MELBOURNE, 4 February 2022: Victoria’s creative industry is surging with many production houses starting to shoot movies here. Amazon Studios’ epic production Foe has recently begun filming in the state, with locations to include Winton Wetlands in northeast Victoria and Docklands Studios Melbourne. The star-studded cast includes Saoirse Ronan (Little Women, Brooklyn), Paul Mescal (Normal People) and Aaron Pierre (The Underground Railroad).
Therichest.com reported on Oct 27, 2021: ” Amazon Studios, the American TV and film producer and distributor that is a division of Amazon, has acquired the sci-fi thriller Foe for a $30 Million deal with Garth Davis. The shooting is set to begin early next year in Australia, with the script being supervised by the film director Garth Davis himself and the author of the book, Ian Reid. The film is about a married couple who lives on a secluded island; their lives turn upside down upon the arrival of a stranger into their lives.
The film is a sensual and psychological mind-bender whose setting is in the near future, where a young couple is enjoying a simple life living in a remote area. They have been living on an island in an attempt to escape the polluted cities as the world has been dominated by corporate power and environmental decay. The happy life of the young couple would soon be ruined after a stranger shows up. The stranger brings them the news that the husband was selected to be sent out to an environmental mission to go to the space station in the Earth’s orbit. The wife will not be left alone since the stranger will keep her company while waiting for her husband.”
VICTORIAN SCREEN INCENTIVE
A Victoria media release today says, “Attracted to the state through the Victorian Screen Incentive and the Regional Location Assistance Fund, Foe will inject up to $32 million into the Victorian economy and create 950 jobs for Victorian cast and crew – including four leading Head of Department roles.
The sci-fi psychological thriller will be directed by Victorian filmmaker Garth Davis, best known for his Academy Award nominated film Lion. It is based on the novel of the same name written by Ian Reid, who is a co-writer of the adaptation alongside Davis.
Producers on the project include Kerry Kohansky-Roberts on behalf of AC Studios, Garth Davis for I Am That, and Emile Sherman and Iain Canning for See-Saw Films. Executive producers include Ian Reid, and I Am That’s Samantha Lang. Libby Sharpe will co-produce for I Am That and See-Saw Films.”
Foe will engage with about 500 local businesses across Melbourne and regional Victoria, including construction companies and caterers.
Director and co-writer Garth Davis says, “I am very proud to be making Foe in my home state of Victoria, particularly on Yorta Yorta country in the amazing Winton Wetlands, which is one of our key locations. I am incredibly grateful for the support of both the Victorian Government and the Federal Government which have made this possible.”
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
Through Film Victoria’s skills development program, the Labor Government is supporting placements for three local practitioners to hone their specialist skills while working on the production – director Michael Hudson, costume buyer Ellen Stainstreet and set decorator Tom Herbert.
Foe follows other epic productions like Better Man starring Robbie Williams and Blacklight starring Liam Neeson, choosing to film in Victoria. It is supported as part of the Victorian Government’s $191.5 million VICSCREEN strategy.
Activity in the Victorian film industry is at record levels, with more than $391 million channeled into production expenditure in 2020/21, says the media release.
