THE DARKSIDE TRUE STORIES FROM THE OTHER SIDE….

BY WARWICK THORNTON — PRODUCED BY KATH SHELPER

AUSTRALIA / 2013 / 94MIN — PRODUCTION SCARLETT PICTURES – KATH SHELPER SALES & FESTIVALS ARTSCOPE – A LABEL OF MEMENTO FILMS INTERNATIONAL — 9 CITÉ PARADIS 75010 PARIS — TEL: + 33 1 5334 9020 — FAX: +33 1 4247 11 24 HTTP://INTERNATIONAL.MEMENTO-FILMS.COM /ARTSCOPE — [email protected] — [email protected] FINANCE PARTNERS SCREEN AUSTRALIA, , AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION

Director Warwick Thornton assembles a collection of poignant, sad, funny and absurd true ghost tales from across Australia and brings them to life with some of Australia’s most iconic actors as the storytellers. Honest, matter-of-fact firsthand accounts illuminate a black perspective on the other side.

HOW IT ALL STARTED – FILM TEAM’S WORD KEY CAST & CREW n April of 2012, we did a callout around Australia via tradi- Cast in order of appearance tional media and social media for people to come forward with their Indigenous ghost stories. ‘Delise’ Performed by LYNETTE NARKLE We only had one rule — that the stories must be firsthand. ‘Lesigo’ Performed by MERWEZ WHALEBOAT The experience must have happened to the storyteller who ‘Sharon’ Storyteller – SHARON COLE comes forward with their story. Painted by BEN QUILTY Warwick did scores of print and radio interviews. Before we knew it Sung by MIAH MADDEN I ‘Kim’ Performed by SACHA HORLER we were inundated with ghostly stories from almost every corner ‘Ken’ Performed by JACK CHARLES of the country. From black and white people eager to share their ‘Pamela’ Performed by stories. Some people had numerous stories and we were faced with DEBORAH MAILMAN an embarrassment of riches. More than 120 people contacted us featuring MARCIA LANGTON ‘Michael’ Storyteller – MICHAEL LIDDLE with probably well over 150 stories. ‘Romaine’ Storyteller – Our call out was for stories that were “the scarier the better”, but a ROMAINE MORETON strange thing happened. When Warwick started looking through ‘Billy Ahchoo Ilma’ Dance performed by HAKEEM DAVEY the list of stories, he saw a pattern. The stories were mostly about Singers: FRANK and JO DAVEY family who had passed away and many of them were very emo- ‘Graham’ Performed by BRYAN BROWN tional and poignant. They were about connection to the other ‘Karen’ Performed by CLAUDIA KARVAN side — connection to family. ‘Steven’ Performed by AARON PEDERSEN Warwick shortlisted his favourite stories and a team of interviewers ‘Naomi’ Performed by SHARI SEBBENS across Australia audio recorded the firsthand interviews, which were transcribed to be the basis for the script. We cast actors in the roles of the storytellers and filmed in stylised locations around Sydney. Not to re-enact the story but to re-enact the interview. In some cases we used the original storyteller’s voice from the audio recordings and illustrated their stories differently.

