Frantales Productions is thrilled to announce the upcoming release of Buried, a darkly funny new five-part digital series about the school drop-off run from hell. Backed by Screen Australia and VicScreen, produced by Fran Derham (Surviving Summer, First Love), and created by talented Victorian duo Miriam Glaser (Utopia, Why Are You Like This) and Charlotte George (Surviving Summer), Buried is a comedy noir thriller that takes a fresh, satirical look at the lengths mothers will go to for their children.
After single mum Abi (Miriam Glaser) accidentally kills a cyclist on the morning school run, her “to-do” list gets a lot more complicated as she tries to juggle the battle of everyday parenting with the disposal of a corpse. Over the course of one not-so-average school day, Abi must navigate a suspicious rival parent, avoid the police, and hide the evidence – all before 3:30pm pick-up.
“This story explores the myths versus the reality of motherhood and uses comedy to push those boundaries to extremes. Playing an anti-hero mum was so refreshing and the moral conundrum Abi finds herself in was surprisingly relatable. Despite the dark turn her day takes, everything she does is to keep her family together – wouldn’t any good parent do the same?” Actor and co-writer, Miriam Glaser commented.
“The body in the boot is yet another burden Abi has to bear; not even death can stop the endless chores parents, especially women, have to deal with every day.” Director and co-writer, Charlotte George added.
Like many modern parents, the film’s key players, Glaser, George and Derham are well versed with the struggles of the elusive work-life balance. Drawing on the trio’s own real-life experiences, Buried emerges with an authentic sense of relatability via a series of all-too-familiar parental dilemmas – with a side of murder adding an extra layer of chaos. Buried sees the collaborators bring their whip-smart personal insights and razor-sharp humour to the small screen once again, having laid the groundwork for the new series after working together on the multi-award-winning short film Assets in 2022.
Taking inspiration from the domestic comedy of Motherland and combining it with the gore and twisted morality seen in Dexter, Buried delves into the complexities and relentless challenges of modern motherhood, juxtaposing traditional ideals with a messy – sometimes bloody – reality.
“When I read the scripts for Buried, I saw my own experience as a mother mirrored in a heightened comedy thriller,” producer Fran Derham commented “I was excited to be working with other mothers to create something that provides insight into the relentlessness of parenting and the lengths mothers go to for their children—a concept that I always connect with on screen.”
Filmed in Melbourne with a local production team, the series also features Eliza Matengu (Swift Street), Syd Brisbane (High Country), Louise Siverson (Love Me), Genevieve Morris (No Activity), Michael Faaloua Logo (Colin From Accounts), Patrick Williams, Fiona Choi (The Family Law) and Alicia Gardiner (Deadloch).
Buried sees a team of world-class film and television professionals unite behind the scenes, with names including DOP Matt Dobson (Neighbours ), production designer Ruby Railey (Buried), costume designer Emma Lamp (Latecomers), makeup designer Brooke Pearson (The Rooster), editor Shannon Michaelas (Monologue, Sunshine), and composer and sound designer Nick Batterham(Bromley: Light After Dark, Time · Rone) all bringing their expertise to the fore.
Buried will be available on YouTube from Wednesday 4 September. Buried is financed by Screen Australia in association with VicScreen.