Download The casting of Lucky Miles

Lucky Miles
...too much paradise
Directed by Michael James Rowland
Release Date: 12 July 2007
Running Time: 104 minutes
Rating: TBA
Lucky Miles
...too much paradise
Short synopsis
It's 1990 and an Indonesian fishing boat abandons Iraqi and Cambodian
refugees in a remote part of the Western Australia. Whilst most are quickly caught by
officials, three men with nothing in common but their misfortune and determination
escape arrest and begin an epic journey into the heart of Australia. Pursued by an army
reservist unit, our three heroes wander deeper into the desert, desperately searching for
civilization amongst the stones of the Pilbara.
Lucky Miles. A bittersweet comedy about distance, difference and dud maps.
Based on a collection of true stories.
Summary background
Inspired by stories of extreme survival and high farce about refugees roaming
through the Pilbara region in the late eighties, Lucky Miles is foremost a buddy movie in
the proud tradition of the three-guys-stuck-out-on-a-limb genre. Think Down by Law, O
Brother, Where art Thou? and Three Kings. Its universal theme, strong global
characters, exotic setting and quixotic charm will claim a slice of the Coen brothers'
international market.
But like the Oscar-winning No Man's Land, it also deals with inherently political
material in an accessible, entertaining and slightly absurdist fashion. It reduces the
politics to the personal, providing insight and engagement through the defiance and
humanity of its characters.
Long synopsis
A boatload of Cambodian and Iraqi men land on a stretch of remote Australian
coastline and make their way to shore. Entering the country illegally, they have been
brought here by Indonesian fishermen who assure them, though the location looks
deserted, that over the dunes is the bus to town.
The boat departs leaving the men to discover there is no bus, just a vast desert.
They have been left in the middle of nowhere.
The men form into two groups according to nationality - Iraqi and Cambodian.
With little in common they part company on the beach heading off in opposite directions.
Earlier in the day an aerial sighting of the fishing boat was reported. An army
reserve unit is sent to search the coastline. Believing the sighting unreliable, the unit
instead goes fishing.
Next day a group of Cambodian men appear at a remote settlement pub and
attempt to buy bus tickets. The police are alerted by the barmaid at the local pub, the
men are detained and a serious search begins. It’s harsh desert country and anyone
lost in the area is in danger.
Within 18 hours the second group of Iraqi men is found. A disaster has been
averted. However by night it appears a single Cambodian man may still be missing in
the area around the pub. The army reserve unit is redirected to lead the search as two
of its members can track.
Next morning the unit finds the tracks of a man leading from the pub into the
bush. Presuming the trail belong to the missing man they follow it. Soon the tracks
merge with those of another man, then another. Now they are following three people.
The trail belongs to three men from the fishing boat. Arun is the missing
Cambodian man - he escaped from the pub when he saw armed men (police) arrive.
Youssif is an Iraqi man thought lost by his compatriots after he fell down an escarpment
(he wasn’t greatly missed) and Ramelan is an Indonesian fisherman - one of those
responsible for abandoning everyone on the beach. His boat sank soon after the drop.
Arun carries their only water and now their lives are bound by it. He and Youssif
unite in enmity to drive Ramelan like a pack mule across the desert in search of the
town Broome. To stay alive Ramelan leads them to believe he can navigate by the
stars, instead he blindly leads them deeper into the desert. This fraud goes on for nearly
two days before it is revealed.
Arun and Youssif are about to exact revenge on Ramelan when through sheer
luck they find a waterhole. His transgressions are forgotten momentarily as the men
frolic in cool water but anger soon returns. They blame each other for their predicament
and pledge to split. Arun will leave to find his father’s city, Youssif will go back to find the
pub and Ramelan will head for Broome in the north hoping to then hitch a life back to
Java.
The next morning they all leave in opposite directions. The day is one of the
hottest on record and soon starts to take its toll on the men as they walk different
routes.
The army reserve unit arrives at the waterhole too late to find anyone. They’re
increasingly confused by the trail. These men have successfully found the only
waterhole in the area, camped overnight and left in opposite directions. Maybe the unit
is following a mining survey team or a SAS squad? While at the waterhole the unit’s
Land Rover gets bogged, stranding them.
Burnt to a crisp, Arun, Youssif and Ramelan all find the same stock fence. One
by one it leads them to the same abandoned outrider’s hut and back to each other. The
day’s heat has nearly killed them. There are provisions and water at the hut. Reunited
the men sit silently drinking bore water and eating tinned food. Their earlier plans lie in
tatters.
Next day at the hut, new alliances appear. Youssif is now refusing to
communicate and sets himself apart from the others. Chastened by the previous day
Arun and Ramelan become pals.
Youssif discovers a map in the hut. It shows they’re lost in a barren unpopulated
area of the world, roughly the size of Poland. He now believes he’s going to die in the
company of fools and begins trying to fix a hopelessly wrecked ute next to the hut.
