CARGO

He is his daughter’s only hope… and her greatest threat

Starring , , Caren Pistorius, Kris McQuade Bruce R Carter, Natasha Wanganeen and introducing Simone Landers with David Gulpilil

Directed by Yolanda Ramke and Ben Howling Screenplay by Yolanda Ramke Produced by Samantha Jennings and Kristina Ceyton Producers Russell Ackerman, John Schoenfelder, Mark Patterson

Director of Photography: Geoffrey Simpson ACS Production Designer: Jo Ford Costume Designer: Heather Wallace Prosthetics Designer: Larry Van Duynhoven Makeup and Hair Designer: Beverley Freeman Editor: ASE, Sean Lahiff Original Music Score: Daniel Rankine P.K.A. Trials with Dr G Yunupingu, Michael Hohnen, Johnathon Mangarri Yunupingu, featuring Additional Instrumentation by John Bartlett and Paul Bartlett Casting: Nikki Barrett CSA

Distributed in and New Zealand by Umbrella Entertainment World Sales: Bankside Films (co-represented in the US with CAA and UTA)

A Causeway Films Production

INDEX

Statement from the Directors……………………...... 3 Short synopsis……………………...... 4 One page synopsis……………………...... 5

The Genesis of Cargo……………………...... 6 A Universal Story……………………...... 8 Father and Daughter – Dual Love Stories…………….. 9

Casting Martin Freeman……………………...... 10 Portraying a Dystopian World……………………...... 11 Viral Design……………………...... 12

A Unique Collaboration – Yolanda & Ben …………….. 13 Working with Martin Freeman……………………...... 14 Introducing Simone Landers……………………...... 15

Weathering Storms……………………...... 16 Soundtrack……………………...... 16 Bios……………………...... 17

CAST AND CHARACTER LIST

Andy Martin Freeman

Thoomi Simone Landers

Rosie Marlee McPherson-Dobbins Lily McPherson-Dobbins Finlay Sjoberg Nova Sjoberg

Vic Anthony Hayes

Kay Susie Porter

Lorraine Caren Pistorius

Willie Bruce R Carter

Etta Kris McQuade

Josie Natasha Wanganeen

Cleverman David Gulpilil

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STATEMENT FROM DIRECTORS YOLANDA RAMKE AND BEN HOWLING

At its core, CARGO is a dual father/daughter love story, which just so happens to unfold against the backdrop of a deadly outbreak. The film explores two parallel tales of familial devotion: an infected man’s mission to seek a new home for his infant daughter and conversely, a young Indigenous girl’s quest to save the soul of her infected father.

Our approach in developing CARGO from short film to feature has hinged around two essential components: expanding on the emotional character elements of the original short that have resonated with audiences, whilst also searching for new ways to elevate and invigorate the post-apocalyptic genre.

With this in mind, the overarching storyline remains anchored in the lengths to which our single father, Andy, must go to protect his baby daughter Rosie. At the same time, we have introduced an exciting new element that has yet to be explored in the undead arena: the presence of Indigenous survivors.

As Australian filmmakers, we were very interested in delving into our collective national history in an effort to bring something fresh to the table. The addition of an Indigenous dimension, which includes a pivotal role for a young girl in the form of Thoomi, offered up some thrilling opportunities. The appeal was two-fold. Firstly, it struck us as an entirely credible notion that, in such a global catastrophe, a community of Indigenous people with strong ties to living off the land might be best equipped to endure and flourish. Secondly, it provided a rich allegory for the zombie virus itself and allowed us to question what it means to be a ‘zombie’ from a spiritual standpoint via the Indigenous belief of ‘soul stealing’.

Through the prism of an elevated genre film, CARGO seeks to explore three universal themes; love and sacrifice, body and soul, modern society and traditional society.

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SHORT SYNOPSIS

In a desperate bid to outrun a violent pandemic, Andy and Kay have holed up on a houseboat with their one-year-old daughter Rosie. When their peaceful river existence is shattered by a violent attack, Andy takes his family ashore to seek help for his badly injured wife. But this decision ends in tragedy when Kay meets a grisly demise and Andy is not only infected himself but left with only 48 hours to find a new guardian for their child, before he transforms into one of the creatures they have fought so long to evade.

As Andy travels further inland, it becomes apparent that Rosie’s best chance of survival may be with a flourishing Aboriginal community. But their merciless attitude toward the afflicted also poses a grave threat.

Andy’s fate soon becomes entwined with that of a young Indigenous girl Thoomi, who could be his safe passage into this community. But unfortunately, the girl has no desire to return to her people – she is on a quest to cure her own infected father by returning his stolen soul.

Each in their own way, Andy and Thoomi are both seeking salvation... but they will need to work together if they truly hope to achieve it.

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ONE PAGE SYNOPSIS

Unfolding against a rural Australian backdrop in the aftermath of a viral pandemic, CARGO centres around two desperate – and disparate – individuals as they struggle to defend their loved ones in a toxic new world. Andy fled the city with his wife Kay and baby Rosie, seeking sanctuary aboard a houseboat. The river has shielded them for months from the ravenous attacks of infected humans and the virus itself. But when Kay is bitten and undergoes a grisly transformation, Andy is suddenly faced with two impossible tasks: to execute the woman he loves; and, now infected himself, to find a new guardian for his child within 48 hours, before he succumbs to the same predatory mutation.

Meanwhile Thoomi, a headstrong Indigenous girl, is on a quest of her own. Interpreting her father’s viral symptoms as a curse, she has abandoned her community to find the she hopes will recover her father’s soul.

The unlikely pair’s paths cross when Andy learns of the tribe’s mountain utopia, where a reliance on ancestral traditions allows them to flourish. Seeing this community as his daughter’s best chance of survival, Andy sets a new course toward them - until he realises they are dispatching hunting parties to eradicate the afflicted, and he won’t reach them alive without an escort.

Mercifully, an alternative appears in the form of Vic and Lorraine, a salt-of-the-earth couple making their home amongst collected and abandoned debris. All is not what it seems however, and Andy’s willingness to leave Rosie in their care is challenged when he discovers Vic is using an innocent child as zombie bait to loot from the rotting hordes. When Andy tries to leave his infection is exposed and he wakes up imprisoned inside a cage with the child zombie bait - Thoomi.

Forced to strike up a tenuous alliance, Andy and Thoomi help each other out of the cage but their attempted escape results in Lorraine’s death and Vic’s enraged pursuit. While Andy tries to persuade Thoomi to guide him back to the river where he spotted a family days earlier, she remains determined to save her own father. But when she returns to him, she finds his executed corpse. With only a few hours left, Thoomi decides to lead Andy back to the family, where instead he finds a father mustering the courage to end his own children’s lives. Finally acknowledging to herself that her people needed to execute her infected father, Thoomi agrees to take Andy to her community and he is deeply moved. A ravaged Vic appears, however, and Andy must summon every ounce of strength to overpower him. Beaten and broken, Andy, Thoomi and Rosie continue their perilous journey to safety.

