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The women of Renée Webster’s “How To Please A Woman” have problems. Multiple women, multiple problems: they’re disrespected at work, they’re depressed about their bodies, their husbands don’t give them the time of day, and on top of everything, their homes are messy. If only there was a service, or a person, who could solve all of this. Lucky — maybe — there is.

Enter Gina (Sally Phillips), a newly 50-year-old woman with an idea and a plan. When her friends misguidedly hire a male escort for her birthday, Gina makes him clean her house shirtless rather than please her in other ways. Isn’t this what women really want anyway? From there, she turns that venture into a business, hiring a group of eager men from a recently shut-down moving company to be the cleaners and helpers. Only her friends are perhaps more interested in the crew...

"There are a lot of women who really like the thought of a man cleaning their house." Brainstorm Media has revealed an official US trailer for an Australian indie sex comedy called How to Please a Woman, both written and directed by filmmaker Renée Webster. The film opens later this month in a few American cities, and it also played at the 2022 Bentonville Film Festival. This looks like pure unadulterated fun! When her all-male house-cleaning business gets out of control, a mature woman must embrace her own sexuality, if she is to make a new life for herself. The film is described as "a precarious, often hilarious and revealing journey into the vulnerable world of what women really want and how hard it can be to get it right." Starring Sally Phillips as Gina, with Erik Thomson, Alexander England, Ryan Johnson, Caroline Brazier, Josh Thomson, Hayley McElhinney, and Tasma Walton.

The lineup of films premiering in the narrative, documentary, short film and episodic selections at the 2022 Bentonville Film Festival’s competition program have been released today, the Bentonville Film Foundation announced. The annual festival is set to run in-person from June 22-26 in Bentonville, Ark, with a virtual component having an extended run from June 22 to July 3.

Led by “Thelma and Louise” star and vocal feminist Geena Davis, the festival aims to amplify female, non-binary, LGBTQ, Bipoc and people with disabilities’ voices in entertainment. In collaboration with founding partner, Walmart, and presenting sponsor, Coca-Cola, this year’s programming includes a wide array of storytelling with more than 82 of the competition program from creators who identify as female or gender non-conforming. Additionally, 65 of the creators identify as Bipoc, Asian, or Pacific Islander and 62 identify as LGBTQ. The vast majority of onscreen leads — 90, to be exact — are women or gender non-conforming.

“We...

Comedy “How to Please a Woman,” starring “Veep” and “Bridget Jones Diary” actor Sally Phillips, has generated brisk business for Beta Cinema. Brainstorm Media has taken all rights for the U.S. and will release the film theatrically on July 22, and pay TV operator Sky has secured all rights for the U.K.

Beta Cinema also sold all rights for Canada (Mongrel Media), Poland (Monolith Films), former Yugoslavia (Discovery), Czech Republic (Bohemia Motion Pictures) and Hungary (Ads).

Madmen will put the film out in Australia and New Zealand on a wide release on May 19 and May 26, respectively.

Phillips stars as 50-year-old Gina, who feels she has become “invisible to everyone.” Establishing a house-cleaning service, staffed by good-looking male cleaners who provide cleaning with benefits, the film follows her as she learns how to ask for what she wants and encourages other women to do the same.

“We fell in love...

Initial investments include Daina Reid’s ‘Run Rabbit Run’ and Gracie Otto’s ‘Seriously Red’.

More feature films driven by female creatives are likely to emerge from Australia following the launch of private investment firm Storyd Group.

The outfit has been established by entrepreneur Deanne Weir and Olivia Humphrey, founder of streaming platform Kanopy, to support female storytellers by investing in internationally targeted feature films from Australian female creatives and content-related technology start-ups.

Initial investments include horror thriller Run Rabbit Rabbit, which marks the feature directorial debut of Daina Reid, and Seriously Red, a drama from documentary filmmaker Gracie Otto.

Short films Two Sands and In Australia have snared the lion’s share of nominations for the Wa Screen Culture Awards, recognised across both the innovation and outstanding achievement award categories.