After two days bogged the unit’s Land Rover rolls free and they are able to leave
the waterhole. The men they’re tracking have split up, so who do they follow? Adding to
their problems the unit’s radio isn’t working. They pick up Arun’s trail and follow it.
Youssif’s focused anger on the wrecked ute has paid dividends. The ute’s engine
splutters into life. A vehicle and a map offer the men a chance. They load the ute with
supplies and perched on its two and a half wheels, drive away back into the desert.
The army reserve unit reaches the outrider’s hut late in the day. Noting all the
trails regroup to this hut with its supplies and vehicle, they feel more confused than
ever. But the men they’re following are now only two or three hours ahead.
On a dirt road, the ute is stopped by Muluk, the Indonesian fishing boat captain
(who’s also been wandering the area). Armed and on foot he commandeers the ute. He
plans to leave Youssif and Arun by the road but Ramelan convinces him to bring
Youssif as a mechanic. Muluk agrees but refuses Arun a berth. The ute is turned about.
Under Muluk’s command it heads back in the opposite direction leaving Arun behind.
An hour downs the road the ute and army reserve Land Rover nearly sideswipe
atop a ridge. Both vehicles swerve dangerously. Taking the opportunity Ramelan
knocks out the pistol-packing Muluk, allowing Youssif to stop the ute. This is the first
unselfish thing Ramelan has ever done.
Ramelan and Youssif leave Muluk unconscious in the middle of the road and
give themselves up to the Army Reserve Unit. Youssif takes the opportunity to claim
asylum.
The reservists are surprised the trail they’ve been following belongs to these
men. When Youssif tries to explain there is a fourth missing man (Arun), no-one
believes him - it is put down to exposure. When Youssif vigorously insists, he is
restrained. The reservists have found their three men.
Lost and alone Arun wanders into the desert, his spirit nearly broken.
In the early hours of the morning a mean-looking Kangaroo Shooter doing some
spotlighting spies Arun through his rifle’s scope. Arun runs towards the bright light
shouting. It’s a bad fit that Arun’s last hope should depend on this man but against
expectation the Kangaroo Shooter’s hospitality provides Arun with everything he needs
to survive the desert and catch his bus.
Credits
Cast
ARUN
Kenneth Moraleda
YOUSSIF
Rodney Afif
RAMELAN
Srisacd Sacdpraseuth
O’SHANE
Glenn Shea
GREG PLANK
Don Hany
TOM COLLINS
Sean Mununggurr
MULUK
Sawung Jabo
ABDU
Arif Hidayat
Saleh
Majid Shokor
Fiark
Osamah Sami
Firas
Toma Isho
Hussam
Majed Abbas
Abbas
Asaad Abdulrazak
Chay
Samang Chan
Nol
Thorl Chea
Tea
Sokong Kim
Heng
Rithy Dourng
Sam
Chanse Nop
Huoy
Tevi Fanning
Peter Coade
Hamish Michael
Young Arun
Vincent Chea
Chris
Gillian Jones
Coote
Edwin Hodgeman
Policeman #1
Andrew S Gilbert
Policeman #2
Dan Wyllie
Stan
Jack Orszaczky
Evie
Lillian Crombie
Newsreader
Jo Dyer
Regular #1
Don Barker
Regular #2
Maurice Howie
Roo Shooter
Gerard Kennedy
Older Peter Coade
Geoff Morrell
Key crew
Director/Co-Writer
Michael James Rowland
Co-Writer
Helen Barnes
Producers
Jo Dyer and Lesley Dyer
Executive Producer
Michael Bourchier
Co-Producer
Michael James Rowland
Line Producer
Barbara Gibbs
Director of Photography
Geoff Burton ACS
Production Design
Pete Baxter
Costume Design
Ruth de la Lande
Editor
Henry Dangar ACE
Sound Design
Pete Best
Pete Smith
Liam Price
Tom Heuzenroeder
Scott Illingworth
John Simpson
Composer
Trilok Gurtu
Music Supervisor
Thomas Brooman
Music Editor
James Hurley
Casting
Jo Dyer
Technical details
Format
35 mm
Screen Ratio
1.85:1
Country of Production
Australia
Running Time
105 minutes
Sound
Dolby Digital SRD
Reels
6
Budget
$A3.23m
Locations
Cambodia
Phnom Penh
Landing Beach
Coffin Bay, South Australia
Coastline
Elliston, South Australia
Desert
Parachilna, Copley, Hawker
Flinders Ranges, South Australia
Background to Lucky Miles
Lucky Miles began as a response to The Lexus & The Olive Tree by Thomas
Friedman (the New York Times writer responsible for defining globalisation for much of
the West) and took its form and inspiration from several true stories, played out on the
remote coastline of Western Australia between 1989-1992.
