by FIlmInk Staff
This week, Screen Australia announced development funding for new TV show Crushed – one of 46 narrative content projects and the only project in the last round of Generate that will share in $12.8 million worth of funding. An initiative that celebrates distinctive perspectives with local and global appeal and showcases bold stories, major co-productions and titles that highlight the originality and ingenuity of Australia’s creative talent.
A premium, sharp, character-driven thriller dramedy, Crushed is set in the seductive but brutal world of winemaking. Disgraced after a career-ending scandal, an ambitious Zimbabwean Sommelier takes a desperate job at a failing winery, only to uncover a dangerous wine scam in its cellar that could ruin her reputation for good.
At its heart, Crushed explores reinvention, identity, ambition and legacy – What happens when who you are and who you’re expected to be don’t align. It’s a battle of art vs. commerce, where tradition meets disruption and the pursuit of greatness comes at a cost.
Crushed shifts between Melbourne’s vibrant cultural tapestry and the sun-drenched vineyards of Australia where the stakes are high and the margins for failure are razor-thin. The series also shines a light on wine-rich regions spanning Cape Town, Europe and California, with a special focus on the often-overlooked stories of female winemakers and wine connoisseurs.
Created and developed by Zimbabwean Australian award-winning Actress, Writer and Producer Ratidzo Mambo, Jacaranda Dreams Productions (Strife Binge/Disney, The Gloaming Stan/Disney/ABC, Glee FOX, Escape From Pretoria – Arclight Films) and developed and produced by award-winning South African Australian Director and Producer Scottnes L. Smith (Netflix African Original Series, Jiva!, Original Feature Hear Me Move and TV dramas Thula’s Vine and Guilt) and Zulu Australian Actor, Writer and Producer Simone K. Smith (CW/Stan Good Cop Bad Cop, Hulu/ Foxtel Love Me, NBC Universal’s Labrea) – the all African Australian creative producing team are eager to show a new, distinctive and richly nuanced side of Australian story-telling with a global cultural lens in a way we haven’t seen before in premium mainstream Australian television.
‘For me, the heart of Crushed is about what happens when people leave the safety of the familiar to chase a sense of destiny. Often, they’re both running from something and running toward the unknown. It’s a story about daring greatly, about betting your entire life on a passion most people don’t believe you deserve,’ said Mambo. ‘As an African Actor who has worked professionally across Zimbabwe, Australia and Los Angeles, I understand this deeply. Developing this series has also been a glorious education, learning about the industry-defying women who are reshaping winemaking. I’ve been inspired by pioneers such as Ntsiki Biyela (Cape Town, South Africa), the McBride Sisters (California/New Zealand), Florence Drummond of Mitu Wines (Western Australia) and Kathleen Quealy (Mornington Peninsula, Australia),’ said Mambo.
Screen Australia Head of Development Bobby Romia said, “Crushed is the type of story that is bold, authentic, singular. The Crushed team’s blend of creativity and commitment to deeply layered, nuanced storytelling forms a bedrock for the series to explore the push and pull of identity, reinvention, ambition and legacy in modern Australia, with great potential to resonate with audiences here and around the world.”
