Troy Lum: Last News

Boy Swallows Universe is a new limited series streaming on Netflix, an adaptation of Trent Dalton’s semi-autobiographical coming of age novel.The story follows Eli Bell, a traumatised 13-year-old working-class boy played by Felix Cameron, who is drawn into the criminal underworld in Brisbane, Australia in order to save his mother, played by Phoebe Tonkin, from danger. Eli’s father is absent, and his stepfather is a heroin dealer.The novel of the same name was Dalton’s debut, first released in 2018, and is set in 1983.The Netflix adaptation is written by John Collee, whose previous writing credits include 2003 film Master and Commander, 2006’s Happy Feet and 2018’s Hotel Mumbai.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Travis Fimmel (“Vikings,” “Warcraft”), Simon Baker (“The Mentalist,” “Breath”) and Phoebe Tonkin head the adult cast of “Boy Swallows Universe,” an Australia-set fantasy-drama series. Production has now begun in Brisbane, Queensland. The eight-part limited series is an adaptation of Trent Dalton’s international best-selling novel “Boy Swallows Universe” and is being produced by Brouhaha Entertainment, together with Anonymous Content and Chapter One, for streaming platform Netflix. “Boy Swallows Universe” follows working-class Brisbane teenager Eli Bell in a whirlwind story about drug addiction, ex-cons, poverty, violence and the discovery of hope through the power of love. Dalton has pitched the story as involving “a boy who receives a message on a red rotary dial phone in a secret underground room that tells him he must bust into Brisbane’s notorious Boggo Road Prison to save his mum’s life on Christmas Day.”

Julian Dennison (Godzilla vs Kong), Minnie Driver, James Rolleston (The Dark Horse) and Erana James are set to star in New Zealand coming-of-age tale One Winter from directors Paul Middleditch and Hamish Bennett.

Guy Pearce is to play the lead in epic action feature The Convert from Die Another Day director Lee Tamahori.

Guy Pearce and Te Kohe Tuhaka lead the cast of “The Convert,” an epic New Zealand-set action drama film being directed by Lee Tamahori (“Die Another Day,” “Once Were Warriors”). Mister Smith Entertainment is representing sales rights and will launch the project at the Cannes film market.The story sees Pearce portray a lay preacher who arrives at a British settlement in 1830s New Zealand. His violent past is soon drawn into question and his faith put to the test, as he finds himself caught in the middle of a bloody war between Maori tribes.

Naman Ramachandran Netflix has greenlit a trio of series across Japan, Australia and Taiwan, featuring top talent.Japanese sitcom “Let’s Get Divorced” follows a rookie politician and his actor wife who struggle with their marriage life and they decide to split up. However, their parents and agents don’t allow them to do it.

Manori Ravindran International EditorEvan Rachel Wood, Eliza Scanlen, Rufus Sewell and Vanessa Redgrave are set to lead an adaptation of World War II-era book “All That I Am,” Variety can reveal.AGC Studios is fully financing the film, which will be shot in Berlin and Sydney in late summer. The studio, led by Stuart Ford, introduced the project to buyers this week as part of the virtual European Film Market, which generally runs alongside the Berlin Film Festival.

EXCLUSIVE: Former eOne Asia Pacific boss Troy Lum is officially launching new Australia-New Zealand distributor Kismet, with a slate of projects including Cannes hits and pre-sale titles.

Producers Gabrielle Tana (Philomena), Troy Lum (Saving Mr. Banks) and Andrew Mason (Dark City) are joining forces to set up production banner Brouhaha Entertainment, which will be based in the UK and Australia.

Naman Ramachandran The Calculus Creative Content EIS Fund, and other funds managed or advised by Calculus, has invested in Brouhaha Entertainment, a newly formed outfit which combines the slates of seasoned producers Gabrielle Tana, Troy Lum and Andrew Mason.Tana produced the Oscar-nominated “Philomena,” “The Invisible Woman” and “The Dig.” Lum founded Hopscotch Films which became Australia’s leading independent distributor before being acquired by Entertainment One in 2011.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentParis-based sales and co-production company Charades has closed deals for all major Western territories on “Belle,” the anticipated animation feature from Oscar-nominated Japanese filmmaker Mamoru Hosoda (“Mirai”) and Studio Chizu. Following GKids’s pick up for North American rights, Charades has unveiled a raft of sales to high-profile international distributors for “Belle,” including Anime Limited in the U.K., Wild Bunch in France, A Contracorriente in Spain, Koch Media in Italy and German-speaking territories, and Selmer in Scandinavia.

Leo Barraclough Senior International CorrespondentEllen Kuras, whose credits include “Ozark” and “Catch 22,” has come on board to direct Kate Winslet as Vogue cover model turned war correspondent Lee Miller. Joining them is screenwriter Liz Hannah (“The Post,” “Long Shot”).“Lee” follows Lee Miller as she travels to the frontlines of World War II as a photojournalist and embarks on a mission to expose the hidden truths of the Third Reich.