Film director Baz Luhrmann will bring around $4 million to Western Australia after the director agreed to film part of his next movie, a war-time epic starring Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman, near Kununurra for about one month.
Film director Baz Luhrmann will bring around $4 million to Western Australia after the director agreed to film part of his next movie, a war-time epic starring Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman, near Kununurra for about one month.
The State Government has committed $500,000 to secure the project for Western Australia.
The full text of an announcement from the Premier's office is pasted below.
The State Government has successfully concluded negotiations to secure the filming of Baz Luhrmann's next feature film in Western Australia.
Premier Alan Carpenter said the State Government had lobbied hard to lure the film to WA, committing $500,000 to the project to secure filming for at least a month in the Kimberley.
The as yet untitled film will star Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman and will be directed by one of Australia's most successful filmmakers, Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge, Romeo and Juliet, Strictly Ballroom).
The film is an historic epic set around the bombing of Darwin in the Second World War.
"This is fantastic news for WA," Mr Carpenter said.
"It is a massive boost to our screen industry and will showcase the stunning Kimberley region to the world."
Mr Luhrmann today said the feature film would start shooting in March 2007 and was planned to film around the unique Kununurra region in July 2007.
"We had a choice - to recreate this section of the film in studio or in another State or to capture the real thing on film," he said.
Mr Luhrmann said filming on location was preferable to shooting in a studio but the cost of filming outside a metropolitan area could be prohibitively high.
"The WA Government' s financial contribution was instrumental in my decision to shoot these scenes around Kununurra," he said.
Culture and Arts Minister Sheila McHale said financial returns to the State were estimated at $4 million.
"More than 200 cast and crew will live and work in the area for a month, with accommodation alone expected to total more than $325,000 per week," Ms McHale said.
"Apart from the direct financial gains, there will be many flow-on benefits from such a major film production shooting on location; those benefits will also extend to Aboriginal people.
"This project will provide once-in-a-lifetime employment opportunities for locals and may spur some to start a career in WA's thriving screen industry.
"I am also thrilled the film will bring back to WA two of Australia's finest actors, Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman, who spent time here during their early careers."
The Minister said the project would showcase WA as a tourism destination.
"WA's unique North will be transformed into a film starring some of Australia's best talent and broadcast internationally," she said.
