Cannes winner Warwick Thornton to direct “Sweet Country”

PanARMENIAN.Net - Warwick Thornton, the Australian director whose “Samson & Delilah,” won the Camera d’Or for best first film at Cannes in 2009, is next poised to shoot “Sweet Country”. The 1920s set tale of lawlessness focuses on an Aboriginal cattle herd who is tried for murder.

The film has received funding approval from federal film body Screen Australia, as well as regional organizations the Adelaide Film Festival, Screen NSW and South Australian Film Corporation. Casting is now underway ahead of a shoot at the end of the year in South Australia and the Northern Territory. Post-production will take place in New South Wales.

“Sweet Country” is to be produced by David Jowsey (“Goldstone”,) Greer Simpkin (“The Code”,) and David Tranter (“Nganampa Anwernekenhe”) with distribution in Australia by Transmission Films.

“Warwick is a fearless, hugely creative filmmaker whose work is profound and deeply affecting,” said Courtney Gibson, CEO of Screen NSW. “The creative team behind ‘Sweet Country’ is extraordinary and they have developed a really compelling project for which Northern South Australia will supply a magnificent backdrop,” said SAFC CEO Annabelle Sheehan.

Thornton, who is also a leading cinematographer (“The Turning,” “The Sapphires”) wrote the screenplay with Steven McGregor. In 2013 he also directed “The Darkside,” a documentary about indigenous ghost stories.