Some of the best Tasmanian-made shows and documentaries to grace our screens this year have received top nominations at the annual Screen Producers Australia awards.
The mysterious crime drama ‘Bay of Fires’, which follows a woman who was forced to move her young family to the West Coast of Tasmania, is among the nominations in the Drama Series Production of the Year category.
The series, which received $1.5 million in support from the Tasmanian Government, didn’t go down well with all Tasmanians, with some watching at the time concerned that it was painting the state in a bad light.
The production took two and a half weeks of filming in Hobart and twelve and a half weeks in Queenstown, Zeehan and Strahan from June to August 2022.
Another nomination in the Comedy Program or Series Production of the Year category went to the fan-favourite ‘Deadloch’, which quickly climbed the ranks to become one of the top 10 television shows in over 165 countries.
The show was based off of two female detectives and their eager junior constable, Abby, as they track down a serial killer in a small town set south of Hobart.
Other homegrown documentaries on the list include ‘Living with Devils’, ‘The Platypus Guardian’ and ‘The Giants’ – alongside the Netflix ‘Hannah Gadsby: Something Special’ special by Tasmanian comedian Hannah Gadsby.
Minister for the Arts Madeleine Ogilvie said it was fantastic to see so many Tasmanian productions being nominated and said the government was “proud to support” local productions that provide an “excellent return on investment” for the economy.
“It is truly a credit to the amazing talent pool we have here in Tasmania, and to the dedicated work of our local screen industry,” Ogilvie said.
“When productions are made here in Tasmania, it supports our local industry professionals, injects money into regional economies and puts our State in the spotlight.”
“Not only do Tasmanian productions showcase our state’s charm and beauty to the rest of the world, they share our compelling local stories with so many people.”
The winners will be announced on March 21, 2024, at the annual Screen Forever film industry conference on the Gold Coast.
