Queensland was firmly in the spotlight last night as Netflix rolled out the red carpet in Brisbane for the premiere of its new Australian feature film, Allen.
Cast, crew and special guests gathered at Angelika Cinemas to celebrate the Queensland-made production, which marks the first live-action feature film from Brisbane-based Ludo Studio, the company behind Bluey.
Netflix, together with Emmy and BAFTA award-winning production company Ludo Studio and Screen Queensland, hosted the special screening ahead of the film’s global streaming debut today.
Filmed across Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast, Allen brings a distinctly Queensland flavour to the screen, with the state’s coastal landscapes and suburban neighbourhoods providing the backdrop for the story.
Those attending the premiere heard from Netflix’s Amanda Duthie, Screen Queensland Executive Director, Screen Content Julie Eckersley, and the film’s creator and co-director Daley Pearson, who spoke about bringing the locally produced story to life.
The evening also featured a few distinctly Australian treats, with guests enjoying Cheezels and Bubble O’ Bills. Without giving too much away, both make a little more sense once you’ve seen the film.
Created by Pearson and co-directed alongside Jeffrey Walker, Allen follows Petey (TJ Power), who befriended a small alien as a child but has never quite been able to let go of the experience.
Twenty years later, Allen is back.
Co-written by Pearson and Sophie Miller, the film explores friendship, childhood memories and loss, with its story drawing on Pearson’s own upbringing in Coolum on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
The film stars TJ Power, Charlotte Nicdao, Josh Helman, Emily Barclay and Benedict Hardie, with executive producers Charlie Aspinwall and Pearson for Ludo Studio, alongside Sophie Miller.
Sam Moor and Ross Allsop serve as producers, with Lauren Brown as co-producer.
For Ludo Studio, Allen represents another step beyond its internationally successful animated series Bluey, following its work on productions including Thou Shalt Not Steal.
Having attended last night’s screening, I thought the film was particularly well done, balancing its nostalgic Australian humour with a genuinely heartfelt story.
As a proud Queenslander, it was also a pleasure seeing so much of the state represented on screen, with familiar locations playing an important part in the film’s identity.
Australian and New Zealand streaming times are:
- Queensland: 6.00pm AEST
- New South Wales, Victoria, ACT and Tasmania: 7.00pm AEDT
- South Australia: 6.30pm ACDT
- Northern Territory: 5.30pm ACST
- Western Australia: 4.00pm AWST
- New Zealand: 9.00pm NZDT