Now in its second year, the WASCAs are presented and produced by the Revelation Perth International Film Festival, in collaboration with the Wa screen industry, to recognise new, established, and emerging screen practitioners across a variety of disciplines.

Of this year’s nominees, Poppy van Oorde-Grainger’s Two Sands is the most represented with eight nods, while Miley Tunnecliffe’s In Australia has seven.

There is also good news for Rush Films, with Gracie Otto’s Under the Volcano, Frances Elliott and Samantha Marlow’s Girl Like You, and Jacqueline Pelczar’s Sparkles all scoring multiple nominations.

Revelation Film Festival director Richard Sowada said he couldn’t wait to reveal the deliberations of the 36 screen professionals that make up the jury for the awards.

The leading sales, finance and production outfit Beta Cinema will present first footage from the upcoming Australian comedy drama “How to Please a Woman” at next week’s Pre-Cannes Screenings. Variety has been given the first still from the film, starring Sally Phillips, whose credits include the “Bridget Jones’s Diary” movies, and a recurring guest role as the Finnish Prime Minister in “Veep.” The Munich-based firm will show five completed films during the virtual event.

In “How to Please a Woman” Phillips plays a woman in middle age who feels she has become “invisible to everyone.” The film follows her as she learns how to ask for what she wants and encourages other women to do the same. She sets up a house cleaning service, staffed by good-looking male cleaners, with benefits.

Other cast include Erik Thomson, Alexander England (“Alien: Covenant”), and Caroline Brazier. The director and writer is Renée Webster.

English actress, television presenter, and comedian Sally Phillips will lead writer/director Renée Webster’s debut feature How to Please a Woman when filming on the comedy/drama gets underway in Wa this month.

Phillips plays Gina, a 50-something woman who has a business idea to launch an all-male house-cleaning service. However, when her business grows out of control, Gina must acknowledge her own appetite if she is to make a new life for herself.

The cast also includes Erik Thomson, Alexander England, Caroline Brazier, Tasma Walton, Roz Hammond, Cameron Daddo and New Zealander Josh Thomson.

How to Please a Woman is being produced by Tania Chambers of Feisty Dame Productions and Judi Levine of Such Much Films, with Deanne Weir, Roxana McMallan, Olivia Humphrey, Adrian and Michela Fini, and Pam and Julius Colman coming on board as executive producers.

Phillips said the opportunity to work with the team of...

Two feature films, three TV dramas, one children’s series, and one online project will share in $5.9 million of production funding from Screen Australia.

The projects include feature How To Please A Woman about a woman’s choice to take her all-male housecleaning business to a more intimate level; the previously announced ABC anthology drama series Fires, set during last summer’s devastating bushfires; Stan feature Gold, and a comedy about a single woman and her database of potential sexual partners in Spreadsheet for Viacom CBS.

Screen Australia’s head of content Sally Caplan said it was a testament to the resilience of the screen industry to have so many projects move into production during such a challenging period.

“It’s fantastic to kick off 2021 with such a great sample of the premium dramas that have been greenlit across the country,” she said.

“We’re so pleased to have supported...

Kelly Lefever.

Prolific screenwriter, script producer and story editor Kelly Lefever is juggling multiple projects – not least a deeply personal series about disability.

Inspired by her own family’s experiences, Care will look at five families who each care for a family member who was born with or acquired a disability.

Her daughter Alexandra, who is 30, was born with Kabuki syndrome, a rare genetic disorder.

“This is a universal story,” Kelly told If. “There are more than 3 million people in Australia who care for a family member or a close relative.

“Most of us will have to deal with this at some time in our lives with aging parents. For me it has been a very grounding experience which has also brought tremendous joy and humour.”

Lefever is in talks with a producer and intends to pitch the project to the ABC, Sbs or streamers.

Another project she created is Sundown,...

Kelly Lefever.

