Becker Entertainment's "December Boys", a coming of age drama, will commence principal photography on location in South Australia on Monday 14th November.
The film is Daniel Radcliffe's first major film role outside the 'Harry Potter' character. He plays Maps, one of four orphan boys. Joining the cast as the three other orphans are Christian Byers (Spark); Lee Cormie (Misty) and James Fraser (Spit).
Jack Thompson will co-star as Bandy McAnsh, the retired naval officer who takes charge of the boys during their summer holiday. Sullivan Stapleton and Victoria Hill will play the young couple who befriend the boys. Ralph Cotterill is Shellbank, the old fisherman. Frank Gallacher plays Father Scully; Kris McQuade plays Bandy's wife Mrs. McAnsh and newcomer Teresa Palmer plays the young girl Lucy.
The "December Boys" are a close knit group of four adolescent orphans all given the same birth month. The boys' hope of ever being adopted grows slimmer with each passing year, and it isn't until their first summer away from the orphanage, that the fading hope of finding parents becomes a real possibility - for one of them. The boys are befriended by a young couple who, unable to fall pregnant, decide to adopt a child. The boys compete to be the most adoptable, severely testing their friendships when long gestating feelings of rejection explode to the surface. The boys' deep friendship eventually overcomes their rivalries, sealing forever the strong ties that bind them.
"December Boys" is directed by Rod Hardy whose credits include "Buffalo Girls", "The X Files" and "The Practice". Richard Becker produces from a screenplay by Marc Rosenberg, based on Michael Noonan's highly acclaimed novel.
The film is being financed by Film Finance Corporation of Australia, South Australian Film Corporation, with German investor MB 2 Film & Media GmbH. It has been pre-sold in Australasia in a first ever joint venture between Roadshow Distribution and Becker Entertainment.The film will be sold internationally by Village Roadshow.
