Australian trio partner on $12m production fund, led by ‘Diabolic'

Australia's Monster Pictures, Pictures in Paradise and Sunjive Studios are partnering

By Ben Dalton 21 May 2022

Australian trio partner on $12m production fund, led by ‘Diabolic'
Sunjive Studios, Adelaide

Australian companies Monster Pictures, Pictures In Paradise and Sunjive Studios are partnering on a $12m production fund for an initial three-picture slate, opening with Daniel J. Phillips’ genre title Diabolic.

The slate is financed by Amcomri Productions, the UK’s Head Gear Films and Sunjive Studios, with international rights handled by UK-based 101 Films International.

The first project is Phillips’ genre title Diabolic, which is set to shoot in South Australia this year. The film follows a woman who takes part in a fundamentalist religious ritual to cure her debilitating chronic disease, only to be faced by a mysterious evil witch.

Phillips, who previously directed 2019 horror Awoken, co-wrote the script with Mike Harding. 

Producers are Mark Patterson for Australia’s Go Patterson Films; Silvio Salom and Andrew Mann for Sunjive Studios; Phil Hunt and Compton Ross for the UK’s Head Gear Films; Andy Lyon for 101 Films International; Ari Harrison for Umbrella Entertainment; Grant Hardie for Monster Pictures; and Chris Brown for Pictures In Paradise.

Sunjive is providing equity investment, with production financing from Head Gear. Hunt’s (Yet) Another Distribution Company will release the film in the UK and North America.

The second and third films in the slate are in pre-production and will be announced in 2022 ahead of shooting in 2023.

“The combination of [Head Gear]’s finance, the Australian team, and the global distribution capabilities across Amcomri Entertainment’s companies make this an exciting first step in a potentially huge partnership with, and beyond these three movies,” said Andy Lyon, CEO of Amcomri Productions and 101 Films International.

This article originally appeared on sister site, ScreenDaily.

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