Sydney Unplugged
Ray Lawrence, Rachel Ward, Russell Crowe and Toni Collette, are just a sample of the impressive filmmaking talent behind a new feature set to showcase Sydney...
Last year FilmInk spoke to director and Tropfest founder, John Polson, about a feature he was set to produce, Sydney, I Love You, which was to take its inspiration from the similarly themed New York, I Love You and Paris Je T'aime. With a promotional trailer for the project shown at last night's Tropfest, it seems that the project has been renamed Sydney Unplugged, and the film has revealed an impressive line-up of directors.
Comprising a series of short films, which will illustrate the cultural and social landscape behind one of the world's most beloved cities, the feature's directors include Alex Proyas (Knowing, Dark City), David Michôd (Animal Kingdom), Ivan Sen (Toomelah), John Curran (The Painted Veil, Praise), Kieran Darcy-Smith (Wish You Were Here), Liev Schreiber (Everything is Illuminated), Rachel Ward (Beautiful Kate), Ray Lawrence (Lantana) and Russell Crowe (Texas). They will be joined by acclaimed Aussie actors Anthony LaPaglia and Toni Collette in their directorial debuts.
A self-described Sydney aficionado, Polson hatched the idea for the Sydney film when he met co-producer Gary Hamilton at the Cannes Film Festival in May. "It's no secret some hugely talented directors, actors and others either live here or are from here," Polson said of the line-up of filmmaking talent. "It's about time this talent got together to tell stories that showcase one of the world's most beautiful cities. The people that have stepped up to take part in this project are beyond our wildest dreams."
Of the project, Polson told us last year: "I want to say this: this is not an Opera House and Harbour Bridge movie. If those two icons appear very little or at all, that wouldn't bother me in the slightest. This is about the real Sydney."
With the project set to start shooting in the second-half of the year, we're left to guess which filmmakers will tackle which parts of Sydney...
Sydney Unplugged will be released in Australia by Icon Film in 2013, and sold internationally by Arclight Films.
For a sneak peek, watch a promotional clip here.
