Screen Australia and Ambience Entertainment are thrilled to announce the commencement of production on feature film, Overture. Written and directed by the award-winning Bruce Beresford, Overture is a powerful, funny and moving family story which will resonate with contemporary audiences. Ambience Entertainment is proud to have closed the financing, with the film also receiving major production investment from Screen Australia in association with Screenwest through the WA Production Attraction Incentive. Post, digital and visual effects supported by Screen NSW.
Overture follows the journey of Stephen Seary, a successful stage designer returning to his small Australian hometown to say goodbye to his dying mother. Chaos, drama and at times downright funny moments unfold as Stephen navigates family responsibilities, old friends and past lovers, all while trying to return to Europe for a major opera design contract. This powerful and relatable family comedy-drama is brought to life by an exceptional cast, including Luke Bracey (Elvis, Hacksaw Ridge, Interceptor) as Stephen, alongside Bryan Brown (Anyone but You, Breaker Morant, Cocktail), Susie Porter (Mercy Road, Transfusion, Gold), Celia Massingham (DC Legends of Tomorrow, Ladies in Black, Reef n Beef),newcomer Shubshri Kandiah (Beauty and the Beast Musical, Aladdin, Into the Woods Musical) and Nicholas Hammond (The Amazing Spider-Man, The Sound of Music, Once upon a Time in Hollywood).
“Bruce Beresford has built a career by creating distinctive Australian stories that connect with audiences and travel the world. From Driving Miss Daisy to Breaker Morant, his films are bold and powerful and there is a real appetite for his next feature. With Overture, Bruce has created a moving family drama set against the spectacular backdrop of Western Australia. I can’t wait to see this talented cast and crew bring this authentic story to life.” Screen Australia COO Grainne Brunsdon commented. Academy Award nominated director Bruce Beresford, known for titles such as Driving Miss Daisy, Mao’s Last Dancer, and Ladies in Black, expressed his excitement about the project “When writing this story my aim was to create an involving story, with a range of characters supplying considerable humour. Once I started writing the script it practically wrote itself and I was delighted to find my characters dictating to me what they would do and even say next. We have a fantastic line-up of cast and a talented team to bring this story to life.”
“Bruce has written a film that speaks straight to the heart, and celebrates the complexities and humour of family dynamics. We are thrilled to be working with him, along with an amazing cast and crew to capture this stunning and uniquely Australian story. Bringing entertaining stories to the screen with international appeal is at the heart of all Ambience Entertainment films. When the opportunity came to work with Bruce, we knew we had something special on our hands.” Ambience Entertainment’s Managing Director & Producer Matthew Street commented. “Filming is set to begin this month in various locations across Perth, capturing the breathtaking landscapes and untouched nearby country towns. We have secured an incredible cast and with Bruce at the helm this will be a powerful emotive film that will captivate audiences. It is such a pleasure for us to bring Bruce’s script to life,” Michael Boughen, Producer at Ambience Entertainment commented “When I first read Bruce’s script, I was taken by the simplicity of structure but captivated by the complexity of the characters and situations. Bruce’s ability to tell this story and confront issues we all have or will face, resonated profoundly with me. Bruce is a unique and gifted filmmaker and he’s at his best with Overture.”
Overture was made possible thanks to the State Government’s WA Production Attraction Incentive – Australia’s most competitive incentive, which is designed to attract high profile, market driven screen productions to the State. “We are so pleased to welcome the iconic Bruce Beresford and the Ambience team to Western Australia. Having a director of Bruce’s calibre filming in our state and providing opportunities for so many WA crew members is yet another fantastic outcome of the WA Production Attraction Incentive.” Rikki Lea Bestall, Screenwest CEO commented.
Overture is slated for an Australian theatrical and worldwide release in 2025.