This project is motivated by the belief the future is being shaped by the forces of
globalisation - undocumented immigration, refugees and the ensuing government
policies are only part of this mix. Not since the 1930s has there been such a period of
dynamic and encompassing change and World Trade agreements, the rise of
Multinationals, Iraq oil-wars, the burgeoning of fundamentalism are all best understood
through the prism of globalisation and the frictions, voids and opportunities it creates
between individuals and nations.
It is these frictions, voids and opportunities that are evoked in the storylines of
Lucky Miles.
As globalisation spreads, the so-called Second and Third Worlds become
markets for the Western economic juggernaut to exploit. An extraordinary range of
products including - perhaps most critically - communication and media technologies
and content are heavily sold to countries all over the world. And as the populations of
economically depressed or politically oppressed countries observe the lifestyle the West
enjoys, the idea of a safer life, a better life, a more rewarding life in the West is born.
And so the West has to deal with the consequences of this, with the incoming
tides of alternately desperate and hopeful people flowing westward from the most
diverse of cultures. And it is the realities and tensions of our shrinking world, a world in
which foreign cultures are forced into contact with each other, that are the true concerns
of Lucky Miles.
The film deliberately avoids representing ideas and realities that are more
effectively dealt with through reportage and documentary. Lucky Miles doesn’t dwell on
back-stories, nor anticipate what sort of welcome the West will ultimately offer ARUN,
YOUSSIF and RAMELAN. These things are held in a creative tension by the viewer.
Resisting the pull of a tub-thumping didacticism, Lucky Miles instead does what drama
does best - reveals humanity by placing characters in conflict. And in doing so it does
something very practical and powerful - it creates an empathy for them in the viewer.
For the Australian audience, Lucky Miles subverts and updates the unique
Australian myth of men wandering lost in the desert, in the dead heart of our vast
country. It echoes several true stories along the way, including Burke & Wills. Yet Lucky
Miles is more than an Australian story - it’s about a shrinking world where cultures
collide and will have a broad global audience amongst those who also recognise these
forces in their own lives.
Lucky Miles serves as a metaphor for the consequences of globalisation. It
examines a world in which we are forced to negotiate and navigate difference between
individuals and communities, regardless of how uncomfortable, confronting or
unpleasant we may find it. It forces us to consider how we can and must bridge the
cultural chasm that lies between different citizens and states if we are to do business
together, progress, survive. And - from a white Western perspective - it does so without
there being an “us”. The film leads us to empathise with characters we are traditionally
likely to regard as the “other”.
It is only in the film’s last few minutes that ARUN, YOUSSIF and RAMELAN
finally enter our world. At this point, we groan that YOUSSIF is misunderstood, there is
a collective sigh of relief the kangaroo shooter does the right thing and the final scene is
ARUN at the door of his father’s house. Lucky Miles ends with the beginning of a whole
new chapter, not on a big emotional note, but with a firing up of the imagination. What
do we hope for these men?
It’s bittersweet and subtly conveys that how this story ends is up to the audience.
It’s up to us.
The stories of Lucky Miles
Lucky Miles’ story is woven together from three intersecting plots.
The main story is that of ARUN, YOUSSIF and RAMELAN. Three men lost in the
desert without a compass or proper map, bound together by the limited resource of
water and the need to survive. They start off as strangers with little in common, each
wanting different things, but over the course of the film become painfully aware they’re
dependent on each other to live.
The secondary story is that of a small army reserve unit sent to search for a
missing man. Based on the Norforce units of the Northern Territory, the Kangaroo 4 unit
is made up of an officer from the city and two men from the local area. Their bush skills
range inversely to their rank. At work in their own backyard, their task is made difficult
by the confusing nature of the information they’re gathering.
The tertiary story is that of two fishermen forced to begin a long trek along miles
of Australian beach as they aim for first Broome and ultimately home in Indonesia. One
is the Captain, the other his Best Mate. The captain is under a time crisis to get home
quickly and save his business. His companion isn’t under the same pressure so isn’t
covering ground at the same speed.
The film is set in the same remote area of desert flanked by sea, but the
emotional landscape of each of these stories is quite different.
The main (“A”) story plays out in the hyper-real world of men on the edge of
survival.
The secondary (“B”) story is about an army reserve unit tasking in their own
backyard.
The tertiary (“C) story tells of two fishermen walking home along the edge of a
godforsaken place they want only to leave.
Although the circumstances of these characters vary, in Lucky Miles everyone is
dealing with a version of the same thing: they’re forced into dependency with people
with whom they have little in common (too little for it to be comfortable). Throughout the
film everyone is dealing with voids in language, knowledge, expectation and trust.
These differences make everything harder than it should be. This is the central theme of
Lucky Miles - the heart of the film, the engine of its humour and the journey all the
characters have to take.
