A man (David Lyons) is kidnapped from his city home in the quiet hours of the night. Kidnapper John Kelly (Travis McMahon) embarks on a journey into the Australian Outback towards the place where his hostage is due for delivery. As time and distance roll by, the strength and endurance of both men will be tested to the very end.
Bryan Brown discusses Cactus
Travis McMahon as John Kelly and David Lyons as Eli © Lisa Tomasetti
Shane Jacobson as Thomo © Florian Emmerich
“The great thing about the festivals so far is getting the opportunity to show the film to some very different audiences and hear their reactions. Our first festival was Dungog – a festival for Australian films only, set in a town three hours north of Sydney. This was our first chance to drink, eat, be merry, and talk about that thing that everyone there had a common interest in – Australian films. From there it was Shanghai and then Munich -cities and cultures so different to the one CACTUS is set in. Every screening has been nerve wracking in the beginning, I sit wondering how the film will translate – but so far we’ve manage to keep the audiences engaged and entertained and the discussions that open up afterwards have been interesting and fun. There are more festivals to come and I look forward to hearing what is on offer from those audiences too. Without a doubt the highlight so far has been the Australia Day Open Air screening at Lady Maquarie’s Chair. 2000 people with the Opera House and Harbour Bridge in the background – on Australia Day! I don’t think I ever could’ve been crazy enough to imagine we would find ourselves there.”
Travis McMahon as John Kelly and David Lyons as Eli © Florian Emmerich
• Dungog Film Festival
• Brooklyn International Film Festival
• Shanghai International Film Festival
• Munich International Film Festival (Nomination for – Cinevision award for best international debut director)
• Montreal International Film Festival
• Mill Valley International Film Festival
• Australian Writers Guild Nomination for best original screenplay.
David Lyons as Eli © Florian Emmerich
Genre: Road Movie /Drama
Writer/Director: Jasmine Yuen Carrucan
Producer: Paul Sullivan
Executive Producer: Bryan Brown
Production Company: Cactus Films Pty Ltd
Cast:
Travis McMahon – John
David Lyons – Eli
Bryan Brown – Rosco
Shane Jacobson – Thommo
Zoe Tuckwell-Smith – Sammy
Daniel Krige – Mal
Celia Ireland – Vesna
Seymon Eckert – Katie
Website: www.cactus-movie.com
Tel: +61 2 9810 9822
Fax: +61 6 9810 9825
Domestic Distributor: Hoyts
Bryan Brown as Rosco © Florian Emmerich
Travis McMahon as John Kelly © Florian Emmerich
New Town Films is a boutique film and television production company, started by actor Bryan Brown in 1983, With the simple philosophy 'If you own it, They can't tell you that you can't be in it.'
