Netflix expands its Australian production slate

Netflix has greenlighted two new series, one feature film and one full-length documentary from Australia three years into its local production effort in Australia and New Zealand, .  "Today, we’re sharing some of the new Australian films and shows that will be released on Netflix or commence production this year, with plenty more to come yet," the streamer announces.

The titles, "Love Is In The Air" and "OneFour: Against All Odds," "The Survivors" and "Desert King" are announced in addition to previously announced renewals of teen series “Heartbreak High” and “Surviving Summer” and the go-ahead for prestige book-to-series adaptation “Boy Swallows Universe” and kids animation “Eddie’s Lil Homies.”"Our upcoming films and shows from Australia celebrate our culture and showcase the diverse people and landscapes from all corners of the country and across all genres," Netflix states in a recent release.

Set in the Australian Outback, “Desert King” revolves around billionaire miners, traditional owners, cowboys and desert gangsters fighting over the world’s biggest cattle station the size of Wales. It’s a hot, dusty, sexy Outback Western with guns and helicopters. It is directed by Greg McLean and created by Tim Lee and Ben Davies, with production by Paul Ranford. The series is a co-production between Easy Tiger and Ronde.

“The Survivors” series is an ambition crime-mystery adaptation of the novel of the same title by Australian writer Jane Harper. Set in a Tasmanian seaside town, the narrative explores the impact of unresolved grief when the murder of a woman brings events of 15 years earlier into focus. Production is by Tony Ayres Productions, part of Universal Studios. “Love is in the Air," starring Delta Goodrem as a seaplane pilot flying in the north Australian tropics who falls in love with the man sent to ruin her business. It is directed by Adrian Powers and co-written by Powers, Caera Bradshaw and Katharine E. McPhee and produced by the Steve Jaggi Company. Other cast members include Joshua Sasse, Steph Tisdell and Roy Billing. “Shot entirely on location, we pushed the boundaries by shooting in glorious 8K Vista Vision,” said Jaggi. The film will premier on Netflix on 28 September. 

The documentary feature “OneFour: Against All Odds” analyzes the drill rap phenomenon that is popular in Pacific Islander and working class parts of Australia, the genre’s most popular Australian group and the specialist police force set up to stop them performing live. The film is directed by Gabriel Gasparinatos for Entropico and Stranger Than Fiction with Sarah Noonan, Erin Moy, Jennifer Peedom and Gasparinatos producing.“The story of OneFouris one of the most significant cultural moments in recent Australian history,” Gasparinatos said. “It’s about the changing face of this country and who gets to have a voice in it. Australia markets this sun-kissed image of itself and it’s so important to show it’s not all like that.”

"We’re excited about the variety and scope these new films and shows bring to our existing slate of homegrown stories," the streamer concludes. "Having seen success both here in Australian and around the world with films like Run Rabbit Run, True Spirit, The Stranger, and A Perfect Pairing as well as series such as Wellmania, Heartbreak High, and Surviving Summer that have racked up millions of view hours and featured high in our Top 10 lists both locally and globally, we hope to continue to create space for Australian stories to be told and succeed."