Netflix Unveils New Australian Originals

Netflix has unveiled a lineup of Australian originals, including an adaptation of Jane Harper’s The Survivors and the documentary ONEFOUR: Against All Odds.

“At Netflix, we’re a team of Aussies working with Aussies to make shows that are for us, by us and about us,” said Que Minh Luu, director of content for Australia and New Zealand. “When we fully commit to that authentically Australian point of view, we ensure that our audiences feel seen, heard and understood—and they fall in love with our stories. Our upcoming films and shows from Australia celebrate our culture and showcase the diverse people and landscapes from all corners of the country and across all genres.”

Directed by Adiran Powers, Love is in the Air is a film from Jaggi Entertainment premiering at the end of this month. Producer Steve Jaggi noted: “It was a thrill to work with Netflix again, and return to Far North Queensland to film Love Is In the Air earlier this year. We were welcomed by the Airlie Beach community, and our cast and crew worked incredibly hard to bring this story to the screen. Shot entirely on location, we pushed the boundaries by shooting in glorious 8K Vista Vision and it is my hope that audiences experience tropical Queensland as they enjoy the film.”

ONEFOUR: Against All Odds tells the tale of the drill rap group whose tour was shut down over concerns it would incite violence. It is produced by Entropico and Stranger Than Fiction and is slated to debut later this year. Gabriel Gasparinatos, writer and director, commented: “The story of ONEFOUR is one of the most significant cultural moments in recent Australian history. It’s about the changing face of this country and who gets to have a voice in it. Australia markets this sunkissed image of itself and it’s so important to show it’s not all like that, and that there is another side to this country the world is only just starting to see. I’m so grateful to ONEFOUR for trusting us with their story and to Netflix for bringing it to the global audience it deserves.”

The tentatively titled Desert King is set in the Australian Outback and tells the story of a fraught battle over a cattle station. Co-produced by Easy Tiger and Ronde, it is being exec produced by Ben Davies and Rob Gibson, who noted: “We’re thrilled to have assembled an incredible creative team, on and off screen, to do justice to the rarely-seen world, characters and stories of the Top End—a place where timeless meets modern, and where landscape is life and livelihood, but also mortal danger.”

Tony Ayres Productions (TAP), a part of Universal International Studios, is making The Survivors, a crime/mystery limited series set in a Tasmanian seaside town. Ayres noted: “Jane Harper’s brilliant novel is a gift to adapt because its clever murder mystery plot is actually a Trojan horse for a deeper examination of how we live with the wounds that life inflicts on us. It’s about the cost of survival and how that impacts differently on men and women. I’m thrilled that we are working with Netflix on this show, as its themes hit the sweet spot of being both distinctly Australian, yet resonant and meaningful to a global audience.”