Dutch dollars back New Holland Pictures
by Sandy George

Encore Magazine

8 December 2004

Queensland production levels will get a boost as early as next year with the arrival of New Holland Pictures, a Brisbane-based joint venture that marries producers Mark and Cathy Overett with Dutch drama expertise and investment.

They are already gearing up for the production of two features next year. Afghan Bride, a love story with thriller elements, is being adapted by writer/director Peter Duncan from the 1998 Dutch film Polish Bride. It has most of its financing in place and High Point attached as sales agent. The road movie Dive Under will be shot in the Dutch language with Dutch stars and the partners are now deciding whether to also shoot an English-language version simultaneously.

A key partner in New Holland Pictures is Anton Smit, co-owner of the six-year-old Dutch company IdtV Film, which made Oscar nominee Twin Sisters, and multiple Dutch award winners Family, Godforsaken and Cloaca. IdtV Film is majority owned and named after the second largest production company in the Netherlands and is part of the All3Media family.

Smit approached the Overetts once he decided to move into English-language production. He had met them when he was drama and entertainment head at Dutch public broadcaster VARA in the 1990s but also has links to Australia going back 35 years, principally through his background in theatre.

The goal is to make at least two films and one telemovie annually, although it is expected that light entertainment, documentary, and other television formats will eventually be part of the company's slate. About one-third of the projects are likely to have a Dutch or European connection.

"We were raising finance on various projects and pitching ideas to Ten," said Cathy Overett about the trio's visit to Sydney last month. "We were also meeting with various writers and directors, both emerging and experienced, as we want to build a stable of people to work with."

She has been developing the slate in Australia while Mark Overett has been working as a series producer for Screentime in New Zealand for the last year or two. Included is her first outing as a feature writer, the psychological drama Kaw-Lah, about backpackers who have to work together to fight for their lives after being kidnapped by Burmese rebels in Thailand.

"Our philosophy is to make quality programming for film and television at low cost, and also to be writer-focused in order to make the stories important," she said.

The pair returned to this part of the world from the UK about three years ago and at first planned to concentrate on devising and overseeing television formats under their 4mats banner.