Films News

The Sapphires at Cannes

01 May 2012

Our highly anticipated Australian film The Sapphires has been selected for the upcoming 2012 Cannes Film Festival. The film will receive a special Gala Screening Out of Competition at The Palais during the May event and is the only Australian feature film selected for this year's festival.

Directed by Wayne Blair and starring Deborah Mailman, Jessica Mauboy, Chris O'Dowd and introducing Shari Sebbens and Miranda Tapsell, The Sapphires is inspired by the story of four talented singers from a remote Aboriginal mission who are discovered by an unlikely talent scout (O'Dowd). Plucked from obscurity and branded as Australia's answer to The Supremes, The Sapphires grasp the chance of a lifetime when they're offered their first real gig - entertaining the troops in Vietnam. For the girls, a whole new world of sex, war, politics and soul opens before them.

The Sapphires is the feature directorial debut from Wayne Blair, who commented: "It's a beautiful position to be in. Getting into Cannes is a great reward for our team's hard toil". Hopscotch Films/Entertainment One will release The Sapphires in August 2012. The Sapphires is produced in association with Screen Australia and Screen NSW with the support of E-Film Australia, IFS Capital and EFIC. More info coming soon.