The script of Lucky Miles
Lucky Miles is a desert buddy movie inspired by several stories Michael first
heard when he visited the Pilbara region of Western Australia in the late 80s. True
stories of ‘boat people’ landing on the remote WA coastline in the hope of starting a new
life, quickly running into trouble as they set out into some of the harshest and least
populated country of Australia.
In March 2000 Michael began researching these stories through news archives
with the aim of developing this project. Several of these stories involving different
nationalities were reported during the late 80s and early 90s. Journalists he talked to
openly lamented they hadn’t happened today - back then they were only good for page
9.
Helen Barnes and Michael worked on the first two drafts together specifically
focusing on the exploration of innovative and cost-effective techniques to introduce and
identify the people smugglers as Indonesian fishermen, further and more sympathetic
development of the characters of the fishermen and a broad reassessment of the
second act. Primary research to feed into the voice and behavioural framework of the
characters was also essential.
The development of the second draft began with a workshop reading at Belvoir
St Theatre. Actors including Don Hany and Kenneth Moraleda were employed to play all
characters. Importantly and rewardingly, the reading demonstrated the characters are
strong and unique and - as is critical in a successful buddy movie - are able to inspire
the audience to care about them as they moved through the alien environment in which
they find themselves.
Following the workshop, Michael and Helen embarked on a rigorous process of
script development. This process was strongly collaborative and intensive. They
embarked on a series of meeting with Cultural Consultants including Fiark Hany and
Thorl Chea for the A Storyline, Chip Morgan, Stephen Page and Mark Riffel for the B
Storyline, and - later - Sawung Jabo and Arif Hidayat for the C Storyline.
Each consultant was conscripted to provide input into a particular character their background, their likely knowledge of Australia, their capacity for interaction with
other characters and their likely responses to other individuals/nationalities and the
landscape. The Cultural Consultants were critical in defining the behavioural parameters
of each character and situation. Helen and/or Michael met with all Cultural Consultants
at least once. Each meeting was conducted in an interview format and was recorded.
Backgrounds to the key Cultural Consultants are listed below.
Once this draft was complete, the filmmakers elected to test the script in front of
an audience. In November 2003, a rehearsed public reading was held at the Sydney
Theatre Company in front of an invited audience of 150, comprising Consultants,
potential funders, broadcasters and a circle of peers and friends. The reception was
enthusiastic and the filmmakers were then confident to make the transition from script
development to financing.
Cultural consultants
Fiark Hany
Fiark is an Iraqi national currently residing in Australia on a temporary protection
visa. He arrived in Sydney via Iran/Malaysia/Indonesia/Ashmore Reef/Woomera
Detention Centre. He fled Iraq after many of the male members of his extended family
were hunted down and executed following his brother’s desertion from the Iraqi army.
Prior to becoming a refugee he was a student of business management.
Thorl Chea
Thorl and his family miraculously survived 4 years of the Khmer Rouge and 10
years in an UN/Thai refugee camp before resettlement in Adelaide in 1987. Prior to
leaving the UN camp they had never seen a car, heard a radio or experienced
electricity. They arrived in Adelaide on board a Cathay Pacific jumbo jet with no English
and proceeded to watch 2 weeks of television without sleeping. Thorl played the role of
Nol in Lucky Miles.
Stephen Page
Stephen is the Artistic Director of Bangarra Dance Theatre, an Australian dance
company renowned for its powerful and poetic fusion of contemporary dance styles and
traditional Aboriginal dance. Born in Brisbane, Stephen is descended from the Nunukul
people and the Munaldjali clan of the Yugambeh tribe from southeast Queensland,
Australia. Stephen had his first real experience of Aboriginal community life when he
visited the Munyarryun clan in Yirrkala, Arnhemland as a student at the national
Aboriginal dance school, NAISDA. He was subsequently welcomed into the Munyarryun
clan and has spent much of his artistic life building bridges between urban and
community Indigenous Australians. This has been most effectively realized through his
creative relationship and friendship with Bangarra’s Cultural Consultant and former
principal dancer, Djakapurra Munyarryun.
Stephen rates himself as a grown man in urban Australia but is only now
celebrating his 12th birthday in the North.
Chip Morgan
A trained anthropologist and General Manager of the Fred Hollows Foundation,
Chip has spent 25 year living on Aboriginal lands in the north of South Australia and the
Kimberley. In addition to his experience Chip recommended Michael and Helen
Roger Solomon’s documentary Exile in the Kingdom, a documentary about life
Aboriginal communities of Western Australia. Exile in the Kingdom turned out to
invaluable secondary resource material as it deals specifically with the situation
Pilbara region.
watch
in the
be an
in the
Mark Riffel
Mark served in the Army’s 51st regiment based in the Pilbara. During his time
there Mark was involved in reserves recruitment drives from the local communities.