Racing against time Andy carries the two children toward the hunting fires until his body surrenders to its deadly transformation – but not before constructing an ingenious contraption to keep him on course and distract him from his precious cargo. His courageous journey ultimately leads not only to the safe deliverance of his baby daughter, but also to the reconnection of Thoomi with her own family, as it seems that her bid to recover her father’s soul may not have been in vain after all.

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THE GENESIS OF CARGO

CARGO was initially borne of the desire to explore the ‘zombie’ genre in a contained, short form project. To zero in on just one family’s fight for survival – a glimpse through the keyhole, rather than busting down the entire door. As lifelong fans of science fiction, horror and the paranormal, directors Yolanda Ramke and Ben Howling had always been eager to unleash their imaginations in the ‘undead’ universe. But they were also keenly aware of the significant challenges this would present. In tackling a genre that has recently stamped such a claim on pop culture, the chances of unlocking a fresh point of attack felt pretty slim.

Casting aside thoughts of the broader zombie pantheon, the two sought to investigate angles into this world that not only felt fresh, but also appealed to their sensibilities as filmmakers; a focus on the human element, rather than the creatures themselves. The answer came in the form of a single image: a zombie carrying a baby on its back.

It was this visceral, evocative and emotionally charged image from the resulting 7- minute Tropfest short (of the same name) that struck a chord with its audience. In fact, since becoming a Tropfest finalist in 2013, CARGO has garnered over 13 million YouTube views. It was not long before Yolanda and Ben had signed with American powerhouse agents CAA who were interested in their next venture.

But as Howling put it “we thought there was a lot of untapped terrain in CARGO” and after an intense 4-week period of brainstorming, the two had a treatment to shop around on a whirlwind trip to the US. Within a couple of weeks, producers Russell Ackerman and John Schoenfelder of Addictive Pictures had picked up the project and upon returning to Australia, Yolanda began work on the feature length script.

“Going from a seven-minute short film to a 100-minute feature film, there’s a big difference there in terms of material” says Ramke. “You need to start thinking more deeply about things that you want to be tapping into, and expanding the world of the film, and you have to get a lot more detailed and introduce new characters and new layers to the story”.

The passion for the core idea remained strong, having been inspired by the degree to which the short had been embraced globally, but moving forward, Howling and Ramke’s creative interests lay in digging into their own identities as Australian filmmakers. The ambition was to take the father/daughter love story at the heart of the original film, and organically fuse this with dramatically exciting facets of Australia’s culture and history.

The new layers began to take shape within the post apocalyptic Australian setting, and as part of this, Ramke and Howling felt that the story needed an Indigenous voice. This resulted in a parallel storyline – so that the film tracks two sets of fathers and daughters navigating an environment ravaged by an epidemic. So, while British expat Andy strives to find a safe haven for his baby daughter, fiercely independent Aboriginal girl Thoomi tries to save her own father. Both need each other to survive. 6

In continuing to develop the script to financing stage, Causeway Films came on board. The American producers originally approached producer Kristina Ceyton, after the success of the film she produced called THE BABADOOK that had been launched at Sundance earlier that year, where it had made a big splash and been really well received. Kristina Ceyton recalls, “we read the script and looked at the short film which we thought was beautifully done and it was something we fell in love with straight away. It was something we were absolutely moved by.” While CARGO is not your typical “zombie” film, it was this combination of heart alongside familiar tropes of the genre that hooked both Ceyton and fellow Causeway Producer Samantha Jennings. “The script knows how to deliver to a genre audience. Beyond that, we were very interested its deeper layers. It is a story with something to say and also one that has a very powerful level of emotional meaning and engagement.”

Winning the inaugural Gateway LA script award, presented by Australians in Film, and topping the 2015 “Aussie List” standing out among hundreds of submissions, was a testament to its potential success.

As CARGO evolved it became clear that the locations would play a huge part in shaping the dystopic world of the story, and South Australia immediately came to mind. The directors and producers undertook location scouting during development and financing and it was the combination of the vast plains of the outback, the intimidating yet spectacular Flinders Ranges and the vibrant Murray River region that offered quintessential Australian landscapes within a dramatic and powerful context.

An extensive consultation process also began with members of the Indigenous community throughout development. Indigenous writer Jon Bell (, CLEVERMAN) came on board as script advisor, assisting Ramke in understanding specific cultural practices, avoiding stereotypes and delivering authentic contemporary dialogue. This process also greatly informed what would become a central theme of CARGO; a disconnect between the modern western world and Indigenous traditional culture. On almost every continent, western influences have attempted to stamp out Indigenous values and belief systems, asserting that industrial and technological progress are the exclusive way forward. In CARGO, Ramke and Howling pose the question; what happens to these societies when an unforseen pandemic arises to level the playing field? By relying on their ancestors’ skills, knowledge and practices, the traditional lifestyle of may suddenly offer society its best chance to rebuild. It is this through-line that evokes a resonant critique of Australian racial history, and this aspect of the film was something many collaborators, cast and crew, were inspired to contribute to. Jennings recalls “When the decision was made to shoot in South Australia, the consultation process expanded.” Various elders consulted on the script, as well as communities and families specific to the regions where filming took place. Aboriginal cast, elders and advisors consulted across many aspects including the history and use of specific locations, language, rituals and spear-throwing. “It wasn’t until we had locked down that we were going to be shooting in South Australia that we then started researching the Adnyamathanha people” says Howling. In portraying the Indigenous elements, Ramke says “there’s a need to do that in a way that is respectful and that is authentic” adding, “just making sure that element of the story 7 was being handled correctly was also a big part of the creation of this film.” This proved to be an eye-opening and deeply enriching part of making the film, as a great deal of even recent Indigenous Australian history is not widely known.

A UNIVERSAL STORY

It was always the team’s intention to make a film that connected with international audiences. As Jennings puts it “We’ve always from the outset conceived this as an international film. We really want to tell international stories. For us it’s very important that it fulfils its genre and it can meet the expectations of its recognisable audience. But at the same time, it will appeal to a more sophisticated, more adult audience who may want to go to the cinema to engage with things about the world we are in, and the intensity of the emotional experience that they want to go to the cinema for. And this is about a man who is a father, who is thrown into a situation that is life and death, and how he deals with that. I guess it’s the combination of knowing its genre and fulfilling that and at the same time offering a deeper experience for a more adult audience as well.”

