Screen Australia, in association with Create NSW and Spectrum Films and with support from Destination NSW. eOne will distribute the film in Australia and New Zealand, with its boutique sales outfit Seville International handling worldwide sales. Produced by Bryan Brown for New Town Films and Deb Balderstone for Soapbox Industries.

PALM BEACH is a drama/comedy about a group of lifelong friends reuniting to celebrate a special birthday, with Sydney’s iconic Palm Beach providing a stunning backdrop for the unfolding drama. The good times roll, with loads of laughter, lavish meals, flowing wine and fantastic music, but slowly tensions mount and deep secrets arise.

Bryan Brown has been a fixture of our screens for the better part of the last five decades, starring in classic Australian films such as Breaker Morant, Two Hands and Dirty Deeds. He is known to international audiences through his star turns in The Thorn Birds, Cocktail, Gorillas in the Mist and Along Came Polly. Bryan most recently appeared in Warwick Thornton’s critically acclaimed Sweet Country and is represented by Sydney’s Shanahan Management.

With a career spanning over forty years, several Golden Globe® nominations and countless iconic roles, Sam Neill has appeared in well-known and much-loved films such as Dead Calm, The Piano, Jurassic Park, The Horse Whisperer, The Dish, The Daughter and Hunt for the Wilderpeople. Sam also recently appeared in Sweet Country and is represented by Shanahan Management.

Jacqueline McKenzie is best known as Diana Skouris in the hit CBS series, The 4400; she also starred in the FOX series, Mental, and opposite William H Macy in Dreamscapes & Nightmares. Jacqueline's additional screen credits include Three Summers, Don’t Tell, The Gateway, Harmony, Deep Blue Sea, The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, Romper Stomper, Angel Baby and The Water Diviner. Jacqueline will next appear in the upcoming miniseries Safe Harbour and also recently reprised her role in Romper Stomper: Next Gen. She is represented by Marquee Management of Sydney.

Greta Scacchi is well known to film, television and theatre audiences alike. Her West End credits include The Entertainer, Bette & Joan, Deep Blue Sea and The Glass Menagerie. She has been the recipient of numerous awards, including an Emmy® for the HBO film Rasputin. Greta has also received Golden Globe®, BAFTA® and Screen Actors Guild® nominations. Previous screen credits include Beyond the Sea, Country Life, Jefferson in Paris, The Red Violin, Brideshead Revisited, The Falling, BBC’s War and Peace, Miss Marple and Poirot. She will next be seen in AMC’s series The Terror and is represented by United Management in Sydney.

Joanna Murray-Smith is an award-winning playwright, novelist and screenwriter. Her plays have been produced around the world – including productions of Honour on Broadway and in London (both at the National Theatre and in the West End). Both Honour and Rapture won the Victorian Premier's Literary Award for Best Play. Joanna has also published three novels Truce, Judgement Rock and Sunnyside. Joanna is represented by Cameron’s Management in Sydney.

In addition to a portfolio of award-winning short films and television directing credits, Rachel Ward adapted and directed her first feature film, Beautiful Kate in 2009 starring Ben Mendelsohn, Rachel Griffiths and Bryan Brown. It premiered at the Sydney International Film Festival as Closing Film and was nominated for 10 AFI (Australian Film Industry) Awards including Best Direction. In her former life as an actress, Rachel Ward was the recipient of several international awards and nominations which includes two Golden Globe® nods. Rachel is represented by HLA Management in Sydney.

Sandie Don, eOne’s Managing Director – Australia and New Zealand, commented: “PALM BEACH is a wonderful ensemble piece filled with rich and vibrant characters; a sharply observed portrait of different generations whose reunion is both humorous and poignant. The combination of this exceptional filmmaking team, a famed Sydney setting and a story rife with drama and heart makes for an exciting film that will no doubt connect with Australian audiences."

Anick Poirier, Senior Vice President, Seville International added: “PALM BEACH is a touching project with a very talented cast and we are sure that this film will warm the hearts of audiences all over the world. We are thrilled to be working alongside our colleagues in Australia/New Zealand on this superb project.”

Sally Caplan, Head of Production at Screen Australia said: “PALM BEACH – like the destination – presents an irresistible package. Renowned playwright Joanna Murray-Smith’s engaging script is brimming with juicy characters, which we know this superb cast will relish sinking their teeth into. Add in to the mix seasoned talent like director Rachel Ward, producers Bryan Brown and Deb Balderstone, and we believe this film will be highly entertaining with excellent commercial prospects.” 

NSW Minister for the Arts Don Harwin said: “This is fantastic news for filmmaking in the state, bringing in a spend of over $5m as well as 80 jobs across the shoot at the beautiful Palm Beach location setting. I am particularly pleased to see the hugely-talented Rachel Ward at the helm, directing an incredibly acclaimed cast and crew.”