Mark currently works for the Australian Force Defence in the Russell offices, Canberra.
Jonathan Nicholls
Graduating from the University of South Australia, Jonathan is a trained linguist
and an historian of remote Indigenous communities. As an independent consultant his
clients include the South Australian Parliament, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander studies and Pitjantjatjara Council.
Tony Hole
Tony is a Catholic Education officer with long standing ties with the Cambodian
community of South Australia. A trained teacher Tony now consults state-wide
throughout South Australia for Catholic Education on the English language needs of
migrants and at-risk communities
Majid Shokor
One of Iraq’s leading stage actors, Majid was an acclaimed member of the Iraqi
National Theatre Company before fleeing Baghdad in the mid-nineties after refusing to
perform in more of Saddam’s propaganda-based plays. His journey to Australia took
him through Syria, Jordan and finally Lebanon, where he lived for three years. He came
to Australia in 2002 and lives in Melbourne with his family. Majid played the role of
Saleh in Lucky Miles.
Sawung Jabo
Sawung Jabo is one of Indonesia’s leading musicians. The leader of well known
bands Swami and Kantata, Jabo’s songs became the anthems of student protesters in
the lead up to Suharto’s fall and have been woven into the fabric of Indonesian society.
Since 1992 Jabo has lived in Sydney with his Australian wife Suzan Piper and
their two children Santi and Johann. Remaining passionate about his homeland of
Indonesia, his life has become that of a commuter between the two countries. Jabo
plays the role of Muluk in Lucky Miles.
The casting of Lucky Miles
The principals
The eight principal characters in Lucky Miles come from a variety of
backgrounds, including Cambodian, Arabic, Indonesian, Aboriginal and white
Australian. This presented some unusual challenges for casting requiring the producers
to research actors nationally, and across a variety of media, including theatre, television
and stand-up comedy.
Lucky Miles began researching the casting possibilities for the five ethnically
diverse roles by contacting community theatre companies and cultural organisations
across the country. Many actors begin their creative lives in community theatre
companies, and companies working in the Sydney’s western suburbs in particular have
invested time and energy developing works telling the stories of their ethnically diverse
communities. Producer Jo Dyer spoke to a range of companies including Urban Theatre
Projects, Powerhouse Youth Theatre, Adelaide’s Patch Theatre Company and
Sidetrack Theatre Company. From here, we were also directed to Virus Media and Wot
Cross-Cultural Synergy. Virus Media produces both theatre and TV productions with
young actors principally drawn from Sydney’s Middle Eastern communities. Wot
Cross-Cultural Synergy is an organisation created to promote cultural exchange
between Indonesia and Australia. We also spoke to individuals who had collaborated on
projects involving Iraqi, Cambodian and Indonesian stories. From there, we were
directed to Arimba Cultural Exchange, another organisation promoting cultural
exchange between Australia and Indonesia.
We soon had a strong list of mostly unknown actors who might be appropriate for
our key roles which we supplemented by contacting a range of national agents. The lists
included the names of two actors we had previously worked with on our two public
readings and who we had found to be consistently impressive, Kenneth Moraleda as
ARUN and Srisacd Sacdpraseuth as RAMELAN.
Sawung Jabo and Arif Hidayat are both experienced Indonesian performers actors and musicians. Based in Sydney, they both spend part of each year in Indonesia
to sustain themselves professionally. We soon became convinced that we had found
our MULUK and ABDU. MULUK represented Jabo’s first role in an Australian feature
film since The Year of Living Dangerously, unsurprising when one considers there have
been no Indonesian characters in any Australian feature film since Peter Weir’s classic.
Producer Jo Dyer had worked with Rodney Afif on a national theatre tour. A fine
stage actor, Rodney has also previously appeared on film in major roles in Serenades
and Azadi. He was soon cast as YOUSSIF.
Kangaroo 4 did not present quite the same casting challenges as the three lost
wanderers and the Indonesian fishermen that brought them to Australia. Don Hany
(PLANK) and Glenn Shea (O’SHANE) are both established actors and Sean
Mununggurr (TOM) made a strong impression in his acting debut as BOTJ in Yolngu
Boy. Interestingly, Don Hany is half Iraqi on his father’s side and his contacts led the
producers to the individuals who provided significant input to the development of the
Iraqis’ stories in Lucky Miles, some of whom went on to appear in the film in minor roles.
The refugees
For the sake of authenticity, the decision was made early that we would only cast
the refugee characters from within Australia’s Iraqi and Cambodian communities. This
required us to go out and find our Iraqi and Cambodian refugees character by character.
We were able to attract a number of people who had themselves been refugees to
Australia and in some cases had contributed to Lucky Miles’ early script development.
