News

Tom Long.

Boston-born, Australian-raised actor Tom Long, whose credits include the series East of Everything, SeaChange and Young Lions and the movies The Dish and Two Hands, died from encephalitis on Saturday, aged 51.

Long was forced to quit acting after he collapsed on stage during a performance of the play Coranderrk: We Will Show the Country at the Sydney Opera House in July 2012.

Diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer, he underwent chemotherapy, bone marrow transplants and natural therapies to treat the disease.

He was in remission after going to the Us last April for a medical trial in which his T cells were harvested and genetically modified to attack his cancer cells.

Screenwise CEO Denise Roberts said: “He fought the hard fight and was given the all clear. The happiness and relief pulled out from under him. So unfair.”

Actor Peter James Finlay, who worked with Long on Coranderrk,...

Harrison Green.

Sydney-based acting school Screenwise has opened applications for the 2019 Founder’s Scholarship, which covers tuition fees for one student to complete a Diploma of Screen Acting.

Valued at $35,000, the scholarship also includes the production of the recipient’s showreel and industry graduation showcase upon completion of the program. The recipient will also receive mentoring from working actors throughout their studies.

The Founder’s Scholarship was introduced by Screenwise in recognition of the increased difficulty young actors, particularly those from socio-economic disadvantage, face when accessing quality skills training across Australia.

Screenwise principal director and CEO Denise Roberts said: “There are far too many talented people out there who have an enormous amount to offer. If we want diversity in our actors, and a true representation of Australia and who we are, then we have to provide the opportunities for that to happen. The Founder’s Scholarship and the Heath...

Victor Loewy overcame a childhood of adversity to make a mark on the landscape of Canadian cinema and worldwide film distribution.

“I grew up in Romania, and my childhood was not normal in any traditional sense,” Loewy says.

Both his parents’ families died in the Holocaust. His father left the family when he was only a year old, and he lived with his mother and sister in communist Bucharest until age 18.

Then, in 1964, they were allowed to immigrate to Montreal. Loewy went on to graduate with a B.A. in German and economics from McGill U. in 1971, before jumping head-first into an industry of which he wasn’t exactly.

“I was most intrigued by the business side of filmmaking, the dealmaking world and distribution. Before that, I’d seen films strictly as entertainment, but I figured I could do something exciting within the world of cinema.”

While music, food, clothing design...

Robert Connolly, Nadine Garner, Sigrid Thornton and Denise Roberts will be among the presenters at next week.s Australian Directors Guild Awards.

December Media's Stuart Menzies will present the Michael Carson Award to Chris Langman and Adg president Ray Argall will bestow the Adg/DGA Finders Award on Craig Monahan for his film Healing.

Celebrating the 30th year of Neighbours, there will be a salute to the 87 directors who have worked on the program.

Representing the soap.s longest-serving cast members, Alan Fletcher and Jackie Woodburne will discuss their experiences.

Two newer members of the Neighbours cast, Ariel Kaplan and Harley Bonner, will also take part as presenters.

Hosted by The Chaser's Chris Taylor, the Adg Awards across 15 categories in film, television, multiplatform, music videos and advertising, will be announced on Friday May 8 at the Sofitel Melbourne on Collins.

Director Russell Crowe Movie up for Best Film: Australian Academy Awards 2015 nominations (photo: Actor-director Russell Crowe in 'The Water Diviner') Aacta Awards: Feature Film Categories Best Film The Babadook Kristina Ceyton and Kristian Moliere Charlie's Country Nils Erik Nielsen, Peter Djigirr and Rolf de Heer Predestination Paddy McDonald, Tim McGahan, Peter Spierig and Michael Spierig The Railway Man Chris Brown, Andy Paterson and Bill Curbishley Tracks Emile Sherman and Iain Canning The Water Diviner Andrew Mason, Keith Rodger and Troy Lum Best Director The Babadook Jennifer Kent Charlie's Country Rolf de Heer Predestination Peter Spierig and Michael Spierig The Rover David Michôd Best Actress Kate Box The Little Death Essie Davis The Babadook Sarah Snook Predestination Mia Wasikowska Tracks Best Actor Russell Crowe The Water Diviner David Gulpilil Charlie's Country Damon Herriman The Little Death Guy Pearce The Rover Best Supporting Actor Patrick Brammall The Little Death Yilmaz Erdogan...

An Actors Equity national performers committee member has defended the union.s process of vetting imported actors in Australian taxpayer-funded film and TV productions.

Jonathan Mill argues the present policy enables actors to work with international performers while ensuring most lead roles go to Aussies.

Kevin Harrington, a former Npc member, supported Mill, stating, "From my experience on the Npc the committee is more flexible on policy than any other any union in Australia. If we had stuck to policy, Red Dog would not have been made."