Director’s bio DIRECTOR’S WORD Warwick graduated from the Australian In 2009 Warwick’s first feature film, SAM- songwriter Paul Kelly that was commissioned boriginal people live on the threshold of two Film, Television and Radio School in 1997 SON & DELILAH, won the Camera d’Or for by the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra. dimensions. One is a world of everyday reality and with a BA in Cinematography. He has an best first feature at . He also recently directed segments in two extensive body of work as a cinematogra- Recently Warwick has moved into the art collaborative film projects: THE TURNING, the other a world of spirits, demons and entities. pher including Beck Cole’s feature HERE world with STRANDED – a 3D video installa- an adaptation of 17 short stories by the Aus- We can live an ordinary life with dead ancestors Crew I AM and most recently ’s tion (with accompanying stills) commissioned tralian novelist Tim Winton, and Guillermo A and demons all vying for space. Although we might seem THE SAPPHIRES. by the Adelaide Film Festival. He premiered Arriaga’s omnibus WORDS WITH GODS. Director WARWICK THORNTON stoic and complacent, with the clash of these two worlds the Warwick has written and directed several a new work, MOTHER COURAGE, at Docu- THE DARKSIDE is Warwick’s 2nd feature and Producer KATH SHELPER short dramas that have premiered in major menta 13 (the prestigious German art show also a mini series for TV. THE DARKSIDE is a reality is we are scared shitless. Director A category film festivals, the last being that happens every 5 years in Kassel), com- part of the cross-media project THE OTHER- When I embarked on this journey to the other side, I ima- of Photography WARWICK THORNTON NANA, which won the Crystal Bear for Best missioned by Documenta and the Australian SIDE where Warwick’s cinema work bonds Camera Operator gined finding a whole bunch of scary as hell ghost stories & Focus Puller SIMON MORRIS Short Film in the GenerationK plus at the Centre for Moving Image (ACMI). Warwick with his art projects. Warwick lives and Production 2008 Berlinale. recently completed a video portrait of singer/ works in Alice Springs in Central Australia. – but what I ended up finding was a beautiful collection of poignant stories about family and connection. That was what & Costume Designer ANNIE BEAUCHAMP Director’s Filmo Editor ROLAND GALLOIS ASE resonated with me. How we can keep a connection with those Sound Recordists DAVID TRANTER, 2013 – THE DARKSIDE (feature doc & TV series) Berlinale Forum 2014 who have passed away. And knowing that I too can keep that MARK CORNISH, 2013 – BIG WORLD (short) segment of the collective film THE TURNING – Berlinale Special Gala 2014 connection when I die – to come back and visit my children. MARK MANOLIS 2013 – TRUE GODS (short) segment of the collective film WORDS WITH GODS Sound Designer LIAM EGAN co-directed by , Alex de Iglesia, , , … That's a comforting thought and it's made me much less Casting ANOUSHA ZARKESH 2009 – SAMSON & DELILAH (feature film) Cannes Un Certain Regard / Camera d’Or afraid of death. I'm not ready to go yet, but I don't feel quite 2008 – NANA (short) Berlinale GenerationK plus / Crystal Bear for best short film so anxious about it. That was an unexpected discovery. 2005 – GREEN BUSH (short) – Berlinale Panorama / Best Short Film 2002 – MIMI (short) Link to full Interview of Warwick A

1996 – PAYBACK (short) – Telluride Film Festival I AL R T A GUIDED TOUR TO THE OTHER SIDE ? N AUS

Besides THE DARKSIDE feature film & TV series, Warwick’s EE CR S

team developed the project THE OTHERSIDE, an online & AL

archive of Indigenous ghost stories according to Warwick’s IV T S

work on Indigenous people. THE OTHERSIDE is an exclusive FE M L I

place where one can learn more about Indigenous spiritua- F

E

lity and storytelling. But to make it a real interactive and ID

entertaining cross-media project, Warwick and his team Technical Info ELA developed an App for iPad and smartphones where one can Running Time 94 minutes (24 fps) ON, AD Ratio 1:2.35 digital colour T listen to ghost stories and above all enjoy the impressive

Sound 5.1 digital surround ORN H

Augmented Reality experience featuring live-action ghost Language English T K captured in 3D. Material Available DCP with English subtitles RWIC

theotherside app is available for free on iTunes or Google Play. WA D, Check it out and enjoy the experience of inviting a ghost in your house… T Y L T S P E UR T

Step in it www.theothersideproject.com PIC LETT R A C SCARLETT PICTURES ACKNOWLEDGES S INTERNATIONAL SALES DEVELOPED AND PRODUCED AUSTRALASIAN DISTRIBUTOR PRODUCED THE SUPPORT OF SCREEN ARTSCOPE IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE AUSTRALIAN PRINCIPAL INVESTOR TRANSMISSION FILMS WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF AUSTRALIA’S ENTERPRISE PROGRAM A Label of MEMENTO FILMS BROADCASTING CORPORATION THE ADELAIDE FILM FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL .FR / © 2013 .FR / © 2013 E D LA

SHARE YOUR TRUE STORIES AT: WWW.THEOTHERSIDEPROJECT.COM SIGN: WWW.C E D