Production in Western Australia has wrapped on psychological thriller “The Surfer,” starring Nicolas Cage. Producers have released a first-look image of a tousled and confused-looking Cage inside a car that his character may have slept in.
When a man returns to Australia to buy back his family home after many years in the U.S., he is humiliated in front of his teenage son by a group of local surfers who claim ownership over the secluded beach of his childhood. Wounded, he defies them and remains at the beach, demanding acceptance. As the conflict escalates he is brought to the edge of his sanity and his identity is thrown into question.
The film is directed by Lorcan Finnegan (“Vivarium”) and written by Thomas Martin, with production taking place entirely a single location in Yallingup in Western Australia.
Joining Cage is an Australian ensemble cast including Julian McMahon (“Nip/Tuck”), Nicholas Cassim (“Mr Inbetween”), Miranda Tapsell (“The Dry”), Alexander Bertrand (“Australian Gangster”), Justin Rosniak (“Last King of the Cross”), Rahel Romahn (“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga”), Finn Little (“Yellowstone”), and Charlotte Maggi (“Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child on Fire”).
“The Surfer” is an Australian – Irish co-production, produced by Tea Shop Productions, Arenamedia, Lovely Productions and Gramercy Park Media with support from Screenwest through the Western Australian Production Attraction Incentive. Mossbank is handling international sales. In Australia, “The Surfer” will release as a Stan Original Film, in partnership with CinemaPlus which will be releasing the film theatrically.
Cage is currently riding high after a well-received performance in “Dream Scenario,” which debuted in Toronto. He is scheduled to appear in several more movies – including a sequel to his “Lord of War” – but recently said that after a career spanning more than 100 titles he is thinking of bowing out.