Actor Roy Billing reignited the debate on the issue in his op Ed piece for If when he asked Equity to ease the restrictions on foreign actors. Subsequently he called for Equity and the Npc to be taken out of any of that decision-making. Denise Roberts, CEO and principal director of Screenwise Film & TV School for Actors, together with many producers agreed with...

The Nine Network today revealed details of its upcoming telemovie on Schapelle Corby, a miniseries on Gina Rinehart and a telemovie chronicling a near- disaster involving a Qantas flight.

The network.s 2014 slate also includes a factual series which follows Australian diplomats as they deal with Aussies in crisis in Thailand, relationships documentary Married at First Sight, dating show When Love Comes To Town and a new, six-part current affairs series, Inside Story.

FremantleMedia.s Schapelle features Krew Boylan as the 27-year-old beauty school dropout from the Gold Coast who was arrested at Bali airport with 4.2kg of marijuana in a boogie board bag. The cast includes Jacinta Stapleton as her sister Mercedes, Denise Roberts as her mother Ros, Colin Friels as her father Mick, Les Chantery as her mentor Ron Bakir, Vince Colosimo as lawyer Robin Tampoe, Francis Greenslade as Foreign Minister Alexander Downer and Michael Croaker as Federal Police boss Mick Keelty.

The Nine Network today revealed details of its upcoming telemovie on Schapelle Corby, a miniseries on Gina Rinehart and the chronicle of a near- disaster involving a Qantas flight.

The network.s 2014 slate also includes a series in which Australian diplomats reveal how they saved Aussies in crisis abroad, relationships documentary Married at First Sight, dating show When Love Comes To Town and a new current affairs series, Inside Story.

FremantleMedia.s Schapelle will star Krew Boylan as the 27-year-old beauty school dropout from the Gold Coast who was arrested at Bali airport with 4.2kg of marijuana in a boogie board bag. The cast includes Jacinta Stapleton as her sister Mercedes, Denise Roberts as her mother Ros, Colin Friels as her father Mick, Les Chantery as her mentor Ron Bakir, Vince Colosimo as lawyer Robin Tampoe, Francis Greenslade as Foreign Minister Alexander Downer and Michael Croaker as Federal Police boss Mick Keelty.

The Australian Director.s Guild has announced the winners of the 2013 Adg Awards during their annual Awards ceremony held on Friday night in Sydney.

Women directors took home several of the coveted awards, with Cate Shortland beating male competitors Wayne Blair (The Sapphires) Tony Krawitz (Dead Europe) and Kieran Darcy-Smith (Wish You Were Here) to scoop Best Direction in a Feature Film for Lore..

Women continued to triumph in the television sector, with Rachel Perkins winning Best Direction in a TV Drama Series for Redfern Now (Pretty Boy Blue) and Jessica Hobbs taking home the gong for Best Direction in a TV Mini Series for Devil.s Dust (Parts 1 & 2)..

Also triumphant in their fields were Jessica Reddenbach, who won the Award for Best Direction in a Short Film for Tender; Jennifer Peedom for Best Direction in a Documentary Series for Life at 7; Grace McKenzie for Best Direction in a Documentary...

A host of notable industry figures are set to attend the 2013 Australian Directors. Guild Awards, to be held in Sydney this Friday night.

Amongst those attending are Leah Purcell and Catherine Mckenzie, who are both nominated for their work on Redfern Now, as well as feature film director Cate Shortland (Lore) and Tony Kravitz (Dead Europe)..

Hosted by actor/director/writer/producer Adam Zwar, the Awards will be held at the Hoyts Cinemas at the Entertainment Quarter and will be followed by a dinner at Trackdown Studios..

This year, for the first time, the Adg will be acknowledging the work of Assistant Directors, with a special award to be presented to long-serving First A.D. Jamie Leslie..

Renowned Australian talent Rachel Ward, Bryan Brown, Susie Porter and Denise Roberts have also been confirmed as presenters..

For more information on the Awards or how to purchase tickets, visit.http://www.adg.

Psychological thriller Nerve continues its hectic production schedule with the project set to go into post next week. The feature length film, the first from director Sebastian Guy and producer Neal Kingston, stars Christian Clark (Mr & Mrs Murder) and Georgina Haig (Fringe), and was shot in Sydney over just 14 days at the end of last year. .Even though we had an intense shooting schedule, the vibe on set has been one of the most relaxed and easy-going I have ever experienced. The energy and enthusiasm of the cast and crew has been amazing and very humbling., says Guy. The film follows Jakob (Clark) who, after the sudden death of his wife, suffers an emotional breakdown. The discovery that his wife was having an affair prior to her death sends Jakob into an obsessive search for her lover in a misguided attempt to understand their relationship. Along the way, he meets...

