It seems like Robert Connolly and Eric Bana are a match-made in Australian film heaven.
The pair’s most recent Australian film, The Dry, took over $20 million at the local box office, cementing it as one of the most successful local films of all time.
Now, Bana and Connolly are teaming up again to bring another classic to life — this time tackling Tim Winton’s classic novel, Blueback.
The family-friendly film centres on Abby, a child who befriends a magnificent wild groper while diving. When Abby realises that the fish is under threat, she must take on poachers to save her friend.
Blueback will be a large-scale cinematic work made for Australian audiences and movie-goers around the world and is set on the coast of Western Australia, showcasing an extraordinary marine world, filming across the Great Southern region and Ningaloo Reef.
Starring alongside Bana is Mia Wasikowska (The Devil All The Time) as Abby, alongside newcomers Ariel Donoghue and Ilsa Fogg who will play younger versions of the character.
The stars will be joined by Radha Mitchell (2 Hearts), Liz Alexander (Seven Deadly Sins), Clarence Ryan (Stateless), Pedrea Jackson (Robbie Jackson) and Erik Thomson (Packed to the Rafters).
“It’s fantastic to be working with Tim Winton again on an iconic Australian story, with such a talented cast of actors, and filming in an extraordinary part of the world. The story of Blueback is a beautiful tale of life, love, belonging and with the fragility of our oceans and sea life as an underlying thread, it couldn’t be more timely,” Connolly said in a statement.
Of course, the pairing of Connolly and Bana is a winning combination but add in bestselling Australian stories and it’s certain to be magic. In fact, Film Victoria CEO, Caroline Pitcher, said that this is what “Australian audiences are looking for at the cinema”.
“Film Victoria is very happy to once again be supporting this wonderful creative Victorian partnership and the production of this delightful family film starring Eric, Mia Wasikowska and Radha Mitchell,” she said.
The film is written, directed and produced by Connolly and based on Winton’s novel of the same name which was first published in 2009.
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