Thorl Chea and his family survived five years of the Khmer Rouge rampage through
Cambodia before living in a UN refugee camp on the Thai-Cambodian border for ten
years. The family eventually came to live in Australia in the 1980s. Much of Thorl’s story
and spirit is in Lucky Miles: he helped Michael and Helen with the first and second drafts
of the script, worked on the Khmer translation with his father, taught Kenneth Moraleda
(ARUN) Khmer before ultimately taking on the role of NOL.
When Michael began researching the Iraqi storyline for Lucky Miles in 1999, he
visited an overcrowded apartment in Fairfield, home of Fiark Hany, cousin of Don Hany
(PLANK), and five other Iraqi refugees all just released from detention centres. Fiark
was an important contributor to the Iraqi narrative and one of his flatmates present on
that first night, Assad Abdulrazak, went on to take on the role of ABBAS. His friend and
fellow refugee Toma Isho also joined the cast as FIRAS.
Thorl, Assad and Toma are not actors but all brought their own life experiences
to the making of Lucky Miles. They were joined by professional actors, including Majid
Shokor as SALEH. Majid was one of Iraq’s leading stage actors in the 1980s, who fled
Iraq shortly before the first Gulf War after objecting to performing in the Iraqi National
Theatre company’s endless productions of Saddam Hussein’s own scripts. His journey
to Australia took him through Syria, Jordan and Lebanon before settling in Melbourne in
the mid 1990s. Majid not only made a fine SALEH, he was also an important resource
both during pre-production and on location, translating all of the Arabic sections and
acting as a language and cultural consultant for Rodney Afif (YOUSSIF).
The filmmakers
Michael James Rowland (Writer, Director)
Prior to studying at The Australian Film Television and Radio School in Sydney,
Michael worked as art director for the Adelaide Festival of Arts.
Michael graduated from AFTRS in 1997 with a Bachelor of Arts and two AFI
nominations. His final year film Flying over Mother screened at film festivals all over the
world and continues to sell on Amazon.com through the Short Film Cinema Journal.
Over the last seven years Michael has moved between drama, documentary and
commercials as both a writer and director. He was nominated for an Australian Writers'
Guild Awgie Award for his work on children's animation series, Bambaloo, and his
collaboration with producer Michael Bourchier included directing episodes for the
award-winning series Head Start, and directing the pilot of children's animation series
Club Sandwich. Michael has also generated his own work, writing and directing series
for the ABC and SBS including TV drama Bloodsports.
In the world of advertising, Michael worked with Oscar winning cinematographer
Russell Boyd to create ads for clients including She magazine and the Australian
Republican Movement. Further advertising work ranges from consumer goods, media
outlets, government organisations and charitable foundations..
Michael has written and illustrated three books, published by Cowboy Books,
including The Existentialist Cowboy's Last Stand. Made into a short film, The
Existentialist Cowboy's Last Stand was awarded the Silver Hugo at the Chicago Film
Festival and was nominated for an AFI Award. Since January 2004, the website
supporting Michael's books has generated over 15 million hits (cowboybooks.com.au).
Lucky Miles is Michael’s first feature film.
Jo Dyer (Producer)
Since graduating in Law from the University of Adelaide, Jo has worked
consistently in both the Australian film and performing arts industries. In the world of
performing arts, she has produced both events and seasons for festivals including the
Edinburgh Festival, the Melbourne International Festival, the Suwon Theatre Festival
and the Olympic Arts Festivals and venues including the Sydney Opera House,
Victorian Arts Centre and London's Queen Elizabeth Hall. A recent major project was
overseeing the construction and fit out, business development and programming for
Sydney Theatre Company's new $40m 850 seat theatre in Walsh Bay - Sydney
Theatre. Sydney Theatre opened in January 2004 and has been widely praised as the
most important new cultural institution to open in New South Wales since the Sydney
Opera House.
Jo began collaborating with Michael James Rowland in 1999 and after
involvement with a number of his film and video projects became Puncture's in-house
producer in 2002. Since then, she has acted as producer or associate producer on all its
projects, including TV drama and corporate films and video clips for clients ranging from
the Australian Defence Force, the Olympic Coordinating Authority and The Church.
Since 2001, she has been acting as Producer on the feature film, Lucky Miles, which
went into production in early 2006 and premiered at the 2007 Adelaide International
Film Festival.
Lesley Dyer (Producer)
Lesley’s passion for film began in 1991 at the University of Technology, Sydney.
Her final student film, bete noire (1994), went on to have a theatrical release in the USA
and served as her entry into the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS).
It was at the AFTRS that she reconnected with fellow South Australian, Michael James
Rowland.
Before her tenure at the AFTRS had finished she had produced eleven short
films and music videos, leading to a successful application to complete her MFA in
Producing at the prestigious UCLA School of Theatre Film and Television.
