Noticias

Wift (Women in Film Television) Nsw has welcomed eight new team members as the state chapter seeks to broaden its influence.

Lgbtqi+ advocate Nicole Pastor, grants manager Nicole Pesa, copywriter Karen Witt, Indigenous awareness representative Ljudan Michaelis-Thorpe, industry connect Georgina Lloyd, and diversity advocates Aska Karem, Bolude Watson, and Kathy Luu are part of an expanded team to be led by Wift Australia Nsw representative Yolandi Franken.

They join Nsw Events team co-chair Vanessa Klingler and team member Sally Williams.

Franken, who recently took over from Megan Riakos as the Nsw representative, currently holds the roles of Nsw Board member, co-chair of events (Nsw committee), interim secretary of Wift Australia board, and chair of Wift Virtual (national).

She said the Nsw team was made up of members who had reached out and offered support and those that have been there since Wift Australia was formed.

“There is strength in numbers...

Producers Yolandi Franken and Michela Carattini have received further support for buddy comedy Carmen & Bolude, selected for the Ontario Creates International Financing Forum (Iff) at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

Loosely based on the friendship between Carattini and Bolude Watson, the film follows the titular characters on a journey from Harlem, New York to Sydney, where they have ten days to collect 100 ‘welcomes’ so that Bolude’s traditional Nigerian father will agree to let her marry an Australian.

Watson and Carattini co-wrote the script and are also set to star as the two leads, with Penelope Berkemeier to direct.

Carmen & Bolude is the only Australian project at this year’s market, which will be held vitually across September 12 and 13.

Now in its 16th year, the event brings global and Canadian producers together with international sales agents, US distributors, agents, equity financiers, and executive producers for brokered meetings and networking opportunities.

A script nearly seven years in the making about an enduring friendship steeped in multicultural Australia has taken the next steps toward production after receiving development support from Screen Australia’s Generate Fund.

Buddy comedy Carmen & Bolude follows the titular characters on a journey from Harlem, New York to Sydney, where they have ten days to collect 100 ‘welcomes’ so that Bolude’s traditional Nigerian father will agree to let her marry an Australian.

To be directed by Penelope Berkemeier (Game Night), the story is loosely based on the relationship between Nigerian-Australian Bolude Watson (Hearts and Bones) and Latin American-Australian Michela Carattini (Bite Club), co-writers of the script, who will also star in the film.

Watson was nominated for an Aacta Award in 2019 for her performance in Hearts and Bones, while also being named as a Casting Guild of Australia Rising Star in the same year.

There are plans to shoot in Sydney,...

Niki Caro on set with Mulan (Yifei Liu)..

As Niki Caro’s Mulan launches globally on Disney+ tonight, Wift Australia and Wift New Zealand announced they are staging a virtual event with the filmmaker and Dop Mandy Walker.

Caro and Walker will discuss their collaboration on the live action tale of China’s legendary female warrior and share personal success stories and tips on maintaining creative drive during the Covid-19 lockdown.

“Wift Virtual is honoured to offer members and a global audience the opportunity to listen and learn from these two talented women,” said Wift Australia chair Katrina Irawati Graham.

“Mulan is a landmark for gender representation on set. We hope Disney’s lead inspires other production companies to hire more female teams.”

Yifei Liu plays Hua Mulan, eldest daughter of an honoured warrior, who steps in to take the place of her ailing father. Masquerading as a man, Hua Jun,...

Jackie Murray.

Who says stunt work in films and television is predominantly a man’s world? Not the folks at Women in Film and TV Nsw, who are keen to blow up that idea by staging a female-led stunts and film workshop in Sydney next month.

The key presenters are stunt performer, first Ad and production manager Jackie Murray, who is a gymnastics and martial arts expert, and action director Maria Tran, who had a stunt attachment on Jackie Chan’s Bleeding Steel.

In addition, producer Yolandi Franken and costume designer Sarah Yates will provide tips on working with stunts from their respective departments and filmmaker Pearl Tan will host a panel discussion.

Covering such topics as managing stunts in filming, stunts and costume, safety and costs, the workshop will be held from 2-6 pm on Saturday April 13 at Harold Park Community Hall, 1 Dalgal Way, Glebe.

The event is designed for actors,...