American Film Market Dailies

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Renowned director Kriv Stenders (Red Dog, Australia Day) has signed on to direct the action thriller Poacher, written by Thomas Martin (All That Way for Love), it was announced today by Arclight Films CEO Gary Hamilton. Arclight Films has launched international sales outside of North America at the American Film Market. Poacher will star Luke Bracey (Hacksaw Ridge, Point Break) and Nick Nolte (Prince of Tides, Warrior, Graves)

Inspired by true events, Poacher is the cautionary tale of a young man (Bracey), motivated by vengeance, who goes to war with a fishing baron (Nolte) who rules the town, sending him on a journey which transforms him from a small-time abalone poacher into a criminal gang boss. The thrilling heist adventure will be shot against the stunning Tasmanian coastal landscape.

Poacher is produced by Ashley McLeod (The Offer, upcoming Storm Warning), Teresa Ticehurst VFX agent (Mad Max Fury Road, Thor 3, Hunger Games, Storm Warning) and James M. Vernon (Hacksaw Ridge, In Like Flynn). The producers retain North American rights to the project.

“Poacher is an elevated crime drama that is a clever fusion of two genres - a thrilling sea adventure about a maverick abalone diver and, a classic story of survival, family, betrayal, corruption, loyalty, sacrifice, and redemption,” said McLeod.

“We’re thrilled Kriv Stenders will be directing this modern-day Western about the creation of a folk-hero,” said Hamilton. “He is the master of capturing beautiful and varied landscapes, and has an amazing vision for this astounding true-life story.”

Kriv Stenders has directed some of the most beloved and successful Australian films of our day including the box office record breaker Red Dog, the sequel/prequel Red Dog: True Blue and Australia Day based on Australia’s most controversial national holiday.

Stenders is represented by HLA Management and Martin is represented by Curtis Brown Literary Agency. The project has been developed by McLeod and Ticehurst for Homegrown Productions.

ABOUT ARCLIGHT FILMS

Arclight Films is one of the world’s leading international sales companies for theatrical, television and home entertainment. Arclight Films has sold over 300 motion pictures including the Best Picture Oscar® winner Crash, and Golden Globe® Best Picture Nominee Bobby and Lord of War starring Nicolas Cage, Jared Leto and Ethan Hawke.

Arclight Films additionally encompasses subsidiary labels Darclight Films, the edgy genre-driven division of the company whose films include the worldwide horror hits Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek 2 and action thriller Bait 3D (the highest grossing Australian film in the history of Chinese cinema), and Easternlight, a specialty arm showcasing Asian cinema with the largest film library of any non-Asian-based indie film label. Films sold under the Easternlight banner include the worldwide blockbuster Forbidden Kingdom starring Jackie Chan and Jet Li, 14 Blades starring Donnie Yen, and legendary auteur Chen Kaige's Sacrifice.

The latest additions to Easternlight include Triple Threat starring Celina Jade, Guardians of the Tomb starring Kellen Lutz and Bingbing Li, Snow Girl and The Dark Crystal starring Bingbing Li, Wolf Warrior starring Wu Jing (which opened #1 at the Chinese Box Office, earning more than $32.5M in one weekend), Outcast starring Nicolas Cage, Special Id starring Donnie Yen, and Badges Of Fury.

Some of the latest additions to the Arclight Films’ slate include 2016 Official Cannes Directors’ Fortnight selection Dog Eat Dog starring Nicolas Cage and Willem Dafoe, directed and written by Paul Schrader, Hotel Mumbai starring Dev Patel and Armie Hammer, First Reformed starring Ethan Hawke and Amanda Seyfried, directed and written by Paul Schrader and an official selection at the 2017 Venice Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival, Heather Graham’s directorial debut Half Magic, The Confirmation starring Clive Owen and Maria Bello, directed by Academy Award-winner Bob Nelson (Nebraska), 2016 Sundance Official Selection Frank & Lola starring Imogen Poots and Michael Shannon, Predestination starring Ethan Hawke now in release through Sony Pictures, Last Knights starring Clive Owen and Morgan Freeman,  Paper Planes starring Sam Worthington, Shangri-La Suite starring Emily Browning and Luke Grimes, Jungle starring Daniel Radcliffe released in the US October 20th, 2017, and the big budget Chinese co-production Killer 10 to be directed by Phillip Noyce.

Arclight Films maintains a presence at all major motion picture and television festivals and markets with offices in Los Angeles, Sydney, Hong Kong, Beijing and Toronto.