Universal themes in the story include the idea of sacrifice for the survival of loved ones, and the bonds between parent and child, which transcends death quite literally in this case. Howling comments “Everybody has a parent, everybody has been a child at some point, so it’s an accessible idea.”

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FATHER AND DAUGHTER – DUAL LOVE STORIES

The heart of the film is its twin father and daughter love stories. Recalls Freeman, “My favourite image, the one that made me want to do the film, is the idea of a man carrying his baby on his back and an 11-year-old girl by his side, who he doesn’t really know, who he has to not only protect but also be protected by. That’s the abiding image for me.”

In the transition to feature it was vital to hold onto the father-daughter idea and explore it in different ways. “One thing that really beautifully tracks through this story is that it’s about, on one hand, a little girl who has to let go of her father and at the same time the story of a father that has to let go of his child” says Jennings “those two narratives cross over and echo each other, because it is overall a film about all of us needing to let go and sacrifice ourselves for family and community to survive.”

For Ramke “What we found quite interesting was the idea that throughout the course of the story, Andy is a man who has to learn how to become a father to his baby, and there’s an element of growth in him there. And part of what allows him to do that, other than with his own child, is this growth that he experiences, kind of in a surrogate father fashion with Thoomi throughout the course of the story. I think in terms of what she receives from him in return is this interesting idea that she’s carrying the fate of her own father. Through helping Andy and his baby she finds an element of redemption in her own way. We felt like both storylines complimented each other and ultimately I am just a really big fan of films in that genre of the unlikely friendship. You’ve got two characters who seem to, on the outside, have nothing in common but manage to find common ground. It’s a very universal idea as well that people can relate to.

Adds Jennings “When Andy first meets Thoomi, there’s an antagonistic relationship between them. On one hand you have this British man who is just trying to come to terms with what is happening, and on the other a young indigenous girl who has her own struggle. So, they get off to a rocky start and then they start to need each other and become bonded, then through that they learn a much deeper understanding and respect. In the end there is a deep, deep trust between them as comrades in arms, which is a very special relationship.”

As Landers puts it “They both find out that they have both lost something they love.”

Freeman particularly liked the truth with which this bond was represented. “It was this little girl who knows some stuff he doesn’t know, he can help her and together they can maybe survive this thing. I really like the honesty of that, of them being quite wary about each other at first and then getting to some sort of understanding.”

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CASTING MARTIN FREEMAN AS ANDY

A key part of packaging and financing the film was finding the perfect Andy. This character is a deliberate departure from the conventional protagonist audiences might expect to see fronting a genre piece. Ramke and Howling wanted the central character to feel like a fish out of water; an urban man genuinely struggling to protect his wife and child from a threat he cannot control, who is confronted by a land and culture he doesn’t fully understand. Andy is not your archetypical hero. He is flawed and deeply human. He struggles to connect with his infant daughter, and in many ways is still learning how to become a father. He can be stubborn. He doesn’t always make the right call – in fact, more often than not he makes the wrong call. He is not uniquely equipped to deal with the life or death circumstances in which he finds himself, he is simply muddling through as any of us might. He is relatable and refreshingly complex take on the post-apocalyptic survival film lead.

When it came to casting Andy, the directors and producers wanted to take an unconventional approach. First and foremost, the desire was to cast an that audiences might not expect to show up in a genre film like this one. Almost equally important was the desire to cast an actor whose personal performance style could help anchor some of the more surreal aspects of the story. Martin Freeman was the most exciting choice on all fronts, being a master of subtlety and understatement with zero interest in playing obvious, clichéd choices. Says Ramke “His dramatic chops are exceptional and he exudes a natural warmth and charm, which we also knew we wanted our protagonist to possess.” At the time of his casting, audiences hadn’t really had the opportunity to see Freeman play a father on-screen, and the idea of placing an English actor at the heart of the story added a whole new thematic layer to the film. Ramke adds “One of the things we were really excited about with this film, was the idea of trying to cast against type, within the genre and within this character. And we were really super uninterested in going for more obvious action hero type moulds and the idea of Martin came along fairly early in the piece and he is just such an interesting actor. He is very subtle and very tasteful in his choices and has a tendency to underplay things in a really beautiful way and a very authentic way, and he is never going to make the obvious choice and every take is performed differently, he is all about giving you lots of choices.”

The focus in pre-production was to build a sense of trust, familiarity and rapport between Freeman and 11-year-old first timer, Simone Landers. When it came time to shoot, Ramke says “Freeman was a wonderful creative partner and a genuine delight to work with. He was collaborative, but just as importantly, he came to set every day with questions and a point of view and a determination to dig for the reality in the material. He had no interest in playing obvious or contrived choices, and even less interest in looking cool or heroic. He was far more drawn to Andy’s flaws and weaknesses, and embracing those to create a more authentic, multi-faceted character.” With a well-honed instinct for anything insincere, Freeman proved an incredibly inventive actor to the point that he never played a scene the same way twice. Naturally, given his comedic background, he was also a gifted improviser, which led to the discovery of some lovely in-the-moment touches to the film.

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PORTRAYING A DYSTOPIAN WORLD

The creation of a post outbreak world in the Australian outback was part of what made the concept cinematic and unique from the beginning. This is not a world set in an unforeseeable future, it is one that could potentially happen to us, to our world, within the next year. It was important that the world felt recognisable ours, so we could conceive of this happening to our society, yet at the same time was an immersive universe that was engaging on screen.

The South Australian landscape itself became the inspiration for all elements of production design. Highly experienced Production Designer Jo Ford has a strong connection with that landscape: “I love filming in South Australia, this is my third feature film here. I did LAST RIDE here in 2008, and I did THE ROVER with David Michod in 2013 and now I am doing this. I love South Australia because I love the landscape, how it changes, it is so different everywhere.” Jo also responded to the idea of basing this post-apocalyptic world in our recognisable reality so that, like Martin’s Freeman’s performance, it was a conceived as something that could happen to ‘every man’. Ford says “I think part of the reason that people hire me is that they think, no matter what world we put you in, whether it’s a world that really exists or doesn’t exist yet like THE ROVER and like this movie, you can make it be real, you can make it so that we believe this environment and where this story goes. So, I think what I always bring to shows is – let’s make it real, let’s make it so that the audience just sits there comfortably, takes in the story and doesn’t get distracted by visuals that are really weird. I try to keep it as believable as I can.”

