by FilmInk Staff
AUSTRALIAN DOCUMENTARY ‘MOCKBUSTER’ PULLS BACK THE CURTAIN ON THE CHAOTIC WORLD OF DIY FILMMAKING AND LANDS IN CINEMAS AUGUST 27
Umbrella will release Mockbuster in Australian cinemas on August 27. The wildly entertaining and revealing documentary explores the world of mockbuster filmmaking, with director Anthony Frith joining audiences for a national opening week Q&A tour.
Frustrated by a stalled film career and repetitive corporate video gigs, Mockbuster sees Frith brazenly pitches himself to Hollywood’s kings of B-movie schlock – affectionately dubbed mockbusters – The Asylum, the studio behind the notorious Sharknado. Frith somehow gets the gig, and is given a 6 day shoot deadline, shoestring budget and script to a rebooted dinosaur epic ‘The Land That Time Forgot’. What follows is a madcap production to shoot a mockbuster in suburban Adelaide. But Frith was not just directing ‘The Land That Time Forgot’ for The Asylum, he also had the camera rolling on himself, as he was directing the behind-the-scenes documentary Mockbuster, lifting the curtain on the chaotic and brilliant world of B-movie filmmaking.
Mockbuster is the ambitious double-feature directorial debut of South Australian filmmaker Frith, that celebrates creative ambition and low budget filmmaking. The film charmed audiences at its Adelaide Film Festival premiere, where it picked up the Audience Award for Best Feature Documentary.
Funny, heartfelt and surprisingly inspiring, this is a documentary about chasing your dreams, creative chaos and compromise. Mockbuster will release in Australian cinemas on the 27 August, with Director Anthony Frith hitting the road for the national Q&A tour on the week of release.
Q&A TOUR SCHEDULE
ADELAIDE
Thursday 27 August, 6:30pm at Palace Nova Eastend
MELBOURNE
Friday 28 August, 6:30pm at Cinema Nova, Carlton
Saturday 29 August, 3pm at Lido Cinemas, Hawthorn
SYDNEY
Sunday 30 August at Dendy Newtown
Monday 31 August, 6:45pm at The Ritz, Randwick
BRISBANE
Tuesday 1 September, 6:45pm at New Farm Cinemas, New Farm
On the local release, Umbrella’s General Manager Ari Harrison has said “Mockbuster is exactly the kind of film Umbrella loves bringing to Australian and New Zealand audiences: heart on your sleeve, hilarious and made by people who clearly love cinema in all its forms. Anthony and the team have captured something rare: a genuine, affectionate portrait of the hustle behind indie filmmaking. We couldn’t be prouder to bring this one home.”
Director Anthony Frith has said “Mockbuster was born from a love for b-movies, desperation and sheer stupidity. I can’t wait for the Australian public to finally be privy to the inner workings of one of the world’s most resilient film studios. What excites me most isn’t just sharing Mockbuster with everyone, but holding select cinemas hostage for a double-feature to witness the aftermath, The Land That Time Forgot.”
Mockbuster is executive produced by Tickled and Mister Organ film maker David Farrier, and features appearances from the filmmaking duo behind the smash hit Horror Talk to Me – The RackaRacka (Danny and Michael Philippou).
The film was co-written by Frith and Sandy Cameron, and produced by David Elliot-Jones, Cameron, and Naomi Ball. It was supported by Screen Australia, with the South Australian Film Corporation and Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund, in association with VicScreen.
