Desperately Seeking Cash

Sydney Morning Herald

Friday October 13, 2006

Jim Schembri

Susan Sarandon's firepower helps an Aussie hit.

Being stalked isn't fun, but it did provide inspiration for Ann Turner's star-packed thriller, the first Australian film to star a swarm of computer-generated wasps.

Susan Sarandon goes on a downhill slide when she suspects her husband (Sam Neill) of having an affair with a comely co-worker, played by English newcomer Emily Blunt.

"The whole idea started when a friend of mine asked if I wanted to make a film based on a stalking experience she had gone through, where she just didn't know whether it was really happening or not," Turner says. "What interested me was that fine line of feeling - like you're sane and in control of your life, then feeling like you have absolutely no control and no one believes what you're saying."

Why did she cast Sarandon when an Australian could have played the part?

"It was a genre thriller and to raise the finance we needed stars. We needed to get finance from more than just

Australia and once we got into that international field they insisted we

have a name that could travel.

"We had an English pre-sale, an English investor, a German pre-sale, and Italian pre-sale, so we had to please all these people. So we chose Susan. It helps that's she's a fine actor.

"I would love to make a film with only Australian actors because I genuinely feel we've got the best actors in the world. But in this instance I really was in a situation [where] I needed stars."

The ploy worked and the Australian film has achieved the incredible feat of being sold to 27 countries. It helps being a little insane to be an Australian filmmaker.

"It's such a tough industry and often it is a long time between films, so you have to be tough in really believing in your vision. You just have to keep working at it, keep hoping until it gets made. So I know there's a bit of insanity in that. It would be much more sane to have a regular job."

IRRESISTIBLE

Director Ann Turner Stars Susan Sarandon, Sam Neill, Emily Blunt , Georgie Parker

Rated M. Screening now.

smh.com.au/metro

See the trailer

© 2006 Sydney Morning Herald

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