Costume Designer Heather Wallace, whose home is in South Australia, also drew a lot of inspiration from the landscape: “For the palette we talked about the landscape and the Virals emerging from the landscape and becoming the landscape. So, it was really good fun. We worked on the palette a lot and getting the colours right and exploring that. Particularly, with the Virals, it’s very much about the earth and the salt bush all those colours and pops of colour as well, some pastels. But my main focus, every single garment has been dyed or toned. So, every single costume has been dyed or toned down. It’s all toned and muted.”

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VIRAL DESIGN

In designing the creatures, the Virals, themselves, the directors also took an approach that was organic to the setting and landscape.

Prosthetics Designer Larry Van Duynhoven recalls early sit-downs with the directors: “[Ramke and Howling] wanted to take a different tact to the normal kind of zombie film, that 1970s kinds of film. They wanted to try and stay away from the zombie word and folklore in some ways, just use those a little bit. They didn’t want lots of blood on their faces, or open wounds. They wanted to keep it viral and hence why we started calling them “Virals” not zombies, they had a different way of thinking. They also wanted to have stages rather than just like a viral that started eating flesh. They wanted to have them incubate, like a chrysalis look, and then from there, like a butterfly transforms into something beautiful, we were going for the opposite - something disgusting.”

“Because we were going for that minimal look to the Virals, we decided to create a creepiness in other ways, with make-up and skin textures. We were looking at different things that were loved as kids growing up in films, but just the internet, finding different faces and textures and colours.

As I said the Virals we tried to use the Australian outback as our inspiration and it worked really well. We tried to keep some of the Viral stages dry like earth and we tried just to take a different tact. We didn’t want to go over the top and that’s evident when you see the film, because Ben and Yolanda didn’t want to do that, they wanted to keep it creepy in a different way, without going over the top. We tried to do something totally different and hopefully the fans like what they see.”

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THE DIRECTORS - A UNIQUE COLLABORATION

Ben Howling: Yolanda and I have been mates for almost a decade now and we first started working together in reality TV, behind the scenes and just formed a friendship over our shared passion for film and TV. Along the way we’ve done joint projects together, show reels, short films etc. and it’s always been a really collaborative kind of thing. There’s never any strict “you’re the director” it’s like “this is what we want to achieve, how do we approach it?” and it’s through that relationship, the way we operate now is very much the same, we tackle it in a collaborative way. We’ve both got our strengths, I’m more technically oriented I guess. I shoot and I cut. Yolanda’s got a writing/acting background, so she has a stronger grasp of drama fundamentals. But there’s also a lot of crossover, Yolanda’s got a great eye as well. I dictate shots and she dictates story, they are our strengths but then we come together and meld them altogether in one big pot.

Martin Freeman: I think they’ve been great. It’s their first feature obviously and I quite like working with new people, I like working with new young directors because they are the future and they’ve got something else to say that I don’t necessarily know about and ways of doing things that I don’t necessarily know about.

Sam Jennings: Yolanda and Ben are wonderful. They have a fantastic relationship with each other. Very unified, both bring different strengths to the table. You know they are really talented young people; they have a fantastic energy but at the same time they are really focused on what they are doing. This is their first feature film, it’s a very exciting thing to watch, them kind of owning that and taking on the big machine. But they have a very unified voice together and they know their genre inside out but they still want to make something quite elegant and beautiful.

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WORKING WITH MARTIN FREEMAN

Despite having never been to Australia, and weathering some adverse conditions, Martin Freeman proved to be somewhat of a leading man behind the camera as well.

Observes Ramke “As the leading actor in the film, I think he set a really beautiful tone on set, a really nice tone of warmth and leadership, especially with the kids who were his primary co-stars in the film. I think he was a really great captain in that way, and he was a pleasure.”

Howling speaks just as highly of the actor: “Martin is just a really good person, such a team player. You forget that people of that profile are just normal people too and I remember on one of the first nights, we had dinner with him and he was saying he didn’t know anyone out here. He comes out to do the movie, and it was out of that natural thing of wanting to make friends. He was always out having dinner with the crew and other cast. Just a generally lovely bloke to be around. Never complained, was always happy to sit in some dire conditions on set and persevere with that. He put up with mutant sized mosquitoes. He was just a trooper and like Yol said, set a really good tone.”

Ramke adds “It was a very challenging part for him, it was very physical. A lot of the time he was carrying a one-year-old child on his back for probably 90% of the film. And were shooting in some really isolated locations and had some crazy weather. And emotionally as well, the arc that his character goes through is pretty intense and he has to grapple with some pretty big things. It was very challenging and I think he handled it really well.”

The producers too say “Martin Freeman is an absolute pleasure to work with. He’s incredibly talented, incredibly professional, makes everybody in the cast and crew feel completely comfortable, he creates an environment of trust and fun. He makes it fun, he’s very funny. He is quite extraordinary. He makes sure that every single moment, every line, every action is completely real. If it’s not true, he makes sure that it is. He finds a way to make it real. There’s never a false note. Even a film that has quite a heightened concept, it’s just beautiful to watch.”

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INTRODUCING SIMONE LANDERS

The film’s co-protagonist Thoomi is an 11-year-old Indigenous girl who is both deeply connected to her traditional Aboriginal heritage and culture, but also very much a child of the modern age. She possesses a strength, conviction and wisdom well beyond her years. Relying upon traditional survival skills taught to her by her father, Thoomi proves herself to be an exceptionally independent, resourceful and courageous child. She is on a mission to save her father, and nothing will dissuade her from this path - not even a stranger with a baby girl.

Newcomer Simone Landers plays Thoomi. For her “Thoomi is tough, independent and caring. She is loyal and I like those qualities about her.”

Simone was one of four girls flown to Adelaide for the final round of audition workshops, and she was a stand out from day one. Ramke observes “Casting children, especially kids who have never acted before, is difficult because you’re not assessing them on their control or technique or their choices. You have to keep it simple, and so you look for the kids who can listen well, who can listen actively, and for the kids who can connect authentically to the words they are saying. Simone ticked both of those boxes, but she also has these eyes that just draw you in; she was just incredibly watchable. As a person, there was a sweetness and a playfulness about her, she was still a child, but she also felt like a bit of an old soul.”

Howling observes “She’s got such a passion, she’s a little star, a rising star. I remember in the casting process, we were doing little workshops with her and you just couldn’t wipe the smile off her face because she was enjoying it so much. That’s something that really speaks volumes, she was just so gung hoe about everything, she always wanted to go for another rehearsal and practice, because she just loved doing it. She’s got a cheeky sense of humour. I think she is one to keep an eye on.”

Jennings adds “Watching Simone open up, has been really - she has never done anything like this, this is her first experience of filmmaking - and just to see her start to open the process, and love it and be respected by the team it’s been amazing. And she’s delivered beautifully. She’s got an inner strength and she’s got a depth to her, a soulfulness to her but at the same time she is very open and innocent and has a beautiful quality that she is completely authentic with.”

