As South Australian filmmakers get set to showcase their films at the Festival de Cannes Marché du Film, we check out the local line-up – and talk to the creatives behind the state’s first feature-length animation.
This month, Adelaide Film Festival (AFF) is going to Cannes! Leading a delegation of South Australian talent, the new AFF x Cannes initiative is a groundbreaking way to connect local filmmakers with global investors and distributors.
The new initiative – which is supported by the South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) – includes a special event showcasing five SA films and their filmmakers. This will shine an international spotlight on the state’s thriving film scene during the world’s largest film market, the Festival de Cannes Marché du Film.
Cannes bound: a celebration of South Australian stories
No matter what you see on your Insta feed, Cannes is not just about gorgeous gowns, Hollywood stars and red carpets – behind the glamour it’s very much about business.
The AFF x Cannes showcase is a huge opportunity for SA filmmakers to further their film projects. A curated roundtable program and networking opportunities will allow them to make key industry connections that could lead to international distribution deals and screenings at film festivals around the globe.
A major highlight of the showcase is the presentation of five near-complete or completed South Australian film projects at the Adelaide Film Festival Goes to Cannes event. They’ll be presented by their SA filmmakers to an audience of sales agents, investors, programmers and other market delegates that could mean big things for their futures.
These five works will also be in competition for the inaugural Goes to Cannes Award to be handed out on 20 May, with the recipient set to receive a minimum guarantee of €10,000 (AUD $16,300) towards their project.
AFF x Cannes: From kickass to heartwarming
The Adelaide Film Festival Goes to Cannes showcase puts the spotlight on these exciting South Australian projects
- Lesbian Space Princess: Directed by Emma Hough Hobbs and Leela Varghese, this boundary-breaking animated adventure features sassy humour, a kickass heroine, and a whole lot of girl power.
- Kangaroo Island: Director Timothy Piper’s captivating family drama is set against the stunning backdrop of Kangaroo Island.
- With or Without You: Prepare to be touched by this heartwarming story of a mother-daughter bond, directed by Kelly Schilling.
- The Iron Winter: Director Kasimir Burgess’s powerful documentary of friendship during a deadly Mongolian winter will stay with you long after the credits roll.
- Mockbuster: A thought-provoking exploration of the world of cinema designed to make you laugh, directed by Anthony Frith.
Spotlight on ‘Lesbian Space Princess’
Understood to be South Australia’s first feature-length animation, sassy space spectacle Lesbian Space Princess is a stand-out in the impressive line-up of Cannes-bound films.
Featuring gloom goo, blade-wielding maniacs, RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under star Kween Kong, and a town called Clitopolis, it’s a mesmerising cosmic – and comic – animated adventure that sheds light on the LGBTQIA+ experience.
A cosmic adventure like no other
Lesbian Space Princess tells the story of an anxious space princess propelled from her sheltered existence into a daring quest to rescue her bounty hunter ex-girlfriend from the enigmatic ‘Straight White Maliens’.
The captivating space comedy was written by South Australian artist Emma Hough Hobbs and Tropfest award winner, writer and director Leela Varghese, who came up with the initial idea over a drink at the pub.
They brought on producer Tom Phillips, from Adelaide’s We Made A Thing Studios, and the idea was developed into a film. It was then greenlit for production through Film Lab: New Voices – a joint initiative of the SAFC, AFF and Screen Australia.
The creative team brought Lesbian Space Princess to life at Artisan Post Group’s state-of-the-art post-production facilities, on the top floor of TechCentral at world-class innovation district Lot Fourteen and at the SAFC’s Adelaide Studios in Glenside.
Breaking barriers in animation
Lesbian Space Princess is a proudly female-led film and its 10-person creative team is determined to challenge conventions, amplify queer voices, and reshape cultural narratives. They’re breaking new ground to forge a path of inclusivity and acceptance in the animation industry.
The main cast is made up of women and gender-diverse people of colour, including RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under star, the one and only Kween Kong. This project is more than just entertainment; it’s an opportunity for diverse young local talents to shine on the big screen.
The Space Princess chronicles
The story for Lesbian Space Princess takes inspiration directly from Hough Hobbs and Varghese’s own lives. The heroine Saira, who lives on Clitopolis, is a little anxious, a bit introverted and is on a quest to win back her ex-girlfriend.
However (spoiler alert!), although Saira’s journey begins with a clear mission of finding her girlfriend, she ends up finding herself along the way. Her voyage is a story about the importance of self-worth, taking up space and being comfortable with your own company – all important elements of self-love.
The worlds created are jam-packed with colour, humour and vibrancy. This epic queer journey to the stars proves that space isn’t just the final frontier – it’s fabulous. There’s a runaway gay pop idol, gloom goo, blade-wielding maniacs and the scariest thing of all, Saira’s own self-doubt.
Inclusivity in every frame
Hough Hobbs says that the film is on a mission to be “totally inclusive”, and “regardless of whether a character is queer, gender non-conforming, a person of colour, it’s not about that, we’re subverting those themes”.
Varghese says the film flips the script on the IRL world – in the Lesbian Space Princess universe everyone who is normally a minority is now a majority – “loud and proud and empowered”.
Support for our filmmaking future
Lesbian Space Princess is an example of South Australia’s commitment to fostering diverse voices in film: As well as being made possible by funding from the SAFC, AFF and Screen Australia’s Film Lab: New Voices initiative, it will premiere at AFF 2024.
The SAFC provided support for the production of four of the films to be featured at AFF x Cannes, while three of the films received support from the AFF. The AFF x Cannes initiative is funded by the state government, with the SAFC funding the participation of two First Nations South Australian filmmakers. It’s another significant step in promoting South Australian filmmakers on a global stage.
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The state government, through the SAFC and AFF, has a 50-year legacy of fuelling the state’s film industry. This support extends from fostering emerging talent to propelling homegrown films onto the global stage. This sustained investment paves the way for South Australian filmmakers to tell powerful stories and make their mark on the world.
The full lineup of South Aussie talent at AFF x Cannes
The delegation of filmmakers going to Cannes this year represents the bright future of our local industry. AFF CEO and Creative Director Mat Kesting says they’re an impressive group set to present a fantastic line-up of films showcasing our state as a centre of creativity.
The 10 South Australian screen creatives participating in the AFF x Cannes delegation are: writer/director Leela Varghese, producer/director Timothy Piper, writer/director Kelly Schilling, writer/producer Sandy Cameron, producer Ben Golotta, producer Lisa Scott, writer/director Matt Vesely, writer/director Travis Akbar, producer Nara Wilson and filmmaker Josh Trevorrow.
For more information about the AFF x Cannes initiative click here.