While still at UCLA, she optioned The Engagement Ring, written by fellow
student Frank Denson. This eventually gave Lesley her first long form producing credit
when TNT produced the film, starring Patricia Heaton, in 2005. Lesley also formed a
strong creative alliance with student Oscar winner, Carl Pfirman.
Lesley went on to work with German director Katja von Garnier at her company
Unicorn Pictures, firstly on the HBO film Iron-Jawed Angels with Hilary Swank, which
led to a year long stint on staff at HBO Films. While at the studio, Lesley continued to
develop her own projects, including Pfirman’s black comedy Lucky Boy which was
picked up by both the IFP Directing and Producing Labs
In 2005, Lesley returned to the freelance world as associate producer on von
Garnier’s next film Blood and Chocolate (Lakeshore Entertainment) and in 2006 joined
the team on Lucky Miles as producer, with fellow producer Jo Dyer and director Michael
James Rowland.
Lesley lives in Los Angeles with her husband and son, and spends as much time
in Sydney as she can. Her next projects include Harlequin based on the Morris West
novel but adapted to be set in both Sydney and New York, and several projects with
both von Garnier and Pfirman.
Michael Bourchier (Executive Producer)
Michael Bourchier is the principal of Blink Films, a multi-award winning company
which operates in both the adult and children domains and in both movies and
television.
Michael has worked in the film and television industry for 27 years. From a
background in theatre and publishing, he joined the nascent television station SBS in
1980 and worked in production on many of the films, documentaries and television
series that heralded a renaissance in the Australian film industry.
Between 1992 and 1995, he produced and co-wrote the hit all-animal movie,
Napoleon, which had notable theatrical success in Europe and on VHS and DVD in the
United States and the United Kingdom. It achieved the highest ratings ever for a
children’s film when screened on Australian television.
Following a period of working as Producer with Ben Gannon on the
award-winning series Heartbreak High, Michael was appointed Executive in Charge of
Production for the Gannon Group in 1999. In this capacity he supervised the
development of the comedy The Man Who Sued God starring Billy Connolly and Judy
Davis as well as the television series Hearts and Minds and Head Start.
In 2000/1, Michael Produced Head Start, a 40 part television series for Carlton,
the ABC and Foxtel. Head Start was critically acclaimed for its innovation,
performances, look and production values.
The tween series Out There, on which he was Producer and Executive Producer
was made in collaboration with Sesame Workshop and broadcast throughout the world.
It won the AFI award for Best Children's Television series in 2003 and received its
second nomination and a Logie Award in 2004.
His most recent television series, The Upside Down Show starring The Umbilical
Brothers, has been a hit on Noggin and Nick Jr in the US and in many other parts of the
world. It has been nominated for a variety of awards including and AFI and a Logie.
About the cast and crew
Kenneth Moraleda
Of Filipino descent Kenneth Moraleda was born in Massachusetts, USA and has
lived in Seattle, The Philippines and now calls Australia home. Kenneth trained at the
Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP) before being accepted into the prestigious
National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) graduating with a Bachelor of Acting in 1995.
Kenneth’s first lead in a feature film is the role of ARUN in Lucky Miles directed
by Michael James Rowland. Other key film roles include MONSOD in John Dahl’s The
Great Raid and TONY in the award-winning short film Sweet and Sour. Kenneth’s
numerous television credits include featured roles in Bondi Banquet for SBS and City
Life for South Pacific Pictures and appearances on Wildside, White Collar Blue,
Comedy Inc and Playhouse Disney.
Notable theatre credits include creating the role of ROGER CHAN in Nick
Enright’s A Man With Five Children for the Sydney Theatre Company directed by
George Ogilvie and most recently playing BANZAI in the Australian/Asian tour of
Disney’s The Lion King directed by Julie Taymor.
Rodney Afif
Since graduating from the VCA in 1996 Rodney has had an extensive career
across Film, Television & Theatre.
His lead performance in the short film Azadi earned it an AFI nomination. Other
film credits include Checkpoint; No Mail; Serenades and Love’s Brother.
Rodney has performed in many theatre productions for both Sydney Theatre
Company and Melbourne Theatre Company including Two Brothers; The Three Sisters;
The Balcony and Wait Until Dark.
He is also noted for roles on many of Australia’s most recognised television
series such as Blue Heelers; MDA; Stingers; Halifax FP and Scooter Secret Agent.
Srisacd Sacdpraseuth
Srisacd graduated from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts
(WAAPA) in 1995. Since then, he has forged an extensive career in film, television and
theatre.
His most recent roles have included RAMELAN in Michael James Rowland’s
debut feature Lucky Miles (2007) and KOMSAN in the award-winning mini-series
Answered by Fire (2006) He will also be seen in the forthcoming SBS TV series East
West 101 (2007). Sri has also made regular appearances on major TV series such as
All Saints and Wildside.