Martin Freeman also found a special rapport with her: “Simone’s never acted before, she’s been a joy. She’s really lovely lovely girl, she loves to laugh. She was charging me a dollar every time I swore so I ended up giving her a lot of money.”

Simone’s favourite part of making the film was “Staying up late and making new friends.” From Newcastle, she had not spent a lot of time with Indigenous communities and connecting with Natasha Wanganeen and Bruce Carter, who play her parents, was a special part of the experience. Bruce, she says “was like a dad to me, he was very friendly. He taught me to be friendly to other people. He told me that you call David Gulpilil ‘Uncle David’ and he kept me warm and gave me hugs.”

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Simone is not a big fan of zombie films, but for her “CARGO isn’t really a zombie film. The Virals are symbolic of the Western pollution… The film promotes the Indigenous respect for the land, and I am proud to be a part of that.”

WEATHERING STORMS

For the 5 weeks we were shooting, South Australia experienced what was apparently its worth weather in 100 years. There were torrential downpours, floods, power blackouts and even a mini cyclone. There was one day when we had to get the whole cast and crew out of Leigh Creek in preparation for the seven hour drive back to Adelaide, the rivulets across the highway were up to our waists. Another day we were shooting inside a tunnel, with a stunt-person setting himself on fire, and the Police Commissioner came on television and advised everyone to leave their place of work. We just had to get that one fire shot, with equipment falling down around us. Miraculously enough though, we never lost a day’s filming.

SOUNDTRACK

The team were particularly keen to create a soundtrack for the film that was an exciting piece of work in itself. Films such as THE PROPOSITION have been elevated by score by a particular artist or artists in a way that offers a new kind of alchemy. Working with highly experienced Sound Designer Liam Egan (SAMSON & DELILAH, THE DAUGHTER, JASPER JONES) the team sought out the most apt and original collaboration possible. They ending up bringing together two extraordinary but very interesting artists; Trails (Daniel Rankine, who is half of hugely popular Indigenous Hip Hop duo A.B.Original) and Australia's most prominent indigenous musician, multi-instrumentalist and transcendent vocalist Dr G Yunipingu. Though completely different styles, these exceptional musicians and their collaborators worked together beautifully, and the tragic death of Dr G Yunipingu in the final stages of composition for the film, made the collaboration particularly treasured. In the time Trials was working on the film alone, A.B Original won five Australian Independent Record Labels Association (AIR) Awards, including Breakthrough Independent Artist Of The Year, Best Independent Hip Hop Album, Best Independent Single for ‘January 26’, Best Independent Album or EP for their breakthrough Reclaim Australia and the big one — Best Independent Artist, as well as two National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMA) Awards. The artists and filmmakers are planning to release the credits track of the film as a single next year, as soon as they heard it they “jumped on the spot with delight. “The track felt fresh, the vocals were beautiful, it just came from somewhere deep.”

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KEY CAST & CREW BIOGRAPHIES

MARTIN FREEMAN – Andy

Martin was most recently seen reprising his role of ‘Dr. John Watson’ in the much anticipated fourth series of SHERLOCK on both BBC One in the UK and PBS in the US. February 2018 will see Martin star in Ryan Coogler’s sci-fi drama BLACK PANTHER, alongside Danai Gurira, Michael B. Jordan, Andy Serkis, Forest Whitaker and Lupita Nyong’o. Martin will also be seen in the big screen adaptation of Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman’s GHOST STORIES. The thriller also stars George MacKay and Andy Nyman and is due to be released later this year. Martin will return to the stage this September in James Graham’s comedy LABOUR OF LOVE, alongside Sarah Lancashire at the Noel Coward Theatre.

In 2016, Martin was seen in Crackle’s new drama STARTUP, alongside Adam Brody and Edi Gathegi. Martin also starred in Glenn Ficarra and John Requa’s WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT. The screen adaptation of Kim Barker’s 2011 memoir ‘The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan’ also starred Tina Fey, Margot Robbie, Christopher Abbot and Billy Bob Thornton. Martin also featured in Marvel’s latest edition to the ‘Captain America’ franchise CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR. Martin was seen on television screens in Sherlock’s THE ABOMINABLE BRIDE. The special episode, set in the Victorian-era, was screened on BBC One in the UK, PBS in the US and at selected cinemas.

2015 saw Martin in a number of television productions. He led the cast in BBC One’s animation STICK MAN, which also starred the voices of Hugh Bonneville, Rob Brydon and Sally Hawkins. In BBC Two’s THE EICHMANN SHOW he starred as producer ‘Milton Fruchtman’.

In 2014 Martin starred in the award-winning Coen brothers’ television adaptation of FARGO; for which Martin was Golden Globe and Emmy nominated in the category of ‘Best Actor’ for his role as ‘Lester Nygaard’. Martin also starred in the third series of the hugely celebrated BBC/PBS drama SHERLOCK. 2014 saw Martin win the ‘Best Supporting Actor’ Emmy for his portrayal of ‘Dr. John Watson’.

In December 2014, Martin was seen in cinemas reprising his role of ‘Bilbo Baggins’ in the final installment of Peter Jackson’s ‘The Hobbit’ series, THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES. The first film in the Hobbit trilogy, THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY, opened to rave reviews, and the second film continued the success by breaking previous box office records and topping both the UK and US box office charts.

2014 also saw Martin play the title role of RICHARD III at the Trafalgar Studios as part of the ‘Trafalgar Transformed’ season. Directed by Jamie Lloyd opened in June to critical acclaim, the show saw a huge increase in the number of audience members who had previously never attended a West End performance.

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Since 2010 Martin has been seen playing the role of ‘Dr. John Watson’ in the award winning SHERLOCK. In addition to his Emmy win and nomination, this cult show saw Martin win ‘Best Supporting Actor’ at the 2011 BAFTA awards and receive an additional nomination in 2012. One of Martin’s most notable television credits remains his role of Tim Canterbury in the hugely successful and much loved series THE OFFICE, for which he also received BAFTA nominations in 2002 and once again in 2004.

Martin’s film credits are extensive. Martin starred opposite Joanna Page in box office success LOVE ACTUALLY in 2003. He briefly appeared in spoof horror comedy SHAUN OF THE DEAD; reuniting with writing duo Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright for cult hit HOT FUZZ in 2007 and again in 2013 for THE WORLD’S END. One of Martin’s most well known film roles remains that of the lead ‘Arthur Dent’ in THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY, directed by Garth Jennings with Bill Bailey, Zooey Deschanel and Sam Rockwell.

