MEDIA RELEASE:
SIMON BAKER’S BREATH MAKES QUEENSLAND PREMIERE AT 2018 GOLD COAST FILM FESTIVAL
Gold Coast Film Festival (GCFF) organisers today announced they have secured the Queensland premiere of Simon Baker’s new film Breath, as part of the city’s flagship film event held from April 17 to 29.
The Festival will screen the premiere at a red carpet gala event at Pacific Fair on Thursday, April 19 with Simon Baker and fellow actors Samson Coulter (Pikelet) and Ben Spence (Loonie) in attendance.
Best known for his lead roles in CBS television series’ The Mentalist and The Guardian, Breath is Baker’s directorial debut and first feature film, adapted from the 2008 novel by celebrated Australian author Tim Winton.
The classic coming of age tale follows Pikelet and Loonie, two teenage boys growing up in a small coastal town in Western Australia.
Their love of surfing and adventure sees their paths cross with older, local surfer Bill ‘Sando’ Sanderson (Baker), who provides the boys with intriguing insights and a new understanding of the world.
Having grown up surfing in the small Australian town of Ballina, and with teenage sons of his own, Baker said he felt instantly connected to the characters and themes in Winton’s novel before adapting the storyline for screen.
“Breath is a film about identity. An identity that is bound to the shifting landscapes of the Australia coastline,” Mr Baker said.
“I’m thrilled to have our Queensland premiere at the Gold Coast Film Festival. The Gold Coast has long been a Mecca for those that share a deep fascination and respect for the ocean, and the magnificent impact it can have in shaping who you are.”
Gold Coast Film Festival director Lucy Fisher said the premiere screening of Breath at Event Cinemas Pacific Fair will undoubtedly be a highlight of the Festival’s extensive program, set to be fully announced today.
“Simon Baker is an Australian film and screen icon, with a longstanding and successful career as an actor and now as director,” Ms Fisher said.
“We are thrilled to present some of the most anticipated films from around Australia and the world, and to secure the only Queensland gala screening of Simon’s directorial debut is a big coup for the Festival and wider Gold Coast.”
Pacific Fair Senior Centre Manager Steven Ihm said the gala screening was a perfect fit for the centre and they are looking forward to welcoming Simon and film fans to Pacific Fair.
“The exclusive screening at Pacific Fair provides fans with an exciting opportunity to purchase tickets and be among the first to see the film or even catch a glimpse of Simon walking the Pacific Fair red carpet before the screening.”
The screening will be just one of the film and film-related events to be showcased over the 13-day festival in an action-packed program running from Tuesday, April 17 to Sunday, April 29.
“This year is expected to be the biggest Gold Coast Film Festival to date, with more than 100 film and film-related events taking over the entire city, offering something for everyone, from internationally acclaimed dramas, comedies and genre films to locally made indie gems,” said Ms Fisher.
“The Gold Coast Film Festival has cemented itself as a strong platform for film lovers, aspiring filmmakers and the screen industry to be entertained, inspired and be challenged, inviting thought provoking ideas from the films, workshops and events.”
The highly anticipated Film Festival highlights the Gold Coast as one of Australia’s leading filmmaking destinations by promoting emerging Australian filmmakers and providing a platform for educational and professional development of film industry practitioners.
The GCFF is supported by major government partners Screen Queensland, City of Gold Coast and Tourism and Events Queensland.
The Queensland Premiere of Breath is presented by Pacific Fair.
Tickets for the Queensland gala screening of Breath will be available to purchase today, when the full Gold Coast Film Festival program is announced.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.gcfilmfestival.com/project/breath/.