My Australia, written and directed by Israeli filmmaker Ami Drozd, is the story of two boys raised by a single mother in Poland, who grow up in the 60's without knowledge of their Jewish descent. After the brothers engage in an attack on local Jewish children, their mother tells them about their origins. Meanwhile the younger Tadeusz dreams about a trip to exotic Australia, from which he gets packages filled with rare oranges sent by his aunt. When the mother decides to take leave Poland with her children, she tells them they are going to Land Down Under, in order to get her son excited by the journey. When the family boards a ship to Israel, Tadeusz discovers their real destination, and both boys have to quickly adapt to the different environment and culture.
"This a very exciting and important story. For the first time in a Polish film we touch the faiths of a whole generation of Poles of Jewish origin, who left the country and emigrated to Israel in the 1960's because of the antisemitic political campaign. " Dariusz Jabłoński, the producer of the movie told FNE. "The story starts in Poland, but what fascinated us the most was the new life of the family in Israel, how they could find themselves and adapt to the changed conditions."
The movie is produced by Poland's Apple Film (www.applefilm.pl) and Israeli company TransFax Films (www.transfax.co.il ) headed by Marek Rozenbaum and based in Tel-Aviv.
"The Israeli filmmakers really wanted to make this movie in co-operation with Poland. Ami Drozd based this script on his experience leaving Poland, and our co-producer Marek Rozenbaum emigrated from Lódź to Israel and also has a real emotional investment in this project," Jabłoński said. "Marek Rozenbaum is a renowned Israeli producer and my long time close friend so it makes me very happy that our first joint project evolves around the topic so important for the both of us."
The shoots in Poland were realized between July 23 and August 1. Filming in Israel lasted through the end of August 2009. The total budget of the title is 1 million EUR with a 600,000 PLN from the Polish Film Institute (www.pisf.pl).
"The two main roles are played by extremely talented amateur Polish actors Jakub Wróblewski and Łukasz Sikora. Their mother is portrayed by Aleksandra Popławska. The rest of the cast is Israeli actors including a number of children. Our cinematographer is Adam Sikora, a renowned Polish filmmaker of such movies as Four Nights With Anna by Jerzy Skolimowski and The Mill And The Cross by Lech J. Majewski," Jabłoński told FNE. "The premiere of this title is planned for Autumn 2009, and after seeing the work on the set and materials filmed during the shoot, I am sure that the performance from our young cast will enchant the audience," he adds.
Production contact:
Apple Film Production
ul. Bagatela 10/12, 00-585
Warsaw
POLAND
tel.: 22 851 84 40-43
fax: 22 851 84 44
email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
www: http://www.applefilm.pl <http://www.applefilm.pl/>=20
Transfax Film Production Ltd.
3 Yagia Kapayim Street,
3rd Fl. 67778 Tel Aviv,
ISRAEL
Tel: 972 3 6871202
Fax: 972 3 6871499
email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
www: www.transfax.co.il