ANTHONY HAYES – Vic

Anthony Hayes has appeared on our film and television screens for over 25 years, with film credits including Robert Connolly’s THE BOYS, Phillip Noyce’s RABBIT PROOF FENCE, alongside , NED KELLY with Heath Ledger, the local independent feature WEST, and David Michod’s multi award winning debut feature ANIMAL KINGDOM.

Anthony’s performance in the acclaimed Australian feature film THE BOYS earned him Australian Film Institute (AFI) and Film Critics Circle of Australian (FCCA) nominations as Best Supporting Actor in 1998. He went on to win an AFI award in 2005 for Best Supporting Actor for , and followed with another win in 2006 for . Other nominations include AFI and FCCA Best Supporting Actor nominations for his role in ’s THE SQUARE.

Anthony’s work in television includes the acclaimed BAFTA nominated ABC series THE SLAP alongside Anthony LaPaglia, and , which saw him nominated for Best Actor at the 2012 Festival de Television de Monte Carlo, the ABC mini-series BASTARD BOYS, the six-part ABC series CHANGI.

Along with acting, Anthony has developed a career in writing and directing. His debut feature film TEN EMPTY had its world premiere at the Sydney Film Festival in 2008 and received nominations for Best Screenplay at the Victorian and the Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards in 2008 and 2007 respectively. In 2002 Anthony also wrote, produced, and directed the short feature NEW SKIN which won several awards including the prestigious Dendy Award at the Sydney Film Festival, and the Independent Film (IF) Award for Best Emerging Director.

SUSIE PORTER – Kay

Susie Porter has built a reputation as one of Australia’s most outstanding . Her remarkable list of credits includes feature films DON’T TELL, HOUNDS OF LOVE, 18

SUMMER CODA, BOOTMEN, BETTER THAN SEX, MULLET, PARADISE ROAD, IDIOT BOX, TWO HANDS, FEELING SEXY, MONKEY’S MASK, TEESH AND TRUDE, the award-winning LITTLE FISH and THE CATERPILLAR WISH. She was recently seen in THE TURNING: ON HER KNEES, a collection of short stories by Tim Winton.

On the small screen, Susie played the lead role in (Series 1, 2 and 3), EAST OF EVERYTHING, RAN, MY PLACE, , , THE JESTERS (Series 1 and 2), SISTERS OF WAR and : SQUIZZY. Recent television appearances include the ABC’s acclaimed mini-series SEVEN TYPES OF AMBIGUITY and JANET KING Series 3, Network Ten’s bikie drama BROTHERS IN ARMS, PUBERTY BLUES (Series 1 and 2), the comedy PROBLEMS and IT’S A DATE (Series 2) and telemovie DANGEROUS REMEDY. Her most recent theatre credits include the critically acclaimed SUMMER OF THE SEVENTEENTH DOLL and THAT FACE. Susie can currently be seen in the ABC drama PULSE.

Susie has been widely acknowledged by her peers and the public with multiple AFI’s, IF Awards, and AACTA and FCCA nominations for her work.

CAREN PISTORIUS – Lorraine

Caren Pistorius will next be seen in Ben Howling and Yolanda Ramke’s post- apocalyptic thriller CARGO opposite Martin Freeman, which will premiere at the 2017 . She recently wrapped production on Christian Rivers’ feature MORTAL ENGINES and Kriv Stenders’ highly anticipated telemovie WAKE IN FRIGHT.

Caren recently appeared in DENIAL, opposite and Tom Wilkinson, which premiered at 2016 Toronto International Film Festival. Her other feature film credits include Derek Cianfrance's LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS and John Maclean’s SLOW WEST opposite , which premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival and went on to win the Grand Jury Prize. Caren made her feature film debut in THE MOST FUN YOU CAN HAVE DYING.

Caren’s television credits include Network Ten’s popular drama OFFSPRING, the critically acclaimed ABC series REDFERN NOW, the ABC telemovie PAPER GIANTS 2: MAGAZINE WARS, the New Zealand series THE BLUE ROSE, and the Disney series LEGEND OF THE SEEKER. Caren received a Silver Logie Award nomination for Most Popular New Talent and the Graham Kennedy Award nomination for Most Outstanding Newcomer at the 2014 Logie Awards.

KRIS MCQUADE – Etta

Kris McQuade is a graduate of NIDA. She has performed extensively across theatre, film and television. Selected theatre credits include for Company B Belvoir, STRANGE INTERLUDE, NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH, OUR LADY OF SILGO, THREEPENNY OPERA and CLOUDSTREET (including tours to Europe and the 19

USA.) For the State Theatre Co of South Australia, MAGGIE STONE; for Griffin Theatre Company, LOVE ME TENDER; for Brink Productions, THE ASPIRATIONS OF DAISE MORROW and WHEN THE RAIN STOPS FALLLING; and for Malthouse Theatre, THE ODYSSEY.

Kris’s film roles include CARGO, HOLDING THE MAN, SUBDIVISION, DECEMBER BOYS, NED KELLY, MULLET, BETTER THAN SEX and STRICTLY BALLROOM. Her recent television credits include roles in ROSEHAVEN (Series 1 & 2), THE KETTERING INCIDENT, (Series 1) and KILLING TIME, MY PLACE, SUPERNOVA (Series 1&2), THE CIRCUIT (Series 2) and HELL HAS HARBOUR VIEWS.

Kris has received numerous awards and nominations for her work including AACTA, Logie and Equity Award nominations, nominations for The Helpmann and Sydney Theatre Critics Awards for NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH; Sydney Theatre Critics nomination for WHEN THE RAIN STOPS FALLLING and a Helpmann Award nomination for CLOUDSTREET. Kris has received multiple AFI Award nominations and won an AFI Award for Best Supporting Actress for FIGHTING BACK.

BRUCE R CARTER – Willie

Bruce R. Carter has crafted a career as one of Australia’s finest Indigenous actors. Renowned for his magnetic presence on screen, Bruce has appeared in the television series REDFERN NOW (Series 1 & 2), THE GODS OF WHEAT STREET, READY FOR THIS, BLACK COMEDY (Series 2), and HENRY HOKES. His feature films include the critically acclaimed LAST CAB TO DARWIN, RED BILLABONG, HERE I AM, SHOT OF LOVE, as well the short films KARROYUL and MONSTERS. Bruce will soon be seen in the Fremantle Media/Foxtel mini-series PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK.

NATASHA WANGANEEN – Josie

Natasha emerged as an actress at the tender age of 14, with her portrayal of Nina in Rabbit-Proof Fence. A number of roles in film and television roles followed including AUSTRALIAN RULES, THROUGH MY EYES and REDFERN NOW. Natasha was rewarded for her work with an AFI Award for Young Actor of the year in 2004 for her work in the mini-series, JESSICA.

