Principal photography commences this week in Australia on Gregor Jordan’s (Buffalo Soldiers) movie Dirt Music, adapted from Tim Winton’s novel by Jack Thorne (The Aeronauts).
As we previously revealed, Kelly Macdonald (No Country for Old Men) and Garrett Hedlund (Mudbound) will star in the film. They will be joined by David Wenham (Lion). Additional cast includes singer Julia Stone of Oz duo Angus & Julia Stone, Aaron Pederson (Mystery Road), Chris Haywood (Muriel’s Wedding), George Mason (Home and Away) and Dan Wyllie (Animal Kingdom).
Producers are Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey (Brooklyn) of Wildgaze Films and Angie Fielder (Lion) and Polly Staniford (Berlin Syndrome) of Australian entity Aquarius Films.
Film4 developed the project with Wildgaze Films and are financing along with Screen Australia, the West Australian Regional Film Fund, Screenwest and Ingenious Media. Cornerstone Films will handle international rights and distribution and will commence sales at the upcoming American Film Market. Focus Features acquired the international rights in Australia and New Zealand where Universal Pictures will distribute. Executive producers are Daniel Battsek, Sue Bruce-Smith and Lauren Dark for Film4 and Peter Touche and Stephen Dailey for Ingenious.
The novel charts the illicit romance in a tightly-knit community between a fragile woman named Georgie and a mysterious young poacher. When Georgie’s partner gets wind of the tryst a chase ensues between the two men across Australia’s remote and unforgiving terrain.
Filming begins on Bardi Jawi country in the Kimberley, Western Australia and will continue on Noongar country in Perth and Esperance, Western Australia. Heads of department include production designer Michael Carlin (Colette), cinematographer Sam Chiplin (The Cry), costume designer Anna Borghesi (Hotel Mumbai), editor Pia Di Ciaula (A Very British Scandal), and casting directors Lucy Bevan (An Education) and Kirsty McGregor (Animal Kingdom).