- Western Australian feature film released in cinemas around Australia
- Filmshowcases WA's Great Southern to the world
- We Bury the Dead delivered an estimated $9.3 million to the WA economy during production
- Cook Government fostering a vibrant and creative economy
Western Australian survival thriller, We Bury the Dead, will be screening in cinemas across Australia and New Zealand from today (5 February) following an impressive run in the United States where it opened to $2.5 million USD at the US box office.
Filmed in Albany and the Great Southern region in 2024, We Bury the Dead was written and directed by Perth-born Zak Hilditch (1922, These Final Hours) and produced by WA-based team Kelvin Munro and Grant Sputore (The Furnace,I Am Mother).
The film stars Daisy Ridley (Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens), Brenton Thwaites (Titans) and Mark Coles Smith (Mystery Road: Origin).
We Bury the Dead made its world premiere at the South by Southwest Festival (SXSW) in Austin, Texas last year, and its WA premiere at CinefestOZ in Busselton last year where it was one of four finalists in contention for the 2025 Film Prize.
Supported by the Cook Government through its WA Regional Screen Fund and the Post-Production, Digital and Visual Effects Rebate, We Bury the Dead returned an estimated $9.3 million to the WA economy during production.
The feature film also received major production investment from Screen Australia in association with Screenwest and Lotterywest.
As stated by Creative Industries Minister Simone McGurk:
"This is such an exciting time for WA's film industry, with homegrown writer-director Zak Hilditch showcasing our spectacular Great Southern region to the world.
"The grandeur of our Great Southern landscape is used to great dramatic effect, and the incredibly impressive makeup and sound effects will stay with you long after the credits roll.
"WA has proven itself as a highly popular destination for screen projects in the past six months, with romantic comedy feature film Twice Over filming in Fremantle, and WAPPA graduate Dacre Montgomery returning to WA last year to direct his debut feature film, The Engagement Party.
"Last week, the first Netflix series to be filmed in WA, Breakers, also started production in the State's South West.
"The WA Government has invested strongly in the WA screen industry to diversify and boost our economy, deliver local jobs, and attract tourism."
