Screenwest and Screen Australia are pleased to announce feature film Sweet As will wrap principal photography in Port Hedland with a stellar cast!
The debut feature film from Nyul Nyul and Yawuru writer/director Jub Clerc has been supported by Screen Australia’s First Nations Department, Screenwest, Lotterywest, the Western Australian Regional Film Fund, MIFF Premiere Fund, Soundfirm and Film Victoria.
Sweet As is the first Western Australian feature film to be written and directed by an female Indigenous person, with original support through Screenwest’s West Coast Visions program. The filming is the crowning achievement of the Screenwest Western Australian Screen Industry Indigenous Strategic Plan 2016-2020, with one of the key measures of success to include at least one Indigenous feature film to be made by at least one WA Indigenous creative.
Screenwest Indigenous Manager Devina McPherson said, “Jub is an exciting and an exceptional Western Australian talent and Screenwest is thrilled to be supporting her as she embarks on the next step in her career with her Feature debut Sweet As. The project is the culmination of Screenwest’s Indigenous Strategy 2016-20, which has met the proposed vision, developing WA Indigenous screen creatives to produce meaningful, remarkable content.”
She continued, “As writer/director, and inspired by her own personal story, this film will be told from the perspective and point of view from a strong female First Nations voice, which is rare in the current, global screen sector. Sweet As is sure to be a truly special film, and I’m incredibly proud of the immensely talented and Deadly Jub Clerc, and I can’t wait to see the fruition of so many years of hard work.”
The film which is produced by Liz Kearney for Arenamedia, will not only have significant cultural impact for Australian audiences, but also showcase an incredible cast including Tasma Walton (Mystery Road, Looking for Grace), Mark Coles-Smith (Last Cab to Darwin, The Circuit) and Ngaire Pigram (Mystery Road, Mad Bastards).
Shantae Barnes-Cowan (Total Control, Upright) will play the protagonist, 16-year-old Indigenous girl, Murra. After a volatile fight with her mother, Murra is abandoned, but with intervention from her uncle, she ventures on a journey of self-discovery.
The coming-of-age story was written by Jub Clerc with Steve Rodgers and is based on Jub’s life growing up in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Jub Clerc was the first Indigenous filmmaker recipient of the West Coast Visions funding grant and the first all-female creative team with producer Kearney.
Clerc said, “This has been such a labour of love over many years, so to see it all come to fruition with the wonderful support of both state and federal agencies and other partners is a dream come true. With an exciting cast and stellar crew Sweet As has indeed been sweet as and a joyous transition for me stepping into directing my first feature film.”
Rikki Lea Bestall, CEO of Screenwest said, “To have such a powerful and talented Indigenous woman tell her story through a feature film will be an enormous opportunity for Jub to propel her career, and have significant impact for other Western Australian Indigenous filmmakers. The support from Lotterywest and the Western Australian Regional Film Fund (now Western Australian Screen Fund) enabled Screenwest to support an Indigenous Western Australian Story to be produced for the screen, and shared with audiences across the world.”
She added, “Western Australians should feel very proud of their state and their local talent and the community will have an amazing opportunity to experience an authentic and engrossing story on screen in the near future!”
Graeme Mason, CEO of Screen Australia said, “We are thrilled to support Jub to take this next step in her career with her first feature film. We’re excited to see her bring an incredible story inspired by her own experiences to the screen and not to mention, showcase the stunning backdrop of the Pilbara.”
The production took place over five weeks in various locations within the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
Production Credit: Sweet As is an Arenamedia production, with major production investment from Screen Australia’s First Nations Department in association with Screenwest, Lotterywest and the Western Australian Screen Fund through the State Government of Western Australia’s Royalties for Regions Program. Financed with support from Soundfirm, the Melbourne International Film Festival Premiere Fund and Film Victoria. ANZ distribution by Cinemaplus and Rest of World sales by LevelK and Maze Film Sales.
More About Screenwest’s Indigenous Screen Strategy
Screenwest, in consultation with Indigenous stakeholders had a vision that by 2020-21 financial year, Indigenous films would be highly valued and celebrated by the public. Mutually beneficial collaborations would drive growth and success and that WA practitioners would have advanced their unique story-telling voice and brought it to life through all means of modern and digital media.
It envisaged that the sector would contribute strongly to increase the share of Indigenous content and presence on screens nationally and internationally.
Screenwest fast-tracked the development of Indigenous writers, directors and producers who were making bigger, bolder and better productions including feature films and ongoing series.
With the success of the Screenwest Indigenous Screen Strategy 2016 – 2020, Screenwest is currently developing a new Indigenous screen strategy to propel the WA sector forward.
You can read the full 2016 – 2020 strategy here.
Media Contact
Alexandra Biddle
Head of Communications, Screenwest
Ph: +61 8 6169 2106
E: Alexandra.biddle@screenwest.com.au