by FilmInk Staff
As the title of the film indicates, Escape From Pretoria is not an Australian story, with South Australia used as a location for this UK/Australia co-production follows two white South Africans – Tim Jenkin (Radcliffe) and Stephen Lee (Daniel Webber, also pictured) – who were imprisoned in 1978 in Pretoria Maximum Security Prison for their involvement with the ANC (African National Congress), and ‘decide to send the regime a clear message and escape. After months of meticulous surveillance, breath-taking ingenuity, and in a race against time as the authorities strengthen the prison security defenses, the group craft wooden keys for each of the ten steel doors between them and freedom.’
Brit Francis Annan makes his feature directing debut from a screenplay he co-wrote with LH Adams, based on Jenkin’s autobiography. Co-starring at UK actor Ian Hart and Australians Mark Leonard Winter and Nathan Page. Producing is Arclight’s Gary Hamilton (Jungle) and Michelle Krumm (The Spectacular Now), BeaglePug’s David Barron (Harry Potter), and Footprint Films’ Mark Blaney and Jackie Sheppard (Africa United), with the support of the South Australian Film Corporation.
South Australia’s Minister for Industry and Skills, Hon. David Pisoni MP said: “South Australia’s increasing ability to attract major international productions to shoot here is testament to our diverse and unique locations and world-class crews and facilities. The Marshall Liberal Government is investing in our local film industry to ensure we are globally competitive.”
This is the third film that Daniel Radcliffe has made in Australia, following 2007’s The December Boys and more recently, Jungle.