More recently, Natasha appeared on stage with roles in numerous significant pioneering productions, such as the world premier of Cloudstreet (State Opera of South Australia), the premier and subsequent tours of Shadow King, including a season at The Barbican Theatre in London (Malthouse Theatre Company), and tours with Darwin Festival's Production of Wulamanyuwi and the South Australian Theatre Event of 2016, Secret River, which was a Sydney Theatre Company/Adelaide Festival co-production. Natasha is looking forward to three feature films being released in the next twelve months including CARGO.

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SIMONE LANDERS - Thoomi

Simone is in grade six at and recently competed in the Zone Athletics carnival where she qualified to compete in two running events and one long jump event at the Regional Athletics. Since June 2017 Simone has been flying in and out of Brisbane for the filming of her role 'Little Lola' in the television production GRACE BESIDE ME. She relishes her time in Queensland, as was the case when she was on set in South Australia for the filming of CARGO, where she worked with Indigenous artists and learned local dialects for her role. She switches effortlessly from being part of the film industry to the routine of school life. Simone is a resilient young person and embraces a lifestyle that has always held change and adventure. She is fortunate to associate with such a diverse range of people. The social experience of working as a child actor has prepared her for 2018 when she will start at secondary school.

DAVID GULPILIL – Cleverman

David was born in 1953, in in the of Australia. In 1969 the British director Nicholas Roeg chose David as the lead role in the feature film WALKABOUT, filmed on location in Northern Australia. David’s career as an actor since then has been extensive. His film credits include: , directed by Phillipe Mora and also starring Dennis Hopper , directed by and also starring Richard Chamberlain STORM BOY, directed by Henri Safran, THE RIGHT STUFF, directed by Philip Kaufman CROCODILE DUNDEE, starring Paul Hogan DARK AGE, directed by Arch Nicholson UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD, directed by Wim Wenders , directed by Phillip Parsons, SERENADES, produced by Sandra Levy RABBIT PROOF FENCE, directed by Phil Noyce. THE TRACKER, directed by THE PROPOSITION, directed by John Hillcoat , directed by Rolf de Heer (Narrator) AUSTRALIA, directed by (Role: King George) , directed by Catriona McKenzie CHARLIE’S COUNTRY, directed by Rolf de Heer GOLDSTONE, directed by MESSIAH (sf), directed by Damian Walshe-Howling and CARGO, directed by Ben Howling & Yolande Ramke.

In 1987 David was awarded the AUSTRALIA MEDAL for his services to the Arts.

David is also one of Australia's most accomplished exponents of traditional Aboriginal dance and the native wind instrument the . During 1988 - the Bicentennial Year of the European Settlement - David and a troupe of dancers were chosen to perform the opening ceremony of the International Advertising Association World Congress at the Sydney Opera House. In 1990 David Gulpilil with Bobby Bunungurr as songman and six dancers returned to The Sydney Opera House to perform at the opening ceremony of the Young Presidents Association World Congress. They went on to New York to perform at the 25th Anniversary of the founding of the United Colours of Benetton in Central Park. Then in 1994 and 1995 in Arnhem Land and Cincinatti USA, they recorded their music for the New York based recording company Australian Music International.

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YOLANDA RAMKE – Writer & Co-Director

Since graduating with a Bachelor of Screen Production & Digital Media from Griffith University, majoring also in Applied Theatre, Yolanda has gone on to kickstart a promising career as a screenwriter and director. Having cut her teeth working for a number of years and in various departments in Australian television, Yolanda went on to write and co-direct the 2013 Tropfest finalist short film, Cargo. The project became an online sensation, amassing over 13 million views on YouTube, a festival run, and attracting the interest of international producers. In 2015, Yolanda's first feature screenplay, an expansion of Cargo, won the inaugural Gateway LA Script Development Program Award via Australians In Film. In 2016, Yolanda earned her first Australian Writer's Guild (AWGIE) nomination for the "Short Form" project Cold Hearts, co-written with Danielle Baynes. That same year, Yolanda went on to co- direct the feature adaptation of Cargo alongside Ben Howling. The film, which stars Emmy Award-winning actor Martin Freeman, will be the first Australian feature to be released globally as a Netflix Original. Most recently, Yolanda was commissioned to write the screenplay for WWII adaptation, Zero Night, by author Mark Felton for Essential Media.

BEN HOWLING – Co-Director

Ben Howling is a director, who is currently part of a creative partnership with writer and co-director Yolanda Ramke, and in 2016 they co-directed their debut feature film CARGO in 2016. CARGO is based on the 2013 short film of the same name, which went on to viral success and 13 million views on YouTube - and counting. Hailing from the small waters of Southern Cross University, he worked in reality TV for close to a decade as a shooter, producer and editor on some of Australia’s most prominent entertainment TV before transitioning into the world of drama.

SAMANTHA JENNINGS - Producer

Sam has held numerous senior positions at Australian screen agencies including Development Executive at Screen Australia, and Development & Production Executive at Screen NSW, managing the creative development and delivery of projects including THE SAPPHIRES, THE ROCKET and TV series including THE MOODYS and REDFERN NOW. She is a highly sought-after script advisor for producers and companies across Australia, running workshops and script editing films such as DANCE ACADEMY: THE MOVIE. Sam has produced acclaimed shorts such as DELUGE (Winner - Jury Prize Clermont-Ferrand, SOYA Award, sold to ARTE), animation FATHER (ATOM Award, Tribeca, SBS) and short feature SO CLOSE TO HOME (Winner CRC Dendy Award) starring Kerry Fox and directed by Jessica Hobbs (PUBERTY BLUES, RIVER). In 2014 Sam joined forces with Kristina Ceyton as a partner in Causeway Films, which was subsequently awarded two business grants by Screen Australia. Sam is currently completing CARGO starring Martin Freeman, Australia’s first Netflix Original feature film, and has just financed BUOYANCY by Rodd Rathjen with international partners Charades and Echo Studio.

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KRISTINA CEYTON - Producer

Kristina Ceyton produced the critically acclaimed and award-winning psychological thriller THE BABADOOK that premiered in the ‘Park City at Midnight’ section at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews. The film went on to win many Best Film and Best Actress Awards, including the 2015 AACTA award for Best Film (shared with THE WATER DIVINER), as well as the 2014 New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best First Film, and receiving a British Independent Film Awards Nomination. Other producing credits include award-winning shorts SMALL BOXES (2006) and THE GROUND BENEATH (2008). Both films have received great international success, winning over 40 awards collectively. THE GROUND BENEATH was short-listed for nomination for the 2010 Academy Awards as Best Live Action Short. Kristina is in post-production on Jennifer Kent’s highly anticipated second feature THE NIGHTINGALE, co-produced by Bruna Papandrea (BIG LITTLE LIES, GONE GIRL) and Steve Hutensky (2:22). Her company, Causeway Films, was awarded two business grants from Screen Australia, the 2014/15 Feature Enterprise grant, and the 2016/17 Gender Matters Brilliant Careers fund supporting women in film, as well as being first project recipient of the Gender Matters: Better Deals fund for THE NIGHTINGALE supporting marketing and distribution of female-driven productions.