Prolific screenwriter, script producer and story editor Kelly Lefever is juggling multiple projects – not least a deeply personal series about disability.

Inspired by her own family’s experiences, Care will look at five families who each care for a family member who was born with or acquired a disability.

Her daughter Alexandra, who is 30, was born with Kabuki syndrome, a rare genetic disorder.

“This is a universal story,” Kelly told If. “There are more than 3 million people in Australia who care for a family member or a close relative.

“Most of us will have to deal with this at some time in our lives with aging parents. For me it has been a very grounding experience which has also brought tremendous joy and humour.”

Lefever is in talks with a producer and intends to pitch the project to the ABC, Sbs or streamers.

Another project she created is Sundown,...

Holden Sheppard.

Feisty Dame Productions’ Tania Chambers and writer-director Nick Verso have optioned Invisible Boys, Holden Sheppard’s debut novel which follows three 16-year-olds as they come to terms with their homosexuality in a small town in Western Australia.

The protagonists are Charlie, a hardcore rocker who’s not as tough as he looks, Hammer, a footy jock with big Afl dreams and an even bigger ego, and Zeke, a shy over-achiever who is never macho enough for his family.

All three boys hide who they really are. According to the publishers, the novel “depicts the complexities and trauma of rural gay identity with painful honesty, devastating consequence and, ultimately, hope.”

Sheppard fielded a number of offers for the screen rights. “Nick and I clicked really well. Nick is also a gay man, and we spent time over the phone and on Skype discovering that we both have very similar...

Tania Chambers.

Years of perseverance in developing feature films and TV series with multiple collaborators are paying off for producer Tania Chambers.

The MD of Feisty Dame Productions is in the midst of financing How to Please a Woman and casting the co-lead of Time to Tango, a feature inspired by Miranda Edmonds and Khrob Edmonds’ short film Tango Underpants.

In addition, she is holding a writers’ room on a TV drama with such talent as Renée Webster, Miley Tunnecliffe and Kelly Lefever.

Webster is writing and will direct How to Please a Woman, a comedy-drama about a mature woman who must embrace her sexuality when her all-male house-cleaning business gets out of control.

Supported in development since 2016 by Screen Australia and Screenwest, the film has an Australian distributor and sales agent attached and the plan is to start shooting in Perth in March with funding from Screenwest’s West Coast Visions.

‘Itch’.

With a UK deal with the BBC announced last week, Komixx Entertainments’ Itch has also been picked up in the Us, Finland and New Zealand.

ABC Commercial has sold the 10 x 30 children’s series to Us broadcaster Byu Broadcasting, who has secured Ftv, Stv and Svod rights for its family entertainment platform BYUtv, as well as Tvnz and Finnish public broadcaster Yle.

Based on the books from UK television and radio presenter Simon Mayo, Itch follows the follows the adventures of Itchingham Lofte, a science obsessed teenager who pursues the unusual hobby of collecting all the elements on the Periodic Table. When Itch gets his hands on a new, previously unknown element, things start to get interesting.

It stars Samuel Ireland opposite a cast of newcomers including Melanie Wozniak, Charles Russell, Kylah Day, Harry Popple, Henry Mendez and Keala Kern. ABC Commercial launched the series, aimed at 8-to-12 year olds,...

‘Itch’. (Photo: David Dare Parker)

The BBC has snapped up the UK rights to Komixx Entertainment children’s series Itch, to be broadcast on kids channel Cbbc.

Based on the books from UK television and radio presenter Simon Mayo, the 10 x 30 minute series follows the follows the adventures of Itchingham Lofte, a science obsessed teenager who pursues the unusual hobby of collecting all the elements on the Periodic Table. When Itch gets his hands on a new, previously unknown element, things start to get interesting.

Shot in Albany, Wa, the series is aimed at 8-to-12 year-olds and stars Samuel Ireland opposite a cast of newcomers including Melanie Wozniak, Charles Russell, Kylah Day, Harry Popple, Henry Mendez and Keala Kern. ABC Commercial launched the series at MIPJunior last October.

