Screen Australia, Goalpost Pictures and Cowlick Entertainment have announced that, Tilda Cobham-Hervey (Hotel Mumbai) and Danielle Macdonald (PattiCake$), will headline the major new Australian feature film I Am Woman the story of Australian singing superstar Helen Reddy, which begins filming next month in Sydney.
Produced by Goalpost Pictures’ Rosemary Blight (Top End Wedding, The Sapphires), the film is the feature directorial debut of Australian director Unjoo Moon (The Zen of Bennett). The cinematographer is Academy-Award-winner Dion Beebe (Memoirs of A Geisha, Chicago).
I Am Woman is the story of Helen Reddy who, in 1966, landed in New York with her three-year-old daughter, a suitcase and $230 in her pocket. Within weeks she was broke. Within five years she was one of the biggest superstars of her time, the first ever Australian Grammy Award winner and an icon of the 1970’s feminist movement. Helen wrote the anthem, I Am Woman, which galvanized a generation of women to fight for change.
Tilda Cobham-Hervey will play Helen Reddy. Danielle Macdonald will play her friend, legendary New York-based Australian rock journalist and club owner Lillian Roxon.
Screen Australia is the principal investor in the film, alongside Cowlick Entertainment. The film is also made with the support of Create NSW. The film will be distributed in Australian/NZ by Transmission Films with Cowlick Entertainment.
“I Am Woman has all the ingredients to make for a stellar Australian feature film about an extraordinary and ground-breaking Australian singer, Helen Reddy, who wrote and sang the song that became the anthem for the women’s movement in the 70s, and still resonates today. The film has a poignant and fascinating screenplay from Emma Jensen, precise vision from director, Unjoo Moon, producing acumen from Rosemary Blight of Goalpost Pictures, high production values from Director of Photography, Dion Beebe and is topped off with two amazing young Australian actresses, Tilda Cobham-Hervey and Danielle Macdonald,” Head of Content at Screen Australia, Sally Caplan commented.
“We’re proud and excited to be working with our friends at Goalpost again in bringing Helen Reddy’s inspiring story to Australian cinemas in 2019. Hers is a story to be celebrated, and with Unjoo and the incredible team behind I Am Woman we couldn’t be happier.” Transmission Films’ Andrew Mackie commented.
“Helen Reddy is one of the most successful singers ever to come out of Australia and, while it is remarkable that her story has never been told before on the screen, this moment in history seems like the absolutely perfect time to make this film and celebrate both her achievements as an artist and the enduring legacy of her song I Am Woman.” Goalpost Pictures’ Rosemary Blight commented.
“At Cowlick Entertainment we are all about popular audience-driven stories that make the world a better place. We also support stories with strong female leads. I Am Woman is one of these stories and it is a magical script. Helen Reddy’s story is phenomenal and the impact of her music on culture is just as relevant today as it was then. We can’t wait to help bring this story to the big screen for the shared enjoyment of audiences around the world.” Cowlick Entertainment’s CEO Peter Drinkwater commented.