Australian feature film Ballad of a Sundowner has launched a fundraising campaign inviting audiences to support the production through tax-deductible donations to the Australian Cultural Fund.
The campaign is being run through the Australian Cultural Fund, operated by Creative Australia, with donations of $2 or more eligible for tax deductions. The producers say the initiative is intended to help fund the film while building early audience support for an Australian production.
Directed by Matthew Holmes, whose previous credits include The Legend of Ben Hall, The Cost and Fear Below, Ballad of a Sundowner is set in Australia in 1934, in the aftermath of the Great Depression.
The film follows Harry Mills, a war-scarred swagman played by Joshua Jaeger, who becomes a fugitive after taking revenge against a landowner. Hunted by authorities and civilians, Harry is forced to confront his past and the consequences of his actions as he travels through a country struggling with the effects of economic hardship.
The production is being developed by RLC Motion Pictures, GrandLine Motion Pictures and Two Tone Pictures. Principal photography is scheduled to begin in October 2026, with funds raised through the campaign expected to contribute towards production, editing, post-production, sound design and colour grading.
Producer Russell Cunningham says public support could help Australian films build audiences before they reach cinemas. He points to the contrast between the country’s early film history and its current share of the domestic box office, citing The Story of the Kelly Gang from 1906, widely recognised as the world’s first full-length narrative feature film.
According to Cunningham, Australian films now account for around 2.6 per cent of the domestic box office, while international films make up the majority of cinema attendance.
“The challenge is not necessarily whether Australia can make quality films,” Cunningham says. “It is whether we can create a genuine connection between Australian audiences and Australian productions.”
The producers believe that early audience participation could help create a base of viewers with an interest in seeing the film when it is released. They argue that this kind of support could also provide cinema exhibitors with clearer evidence of audience demand for locally made productions.
“When audiences become active supporters of Australian films before they are made, they develop a personal investment in seeing those films succeed,” Cunningham says. “That creates a committed audience base and sends a powerful message to cinema exhibitors that Australians want to see Australian stories on the big screen.”
The approach reflects an ongoing challenge for Australian filmmakers, who must compete for cinema audiences in a market dominated by major international releases. While public fundraising cannot guarantee a film’s theatrical distribution or commercial success, the production team behind Ballad of a Sundowner sees the campaign as a way for audiences to engage with the film before production begins.
The film’s historical setting and story of a fugitive moving through Depression-era Australia are intended to offer a distinctly local story with potential appeal beyond the Australian market.
“Australia has exceptional filmmakers, actors and crew,” Cunningham says. “What we need is a stronger culture of supporting Australian stories from the ground up.”
Donations to Ballad of a Sundowner can be made through the Australian Cultural Fund, with contributions of $2 or more tax deductible.
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