Studiocanal Australia has signed a co-development deal with local producer Goalpost Pictures, for period film project “Vienna Boys Choir.”
The film documents the quirky but real events that began in 1939 when the famous choir toured the U.S. and Pacific region, and became trapped in Australia for the duration of the Second World War. All but one of the choristers chose to stay in Australia after the war ended.
The screenplay is written by Keith Thompson, who previously wrote historical music drama “The Sapphires.” Playing at Cannes, the film was a significant hit and earned Thompson two Australian Writers Guild Awards.
Finance for the project comes from national funding body Screen Australia and from Studiocanal’s Cultivator Fund. Studiocanal and Goalpost launched a co-development deal in 2016.
“This is an incredible and enduring story about resilience and hope in the face of some of the turbulent events of the last century and a timely insight into the contribution so many people from afar have made to Australia,” producer Rosemary Blight at Goalpost said.
“’Vienna Boys Choir’ is a fascinating, unique and remarkable true story with both local and international appeal,” said head of production at Screen Australia, Sally Caplan, in a statement.
“I first heard the story of the ’Vienna Boys’ almost 30 years ago, but it’s one of those stories that’s impossible to forget since it’s the stuff of a great movie drama,” said Thompson.