GEOFFREY SIMPSON – Director of Photography

Geoffrey Simpson is one of Australia’s most highly regarded cinematographers. A recipient of numerous accolades, he has won AFI Awards for Oscar and Lucinda (dir. Gillian Armstrong, 1998), Shine (dir. Scott Hicks, 1996), The Navigator (dir. Vincent Ward, 1988) and was nominated for Sleeping Beauty (dir. Julia Leigh, 2011) and The Tender Hook (dir. Jonathan Ogilvie, 2008), Romulus My Father (dir. ,2007) and The Last Days Of Chez Nous (dir. Gillian Armstrong, 1992). He also shot Oscar-nominated Shine (dir. Scott Hicks, 1996).

Other credits include Chen Kaige’s Kung Fu movie Monk Comes Down the Mountain (2015), Kill Me Three Times (dir. Kris Stenders, 2014) and My Mistress (dir. Stephen Lance, 2014) with Emmanuelle Beart, Satellite Boy (dir. Catriona McKenzie, 2012) and The Sessions (dir. Ben Lewin, 2012) with Helen Hunt and John Hawkes, which won the Audience Award for Best Picture at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.

His international feature credits include Under the Tuscan Sun (Audrey Wells, 2003), Fried Green Tomatoes (dir. Jon Avnet, 1991), Anthony Minghella’s Mr Wonderful (1993) and Peter Weir’s Green Card (1990). Geoffrey recently completed work on Causeway Film’s Cargo featuring Martin Freeman, his second feature with Ben Lewin Please Stand By, starring Dakota Fanning and the TV drama Fighting Season (dir. Kate Woods) for Goalpost Films.

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JO FORD – Production Designer

Jo Ford as designed feature films for decades, from the classics, WE OF THE NEVER NEVER, and New Zealand’s THE QUIET EARTH, thru to LAST RIDE, CUT SNAKE, HOLDING THE MAN, and the Director, David Michod’s, ANIMAL KINGDOM and THE ROVER. (Jo was nominated for AACTA Awards in Production Design for “Animal Kingdom “, “The Rover “ and “ Cut Snake “ .]

Also, Television Miniseries and Tele Features including MY BROTHER JACK, THE ROAD FROM COORAIN [ Winning the AFI/AACTA Award for Production Design ] and ‘AFTER THE DELUGE “ . Also joint UK/ Australian productions “KIDNAPPED“ and “ TRIPPING OVER “ . Recent series are TIME OF OUR LIVES, and CLEVERMAN, and 7 TYPES OF AMBIGUITY. Jo also Designed the short film CRACKERBAG, which won the Cannes Palme d’Ore for Best Short film 2003. Jo also is heavily involved in the designing of countless T.V. commercials.

HEATHER WALLACE – Costume Designer

Heather started her career in Melbourne working in theatre and opera before returning to South Australia and transitioning into on-screen mediums. For the past ten years, she has focused on costume design working on a variety of feature and short film projects including SAMSON AND DELILAH, THE BABADOOK and SWEET COUNTRY. She has twenty-seven years’ experience as a key stand-by working in both film and television, and has been involved in projects including THE ROVER, LAST CAB TO DARWIN and THE BOYS ARE BACK.

Heather has a Bachelor of Visual Art majoring in Sculpture and Art Theory, and studied at the Centre for the Performing Arts majoring in Design. Heather is passionate about telling new stories and has a strong interest in Australian history.

LARRY VAN DUYNHOVEN – Prosthetics Designer

Larry started out special make up at the age of 10, inspired by the renowned Tom Savini and Dick Smith. He was fascinated with the magic of film and to this day this passion still excites and inspires him to create wonder for film enthusiasts. Larry is Melbourne based and has a great team of artists who are dedicated to special make up effects, covering all aspects of special make up from bodies, monsters to beautiful old age make ups. His recent features as Prosthetics Designer include Jennifer Kent’s THE NIGHTINGALE, STEM, CARGO. He also designed and provided prosthetics for THOR 3, BREATH, HACKSAW RIDGE and LION.

BEVERLEY FREEMAN – Hair & Make Up Designer

Beverley has worked in the film industry for over 35 years. She was granted a Churchill Fellowship in 1985, which enabled her to study and work beside the world’s leading artists and bring those skills back to Australia. Beverley has worked with some very accomplished actors, including Anthony Perkins, Spike Milligan, , and many others. 24

DANY COOPER - Editor

Dany Cooper is one of Australia’s best known and most respected editors with an enviable body of work across film and television. Dany has recently completed Causeway Film’s Cargo, ’s Breath¸ and before that worked on Jim Loach’s Measure of a Man. Last year she worked on Neil Armfield’s Holding the Man with Goalpost Pictures. Other recent credits include (dir. ), Jim Loach’s Australia/UK co production feature film project Chasing Satellites, The Killing Field (dir. Sam Lang), the television series Puberty Blues and Paranoia (dir. Robert Luketic). Dany edited the hit film The Sapphires for Goalpost Pictures (dir. ), which screened at Cannes 2012 and opened MIFF as well as screening at Telluride and Toronto. She received an ASE Award Nomination and won the AACTA Award for Best Editing for this film.

Dany earned AFI Award nominations for The Well (dir. Samantha Lang), Candy (dir. Neil Armfield), (dir. ), which also won the Film Critics Circle of Australia Award and the ASE Award. Dany won an AFI Award for Angel Baby (dir. Michael Rymer). She was also nominated for AACTA and IF Awards for (dir. Jim Loach) starring Emily Watson and won the ASE Award for this film. Her other Australian credits include December Boys (dir. Rod Hardy), Hey Hey It’s Esther Blueburger (dir. Cathy Randall) and Australia (additional editor – dir. Baz Luhrmann,).

Dany was nominated for a 2004 Emmy Award for her work on the TV miniseries Battlestar Galactica for Universal Pictures. Other US work includes television pilot Haunted USA, Queen of the Damned, The Monkey’s Mask, and In Too Deep for Miramax. Dany is currently working on the Australian/New Zealand television series The Legend of Monkey for See Saw Films.

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