The scripts were written by Melanie Halsall, Dan Berlinka, Ron Elliott, Heather Wilson, Jessica Brookman and Roger Monk. The series produced by Amanda Morrison,...

Screenwest’s re-imagined 2020 West Coast Visions program will fast track more new talent in a two-stage model.

In addition, Sbs acting head of scripted Amanda Duthie and strategic consultant James Hewison from Kinetic will serve as external industry assessors.

Applications are open now and close on Monday May 11 at 5:00pm Awst.

Stage one: Three shortlisted applicants will receive targeted and intensive six-month development and $20,000 in grant development funding.

Stage two: After development, one successful project will be selected to receive production funding of $750,000.

Screenwest talent development manager Eva Di Blasio said: “The new format for the West Coast Visions will enable two additional teams to develop their feature films into market-ready productions.

“The inclusion of Amanda Duthie and James Hewison on the selection panel is a fantastic endorsement of the program and will ensure that three amazing projects go into development and an exceptional, production ready feature is selected as the final recipient.

(L-r): Melissa Lee Speyer, Gemma Bird Matheson, Lynette Wallworth.

Screen Australia has put almost $900,000 towards the story development of seven TV dramas, nine online projects, nine features and in an agency first – a podcast.

Podcast Engineering Consciousness, helmed by Emmy Award winner Lynette Wallworth, explores what happens to someone’s consciousness during a near-death experience. The idea is that the podcast will be used as a proof-of-concept for a television drama on the same topic. It will be produced by Bunya Productions’ Sophia Zachariou and Greer Simpkin.

Also on the slate is a live-action feature film from Ludo Studio (Bluey), written and directed by Daley Pearson, and a 10-part fictional TV series about what went on behind the scenes of the iconic Leyland Brothers’ adventures across Australia, created by Daina Reid and produced by Joanna Werner.

This is the first story development round of the year. Screen Australia runs...

Amanda Morrison.

Komixx Entertainment has elevated Asia Pacific MD Amanda Morrison to head of global production.

In her new role, Morrison will remain based in Perth and report directly to group CEO Ed Glauser.

Komixx was founded in London in 2007, where its headquarters remains. Since then it has expanded to Los Angeles, and in 2017, opened an Asia Pacific office based in Perth, which Morrison has led over the last two years.

“Komixx is a dynamic and truly global production company focusing on the iGeneration that is growing up digital. Our shows are currently in production all over the world so I am super excited to take on this new role,” Morrison told If.

For Morrison, working internationally from Australia gives Komixx a unique opportunity to draw from the depth of Australian talent while leveraging established relationships overseas.

The company’s expansion has been propelled by success in the kids and young-adult genre,...

The cast of ‘The Heights’ season 2 (Photo credit: Ben King).

Backed by Screen Australia, the second season of the ABC’s ground-breaking drama serial The Heights will start shooting in Perth on August 26, providing more opportunities for emerging directors, writers and actors.

Jub Clerc, whose short Storytime is featured in the horror anthology Dark Whispers – Volume 1 curated by Megan Riakos and Leonie Marsh, and Kelli Cross (Aussie Rangers) are joining the cohort of directors under the production’s mentorship program.

They will be mentored by Karl Zwicky, alongside another addition in Tenika Smith (Neighbours) and Renée Webster, who made her TV drama directing debut on the first season.

Season one writers Romina Accurso, Hannah Carroll Chapman, Megan Palinkas, Peter Mattessi, Dot West, Magda Wozniak, the showrunner/co-creator Warren Clarke and Katie Beckett return.

They are joined by recruits Tim Williams, Nora Niasari, Nayuka Gorrie, Cassandra Nguyen, Jane Allen, Alex Cullen,...

Tania Chambers and Renée Webster.

Writer/director Renée Webster and producers Tania Chambers of Feisty Dame Productions and Judi Levine of Such Much Films are the recipients of Screenwest’s 2019 West Coast Visions initiative.

