Jackie van Beek in Audrey.
Screen Australia’s Gender Matters Taskforce and Women in Film and Television (WIFT) Australia have today announced feature film Audrey as the first Australian feature to receive a ReFrame Stamp at SXSW Sydney.
ReFrame is a collaboration between WIF (formerly known as Women In Film, Los Angeles) and the Sundance Institute. Its ReFrame Stamp program, presented in collaboration with IMDbPro, awards producers and studios that hire women or people of under-represented gender identities in at least 50% of key roles and is now available to Australian feature films.
Over 1900 film and television productions produced and distributed in the US have received the stamp to date including films like Saltburn and hit TV series Euphoria.
The announcement was made by Audrey writer and co-producer, Lou Sanz, alongside cast members Jackie Van Beek and Hannah Diviney, Screen Australia’s Gender Matters Taskforce Chair Rosie Lourde, and WIFT Australia’s International Partnerships Advisor Amanda Browne at a SXSW panel examining gender equity in the Australian screen industry.
Audrey, directed and co-produced by Natalie Bailey, stars Jackie van Beek as Ronnie Lipsick, a forgotten soap star and self-appointed “Mother of the Year”. Trapped in suburban monotony, Ronnie seizes the opportunity to reclaim her long-lost stardom when her daughter Audrey falls into a coma. Chaos ensues when Audrey awakens, forcing Ronnie to face the tangled web of lies she has spun. The film is a sharp, darkly comedic exploration of ambition, deception, and familial dysfunction.
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Audrey writer and producer Lou Sanz said the team was honoured to receive the ReFrame Stamp.
“Audrey proves that equitable representation, especially in terms of gender balance, directly impacts the quality of storytelling. Having a diverse team wasn’t about hitting a quota—it was key to telling richer, more authentic, and funnier stories.”
The Stamp sets a tangible benchmark for producers and companies, incentivising 3rd party demographic data collection, and creating a visible measure of accountability for studios, networks and creatives overall, with ReFrame’s reports covered annually in Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, IndieWire, Deadline, Forbes, and more.
WIF Director of International Projects Andria Wilson Mirza said the decision to expand the program globally to Australia as well as Canada, the UK, Ireland, and India was timely.
“Our fight for fair and equitable representation for women and underrepresented genders in the screen industry is a global challenge and we’re proud to bring the program ‘down under’ with our partners at Screen Australia’s Gender Matters Taskforce and WIFT Australia.”
Gender Matters Taskforce Chair Rosie Lourde celebrated the opportunity for Australian filmmakers to be further recognised alongside their international peers.
“Australian projects have been kicking major goals on the world stage, and now we can be recognised as operating at a global standard for best practice amongst some of the screen industry’s most prestigious filmmakers. The Gender Matters Taskforce is thrilled to help introduce the ReFrame stamp to Australia and to collaborate with WIFT Australia and the Audrey team for the launch”
WIFT Australia Chair Liz Tomkins said bringing the initiative to Australia would incentivise local producers and screen productions to adopt inclusive and gender-representative hiring.
“Shining a light on gender diversity in the screen industry requires effective incentives. The ReFrame Stamp provides an opportunity for Australian producers and production companies who are advocating for change in this space to be rewarded appropriately and to aim higher.”
With the ReFrame Stamp now available to Australian productions, the local industry has a clear pathway toward measurable progress in gender equality, setting new benchmarks for future generations.
Australian producers and production companies eager to join the movement for gender equality in the screen industry can find more information on how to qualify for the ReFrame Stamp at the WIFT Australia website: https://www.wiftaustralia.org.au/reframe-aus
Audrey is in cinemas November 7, 2024.
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