Psychological thriller Nerve continues its hectic production schedule with the project set to go into post next week. The feature length film, the first from director Sebastian Guy and producer Neal Kingston, stars Christian Clark (Mr & Mrs Murder) and Georgina Haig (Fringe), and was shot in Sydney over just 14 days at the end of last year. .Even though we had an intense shooting schedule, the vibe on set has been one of the most relaxed and easy-going I have ever experienced. The energy and enthusiasm of the cast and crew has been amazing and very humbling., says Guy. The film follows Jakob (Clark) who, after the sudden death of his wife, suffers an emotional breakdown. The discovery that his wife was having an affair prior to her death sends Jakob into an obsessive search for her lover in a misguided attempt to understand their relationship. Along the way, he meets...

SYDNEY -- The affection with which the breezy Australian mockumentary "Razzle Dazzle: A Journey Into Dance" tweaks the twinkle-toed denizens of the competitive dance scene makes it easy to like. Sure, there are exuberant bursts of "Mickey" and "Footloose" and plenty of jazz hands, which almost make fun of themselves. But mostly the humor is understated and wry, contrasting nicely with the exhibitionist antics of its Bedazzler-worshiping targets.

This gently mocking approach, which Christopher Guest applied so deftly to the folkie satire "A Mighty Wind", allows an often laugh-out-loud sendup to also function as a conventional let's-put-on-a-show crowd-pleaser.

Energetic dance routines choreographed by John O'Connell ("Strictly Ballroom", "Moulin Rouge") and performed by a cute cast of preteen hoofers up the feel-good factor. "Razzle Dazzle" should prove a hit with Australian families when it opens locally March 15. Overseas prospects also are good, with the runaway success of "The Office" in Britain and its offshoot in the U.S. proving that there's a large audience for this type of deadpan, slightly surreal humor. (Comic writer Robin Ince, a longtime collaborator of "The Office" creator Ricky Gervais, co-wrote the script.)

Originally a parody of pushy stage mothers, "Razzle Dazzle" evolved into a comic examination of the do-or-die intensity surrounding kids' dance competitions, with the spotlight firmly on the adults. They mostly behave appallingly -- bribing judges, foisting nose jobs on their offspring, kidnapping professional ring-ins -- while the poor kids, all gangly limbs and braces, aim simply and sensibly to do their best.

British actor Ben Miller has the best lines as the determinedly cheery Mr. Jonathon, head of Mr. Jonathon's Dance Academy, and his poker-faced delivery of crazy assertions will be familiar to fans of "The Office".

Winning the Sanosafe Troupe Spectacular, the pinnacle of dance contests, means a lot to Mr. Jonathon. Not only would it allow him to triumph over Miss Elizabeth (Jane Hall), a longtime rival whose ultra-conservative style is routinely rewarded by the judges, it also would validate his unorthodox approach to dance.

Mr. Jonathon is, in the words of his rival, a "cause slut," obsessed with using his routines to tackle social issues, such as global warming, skin cancer and dolphins in tuna nets. He feels he's onto a winner with his piece about the oppression of Afghan women under the Taliban, but parental interference will prove more of a challenge than the skill of his dancers.

With the exception of Justine (Kerry Armstrong), an alarmingly single-minded stage mom who tortures her poor daughter Tenille (Shayni Notelovitz) in a quest for vicarious glory, most of the daffy characters stop short of caricature.

But they're not short on quirks. Mr. Jonathon's officious offsider Barbara (Denise Roberts) will only play foster parent to children with rhythm. The troupe's costume designer Marianne (Tara Morice, "Strictly Ballroom") dresses dramatically in goth-inspired creations but never says a word.

The free-spirited and very pregnant Paulette (a wonderfully warm Nadine Garner), who drives daughter Grace (Clancy Ryan) nuts with her chronic tardiness, is the most "normal" of the stage moms. But she is struggling to remain serene about her TV-handyman husband running off with a male co-star. It's all absurd but vaguely plausible and Ashton knows exactly when to pull back.

Tucked in among the emotional pyrotechnics and onstage pizzazz is a scene such as the one in which the normally silent Marianne, sewing costumes with Mr. Jonathon and Paulette, spontaneously breaks into a lovely rendition of Spandau Ballet's "Gold". It's a showstopper.

Razzle Dazzle: A Journey Into Dance

Palace Films, Wild Eddie Prods.

Credits:

Director: Darren Ashton

Screenwriters: Carolyn Wilson, Robin Ince

Producers: Jodi Matterson, Andrena Finlay

Executive producer: Al Clark

Director of photography: Garry Phillips

Production designer: Karen Harborow

Music: Roger Mason

Costume designer: Ariane Weiss

Editors: Julieanne Deruvo, Philip Horn

Cast:

Justine: Kerry Armstrong

Mr. Jonathon: Ben Miller

Paulette: Nadine Garner

Barbara: Denise Roberts

Marianne: Tara Morice

Miss Elizabeth: Jane Hall

No MPAA rating, running time 92 minutes.