NSW Minister for Tourism and Major Events Adam Marshall said the production will showcase Sydney’s northern beaches to viewers from around the world.

“Film is a powerful medium to showcase destinations, with a location so often becoming a central character in itself in many screen stories. We’re delighted to be supporting this new Australian comedy which will showcase Sydney’s picturesque Palm Beach and surrounding Pittwater region to a worldwide audience,” Mr Marshall said.

Speaking from Sydney, producers Brown and Balderstone enthused: “We are delighted to be embarking on this journey together with our partners. Everybody’s vision is absolutely aligned and with Joanna’s exceptional script in the incredibly capable hands of Rachel, the alluring world of PALM BEACH is hopefully set to become a future classic.”

PALM BEACH will shoot at various locations in Sydney later this year.
 
For further information, please contact:
Xanthe Bates
Head of Publicity – Theatrical and Home Entertainment
xbates@entonegroup.com
+612 8303 3810

ABOUT ENTERTAINMENT ONE AND SEVILLE INTERNATIONAL
Entertainment One Ltd. (LSE:ETO) is a global independent studio that specialises in the development, acquisition, production, financing, distribution and sales of entertainment content. The Company’s diversified expertise spans across film, television and music production and sales, family programming, merchandising and licensing, and digital content. Through its global reach and expansive scale, powered by deep local market knowledge, the Company delivers the best content to the world.

Entertainment One’s robust network includes newly-launched MAKEREADY with Brad Weston; content creation venture Amblin Partners with Steven Spielberg, DreamWorks Studios, Participant Media, and Reliance Entertainment; leading feature film production and global sales company Sierra Pictures; unscripted television production company Renegade 83; world-class music labels Dualtone Music Group and Last Gang; and award-winning digital agency Secret Location.
 
The Company’s rights library is exploited across all media formats and includes more than 80,000 hours of film and television content and approximately 40,000 music tracks.
 
Seville International is the company’s Montréal-based international film distribution arm specialising in strong independent films with crossover potential and arthouse films with award pedigree from Québec, Canada and around the world.
 
ABOUT SCREEN AUSTRALIA
Screen Australia is the Australian Federal Government agency charged with supporting Australian screen content through development, production and promotion across television, film, documentary and digital originals. The agency administers Australia’s official co-production program, in addition to the Producer Offset tax rebate which assists eligible television, film and online works to be made. Screen Australia provides a range of resources and opportunities to the industry including access to research, market intelligence plus special initiatives such as its highly success Gender Matters program. For more information visit screenaustralia.gov.au 
 
ABOUT CREATE NSW
Based in Sydney, Create NSW is the state government’s integrated agency for arts, screen and culture. In the screen sector, Create NSW offers incentives to attract footloose production and post-production to NSW, and offers location and production liaison services to eligible productions considering locating in NSW. For more information visit create.nsw.gov.au
 
ABOUT DESTINATION NSW
Destination NSW is the lead NSW Government agency for the State’s tourism and major events industry and is responsible for devising and implementing strategies to grow the State’s visitor economy. Our particular focus is driving tourism and acquiring and developing major sporting and cultural events for Sydney and regional NSW. In addition, Destination NSW is the major investor in Business Events Sydney with the aim of securing more international conventions, incentive travel reward programs, corporate events and exhibitions.
 
ABOUT SOAPBOX INDUSTRIES
Soapbox Industries is an Independent Production company founded by Deborah Balderstone.
 
ABOUT NEW TOWN FILMS
New Town Films is a boutique film and television production company, started by actor Bryan Brown in 1983, with the simple philosophy ‘if you own it, they can’t tell you that you can’t be in it’.
 
ABOUT SPECTRUM FILMS
Based in Fox Studios Australia, Spectrum Films is a creative hub for established and emerging filmmakers, providing the familiar full-service production facilities filmmakers have grown to love. Spectrum Films boasts unrivalled technical and client support and provides a multitude of services including; full post production workflow solutions and management, DaVinci Resolve and SGO Mistika real-time 4K finishing systems including advanced DI colour grading and DCP tools, 40sqm 5.1 / 7.1 surround sound mixing theatre, over 13 internal offline edit suites, offsite installation capabilities, production office space, dedicated onsite parking, 24 hour security and direct access to Fox Studios Australia. Led by Managing Director, Josh Pomeranz, Spectrum’s recent expansion enhances its continuing reputation as the post-production facility of choice for countless Australian and international feature film and televisions series directors, producers, studios and networks. For more information about Spectrum Films’ services, contact Catherine Armstrong, Head of Post Production on (02) 9383 4455 or visit www.spectrumfilms.com.au.