Although concentrating on his screen work in recent years, Sri has previously
worked for many of Australia’s most successful independent theatre companies
including lead roles in Griffin Theatre Company’s Songket and A Clockwork Orange for
the Tamarama Rock Surfers.
Geoff Burton
Geoff is one of Australia's most renowned Directors of Photography. Among his
many credits are some of the seminal films of Australian cinema including Sunday Too
Far Away, Storm Boy and The Year My Voice Broke. Geoff has worked with all of
Australia's leading directors, including Phil Noyce (Dead Calm), John Duigan (The Year
My Voice Broke, Flirting) and Tracey Moffatt (Bedevil). As cinematographer, he was
also responsible for some of the highlights of Australian television, including Vietnam,
Bangkok Hilton, Hell Has Harbour Views and After the Deluge. Winner of AFI, Film
Critics Circle and Golden Tripod Awards for cinematographer, Geoff has also worked as
a writer and director, and has directing credits that include Sydney: The Story of a City,
Aftershocks, Intensive Care and The Sum of Us (co-director). Geoff was also the
writer/director of the TV series The Australians at War.
Henry Dangar
Henry is recognised as one of Australia’s most innovative editors. Nominated
many times for his work, his first AFI win came for his ground-breaking work on Bill
Bennett’s Kiss or Kill (1997), a product of his long-term collaboration with director Bill
Bennett, a collaboration which also includes films such as In a Savage Land (1999) and
The Nugget (2002). Other career highlights include Nick Parsons’ Dead Heart (1996)
and the acclaimed miniseries Mary Bryant (2005). Henry was responsible for editing
some of Australia’s classic series such as Bangkok Hilton (1989) and since 2003 has
cut the hit series of Blackjack telemovies featuring Colin Friels.
Ruth de la Lande
Ruth is one of Australia’s most celebrated Costume Designers. She works
consistently in both film and television, collaborating with leading directors including
Bruce Beresford on David Williamson’s classic The Club (1980) and Bill Bennett on Kiss
or Kill (1997), for which she was nominated for an AFI Award. Recent film highlights
include Paul Goldman’s directorial debut Australian Rules (2002) and Peter Cattaneo’s
follow-up to The Full Monty, Opal Dream (2005). Ruth’s television work has included
Fergus McPhail (2004) and Chuck Finn (1999), and she also contributes to the
long-running series McLeod’s Daughters.
Trilok Gurtu
Trilok Gurtu is a master of Indian music, tabla, percussion, and Western
drumming who plays a unique hybrid East-West drum set up. He is also a visionary
composer whose musical adventurousness has led him to creative fusions of Indian
music with jazz, rock, classical, and ethnic music from all over the world. Well known in
the jazz community through his collaborations with Don Cherry, John McLaughlin, Joe
Zawinul and Pat Metheny, Gurtu first became known to US audiences as a member of
the world/jazz fusion band Oregon.
Trilok has recorded many albums and received numerous prestigious
nominations and awards including three consecutive nominations as the Asia/Pacific
nominee for Best Artist in the BBC Radio 3 World Music Awards and is a five-time
recipient of DownBeat's Critics Poll for Best Percussionist. His albums have attracted
collaborators and guest appearances by performers including Nitin Sawhney, Angelique
Kidjo, Salif Keita and Annie Lennox.
Recent stand out performances include the celebration for the Queen’s Golden
Jubilee at London's Hyde Park and in Bombay as part of a global satellite-delivered
concert with Youssou N'Dour and Baaba Maal celebrating the BBC's 70th Anniversary
of their World Service. Trilok is regularly invited to perform on prestigious stages all over
the world in a range of different formats including as part of quartets, trios and as a solo
artist. His first collaboration in an orchestral piece took place in Koln in October 2003
with the world premiere of Chalan written especially for him by Maurizio Sotelo.
Thomas Brooman
Thomas Brooman’s WOMAD festivals have done much to create and sustain
audiences for World Music and break new acts.
WOMAD is a uniquely joyous festival, a world of diversity and harmony which
has drawn out memorable performances from so many artists down the years. Its
foundation in 1981 came after Thomas had already spent some years as a professional
drummer and founded a unique record magazine, The Bristol Recorder, through which
he met Peter Gabriel.
The first WOMAD took place in 1982 and established the open-minded,
music-first approach which has served the event so well, with acts ranging from The
Drummers of Burundi to Echo and the Bunnymen and Peter Gabriel himself.
Since 1982, as Artistic Director of WOMAD, Thomas has programmed and
collaborated in the production of more than 150 WOMAD Festivals and events in 24
countries and islands all over the world.
He also co-founded Real World Records in 1987, which operates as a creative
partnership between Peter Gabriel and the WOMAD organisation. The father of three
children, Thomas has recently moved to Box from his home-town of Bristol where - in
the very little free time he has - he pursues his interests in drumming, cinema,
photography, books and travel.