They will receive $750,000 towards the feature film How To Please A Woman, a heartfelt comedy drama about Gina, an admin worker who starts a company providing women with quality sexual experiences packaged with a houseclean. She soon discovers the boundless nature of not only their desires but also her own.

The project has received development funding from Screen Australia’s Gender Matters Brilliant Stories initiative and Screenwest’s feature development program.

Screenwest head of production and development Matt Horrocks said the film’s DNA was strong and its underlying themes were universal, observing: “The ideas explored in the film will touch audiences worldwide and I’m very excited to see another Western Australian feature film creating...

Libbie Doherty.

Confirmed as head of children’s production at the ABC earlier this month, Libbie Doherty is on the look-out for comedies and factual entertainment programs.

Overseeing a department of 65 people including 25 in Melbourne, she commissions around 380 hours of content annually across ABC Kids and ABC Me as well as overseeing ABC Kids Listen, children’s digital products and third party social media.

Her budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 is unchanged, despite the $84 million funding cut over the next three years. “Our broad commissioning strategy is to present the best of Australian content and the best from the rest of the world,” she tells If in one of her first interviews since her appointment, after acting in the role for a year.

“We are always in the market for comedy. The Inbestigators is self-contained and won’t go to a second season so we definitely have room for comedies.

Nicholas Verso (l) and Samuel Ireland on the ‘Itch’ set (Photo credit: David Dare Parker).

Nicholas Verso has worked with children so often since his 2016 debut feature Boys in the Trees the writer-director says it’s a blessing whenever an adult appears on set.

Not that he is complaining: Verso has relished nurturing young talent in Matchbox Pictures’ Nowhere Boys, Magpie Pictures’ Grace Beside Me, Aquarius Films’ The Unlisted and the ABC Me-commissioned action-adventure Itch.

However he looks forward to getting into adult territory with horror movie The Ice Cream Man, The Lairdbalor adapted from Kathleen Kaufman’s dark fantasy novel, and psychological thriller Sleep to Dream.

In addition he is developing with producer Joanna Werner Crazy Fun Park, a TV series set in an abandoned amusement park populated by the corpses of kids who died there. That isn’t as dark as it sounds, he explains, observing: “It’s...

(l-r) Renée Webster with cast members Ben Mortley and Keala Kern and Dop Darrell Martin (Photo credit: Nic Duncan).

Australian children’s TV series rarely venture into the fast-paced action adventure genre. Rarer still is a teenage protagonist who is highly intelligent and passionate about science.

That’s the premise of Itch, the 10-part ABC-tv series now shooting in Albany, Wa, produced by Komixx Entertainment in association with Feisty Dame Productions.

It was an irresistible hook for Renée Webster, who directed the first block before handing over to co-director Nick Verso.

Adapted from former BBC broadcaster Simon Mayo’s novel Itch, the series stars Waapa graduate Samuel Ireland as Itchingham Lofte, a science-obsessed teen who pursues the unusual and sometimes dangerous hobby of collecting all the elements on the periodic table.

“I am attracted to projects whose values resonate with mine: that is really important,” she tells If. “Nick and...

Charles Russell, Samuel Ireland, Melanie Wozniak and Kylah Day in ‘Itch’ (Photo credit – Nic Duncan).

When BBC announcer Simon Mayo wrote a short story for Joe, his then 10-year-old son, he had no agent or publisher and he could not imagine the book turning into a TV series set halfway across the world in Australia.

Mayo’s tome Itch was published in 2012 and optioned the following year by Komixx Entertainment, the film and TV production company with headquarters in London and offices in Los Angeles.

Melanie Halsall, Komixx’s head of development, laboured for years on the project, which chronicles the adventures of Itchingham Lofte, a science-obsessed teenager who pursues the unusual and sometimes dangerous hobby of collecting all the elements on the periodic table.

When he discovers a new element with extraordinary powers he is forced to go on the run to protect it from sinister organisations who want it for their own ends.