Screenwest and Screen Australia announced this week that the feature film Proclivitas has begun production in Perth, with an entirely West Australian female key crew.
Written and directed by Miley Tunnecliffe and produced by Kate Separovich, Proclivitas is the debut feature for both of them. Proclivitas is described as ‘a supernatural horror that sees a troubled doctor rekindle a romance with her teenage sweetheart, awakening painful memories of the past and a terrifying demon determined to possess her’.
The film will star Fremantle-born and raised, WAAPA-trained actress Rose Riley (Stateless, Mr Inbetween, Mystery Road) and New Zealand actor George Mason (Power of the Dog, Exposure, Last Days of the Space Age) in the lead roles of Clare and Jerry. WA actress Hayley McElhinney (Mystery Road: Origin, The Babadook) will play Jerry’s sister, Tara.
Writer-director Tunnecliffe (Calling, Molly and Cara, 100% Wolf) and producer Kate Separovich (Girt By Sea, Evie, Dirt Music) will work alongside an entirely Western Australian female key creative team that includes DOP Meredith Lindsay, Production Designer Courtney Mulvay, Costume Designer Texx Montana, Hair and Make Up Designer Kate Anderson and Monster Designer, Kiana Jones.
‘I’m absolutely thrilled to be working with such incredible talent in front of, and behind the camera,’ said Tunnecliffe. ‘It’s such a pleasure to be able to make this film in my hometown with the support of Screenwest and Screen Australia and I can’t wait to share it with the world.’
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Producer Kate Separovich said: ‘Producing is such a wild ride but I’ve assembled a team that is going to scare the bejesus out of people. There’s nowhere I’d rather be making films than here in WA – the benefit of being a Western Australia-based producer and having the incredible support of Screenwest, as well as Screen Australia and our distributor ICON puts my business in a great position to grow into the future.’
Proclivitas was the 2023 recipient of Screenwest’s West Coast Visions initiative, which is designed to uncover, inspire and develop talented and motivated WA filmmakers with distinctive visions to produce their debut feature film in WA. Proclivitas was announced as the recipient in August last year.
Through the West Coast Visions initiative, Proclivitas secured $750,000 production funding from Screenwest and $500,000 in equity from Screen Australia, as well as ongoing strategic and creative support.
Rikki Lea Bestall, Screenwest CEO said: ‘Screenwest has been following and supporting Kate and Miley’s careers for over 10 years and we are so pleased to see them kick off production on their debut feature film. It’s so great to see two WA actresses, Rose and Hayley take on starring roles alongside an entirely WA crew. Congrats team!’
The 2024 recipient of West Coast Visions was End to End from writer-director Tim Barretto and writer-producer Melanie Filler, and was announced earlier this week. It will be heading into production in 2025. Other West Australian films to emerge from the initiative include Jub Clerc’s Sweet As, Zak Hilditch’s These Final Hours and Ben Young’s Hounds of Love.
Proclivitas is scheduled to wrap filming in Western Australia in September and will be distributed by Icon.
Production credit: PROCLIVITAS is a Lake Martin Films production. Major production investment from Screen Australia in association with Screenwest and Lotterywest. Local distribution by Icon. Developed with the support of Screenwest and Lotterywest.
