Toni Collette to Make Feature Directing Debut as Screen Australia Announces $11.7 Million in Funding for 75 Projects

Acclaimed actor Toni Collette is set to step behind the camera for her feature-length directorial debut, leading a major wave of Australian screen projects backed by a fresh round of government funding. Collette will direct “The Best Of,” a screen adaptation of Graeme Simsion’s bestselling novel, joining a diverse slate of 75 features, television series, shorts, and development projects sharing more than AUD 16.9 million (approximately $11.7 million) in production and development money from Screen Australia.

Collette, widely celebrated for her Emmy and Golden Globe-winning performances, will also produce the film alongside Christopher Simon. The narrative centers on two former lovers who unexpectedly cross paths again after decades apart, only to find that their long-buried feelings are quickly reignited, resulting in a complicated and emotionally messy situation. Screen Australia has committed a major production investment to the project in association with Screen NSW. Meanwhile, local distribution will be handled by Kismet, with Cornerstone managing international sales for the romantic drama.

The funding round, officially announced on Tuesday, spans a comprehensive spectrum of storytelling formats, highlighting the creative output of both established industry veterans and emerging voices across the Australian landscape.

“Australian storytellers continue to captivate audiences with their creativity, originality and distinctive perspectives,” said Louise Gough, Screen Australia’s director of narrative content, emphasizing the broader impact of the agency’s financial injection. “This latest round of funding supports an exciting range of projects from emerging creatives forging new paths to established voices exploring new creative territory. Screen Currency 2026 found that local stories matter deeply to Australians, and these projects will deliver on the authenticity and ambition that audiences have come to expect.”

Among the major television series receiving production backing is “The Dark Lake,” spearheaded by Brouhaha Entertainment, the production company previously behind the hit series “Boy Swallows Universe.” Based on Sarah Bailey’s award-winning novel, the series follows a detective working in a rural town whose investigation into the violent killing of a former high school classmate forces her to confront dark, buried secrets from her own past. The creative team features Troy Lum and Andrew Mason as producers, while Becca Johnstone serves as writer and executive producer. Additional executive producers on the project include Giorgia Stawaruk, Tonkin, and Katarina Mandic. The production has secured a major production investment partnership through Screenwest, backed by supplementary financing from Screen NSW.

Feature films are also heavily represented in the funding roster. Jeffrey Walker, known for his work on “The Artful Dodger” and “Fing!,” is directing “Bull” (a working title), a feature film developed by Infin8 Studios and Total Fiction Films. Inspired by a true story, the narrative follows a smooth-talking prisoner who makes the bold decision to join a debating team operating inside one of Tasmania’s most severe maximum-security jails. He hopes that this endeavor will help him change the course of his life and finally give his mother a legitimate reason to be proud of him.

The film boasts a prominent ensemble cast led by George Pullar, who also co-wrote the screenplay alongside Taylor Danworth. Pullar also serves as a producer alongside Michael Lawrence, John Molloy, and Suzanne Walker. The impressive supporting cast features Richard Roxburgh, Robyn Malcolm, Teresa Palmer, Thomas M. Wright, and Harrison Gilbertson. Screen Queensland has boarded the project as a financing partner, while Kismet and Cornerstone have secured local distribution and international sales rights, respectively.

Another notable feature debut comes from the popular comedy group Sooshi Mango, whose untitled feature project follows three stubborn Italian immigrants who mobilize their multicultural neighborhood when a mysterious new wellness club threatens their cherished local social club. Nick Kozakis, who previously directed “Kick On,” is attached to direct the comedy from a screenplay penned by group members Joe Salanitri, Carlo Salanitri, and Andrew Manfre, working alongside Declan Fay. The film is produced by Paul Dainty and Cathy Rodda, with Timothy Whiting stepping in as co-producer. VicScreen is partnering on the feature, and Roadshow is slated to handle local distribution.

Literary adaptations continue to form a cornerstone of Australian cinema. Rodd Rathjen is set to direct “No Friend But the Mountains,” a feature adaptation of Behrouz Boochani’s widely acclaimed memoir. Rathjen co-wrote the screenplay alongside Boochani. The harrowing story follows a Kurdish journalist fleeing intense persecution who is intercepted at sea and subsequently sent to an offshore detention facility on Manus Island, where he meticulously documents the gradual psychological and physical breakdown of the men held captive alongside him.

The production is backed by an international and domestic coalition of producers, including Gal Greenspan, Sharlene George, Amy Parry, Arkos Armont, Katy Roberts, Behrouz Boochani, and Antony Waddington. The New Zealand Film Commission, Screen Queensland, and VicScreen are serving as key financing partners, with Madman overseeing distribution within Australia.

On the development front, Screen Australia is actively nurturing projects that could soon make the leap to production. Mithila Gupta’s “Desi Down Under” is slated to transform her popular coming-of-age Indian-Australian audio series into a romantic comedy feature film. The story centers on three colorful misfits who travel from Kerala to the iconic beaches of Coogee, hoping to acquire professional surf-lifesaving skills that they can take back home to help their compatriots. Gupta is writing and producing the feature alongside Nina Aujla, Smriti Mundhra, and Maya Gnyp.

Goalpost Pictures has also secured crucial development backing for its upcoming television series “The Caretaker.” Adapted from Gabriel Bergmoser’s bestselling novel by writers Alexei Mizin and Ryan van Dijk—both of whom are recognized members of Screen Australia’s 2026 Talent Gateway cohort—the psychological thriller centers on a woman who takes a job hiding out as the caretaker of an out-of-season ski resort. As the narrative unfolds, she goes to increasingly extreme and dangerous lengths to protect the isolated life she has carefully constructed.

In the short film category, principal production funding has been awarded to works mentored by prominent figures in the Australian film industry. BAFTA-nominated filmmaker Rosie Westhoff, known for “The Main Part,” is writing and directing “Solastalgia.” The short follows a young girl as she desperately attempts to reassemble scattered memories of a devastating bushfire that destroyed her family home, all while searching for human connection within a radically transformed environment. The short is produced by Chloe Brennan, Amanda Browne, and Ashlee Russell, with acclaimed director Kitty Green serving as a project mentor.

Green is also mentoring the creative team behind a family-oriented short produced by Pasifika-led Mana Film Productions that seamlessly blends live-action footage with animation. Titled “My Life as a 12-Year-Old Demon Hunter… With Great Hair!,” the project tracks 12-year-old protagonist Tala over the course of a single chaotic day as she fends off various demons determined to steal her magical powers—proving to be a significantly greater headache than completing her school homework.

The short is written, directed, and co-produced by AWGIE winner and bestselling author Maria Lewis, with Shonee Samia co-producing and Herbert Leota leading the animation. Noted animator Jake Duczynski joins Kitty Green as a co-mentor on the production.

Complete and comprehensive lists detailing all the approved production, development, and short film funding allocations are currently accessible on Screen Australia’s official website. The government agency has also indicated that it will reveal further recently funded projects during the upcoming ABC Media Showcase scheduled for October 21.