Photos in the Attic is a really beautiful story with the potential to be a true classic. In the 1st World War, many young Australians not only volunteered to defend their motherland, Britain, but to see the world and embark on a big adventure. Of course, it was, an adventure, but not what they imagined. A virtual hell on earth with horrific injuries and death, they suffered mental illness and grief. But also, wonderful mateship and extraordinary romance. The story captures all of these elements.
Producer David Lightfoot, who sadly passed away recently, was very passionate about the story, having been a war veteran himself. He felt it accurately and sensitively represented post-traumatic stress syndrome or PTSD, something many more recent returned soldiers continue to suffer. And the film will be dedicated to him. In addition, the story doesn’t shy away from the role of indigenous Australians in fighting for their country, something frequently overlooked.
There is also the exquisite beauty and life affirming nature of Louis and Antoinette Thuillier's iconic photographs of Australian soldiers - the inspiration for the story. They have achieved a legendary, if not, sacred status after being purchased by Australian collector and billionaire businessman, Kerry Stokes who donated them to the Australian War Museum in Canberra where they’were curated and toured the country. These are the same photographs that come to life in the film.
Ultimately, Photos in the Attic is a love story with much complexity, exploring divided loyalties and the madness of war. It pulls at the heart strings and shows how youth sustains the weight of passion and unpreparedness, to face the most extreme challenges head on.
The budget is $7 million and will be financed through the Producer Offset, film funding agencies such as Screen Australia and Screen Queensland and the marketplace including local and international distribution guarantees and private investment.
Producer David Lightfoot, who sadly passed away recently, was very passionate about the story, having been a war veteran himself. He felt it accurately and sensitively represented post-traumatic stress syndrome or PTSD, something many more recent returned soldiers continue to suffer. And the film will be dedicated to him. In addition, the story doesn’t shy away from the role of indigenous Australians in fighting for their country, something frequently overlooked.
There is also the exquisite beauty and life affirming nature of Louis and Antoinette Thuillier's iconic photographs of Australian soldiers - the inspiration for the story. They have achieved a legendary, if not, sacred status after being purchased by Australian collector and billionaire businessman, Kerry Stokes who donated them to the Australian War Museum in Canberra where they’were curated and toured the country. These are the same photographs that come to life in the film.
Ultimately, Photos in the Attic is a love story with much complexity, exploring divided loyalties and the madness of war. It pulls at the heart strings and shows how youth sustains the weight of passion and unpreparedness, to face the most extreme challenges head on.
The budget is $7 million and will be financed through the Producer Offset, film funding agencies such as Screen Australia and Screen Queensland and the marketplace including local and international distribution guarantees and private investment.
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“Photos in the Attic”
“Photos in the Attic”
A love story set on two sides of the world and the backdrop of the Great War! The beauty of the Australian countryside and life on the cane fields of Childers. An Australian soldier enduring the horrors of war. A small French a refuge from the horrors and a special friendship. All captured by two photographers and locked away for 100 years and finally a mystery revealed.
This is Photos in the Attic.....
This is Photos in the Attic.....
After some very positive development time,Photos in the Attic is again moving forward. (finally)They were not kidding when they said the movie business is indeed “a box of chocolates!”
It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of David Lightfoot. He supported the project so well.
The screenplay has been improved and made so much more with the wonderful assistance of David Lightfoot and Franco Di Chiera. Both Donna and David and Franco have spent many hours rewriting our initial story to make it the best yet. Peer reviews have told us so. It is also with great excitement that we now have Franco Di Chiera with us in the capacity of Director and Screenplay Consultant.
Franco brings with him so much to add to our talented team of movie makers. He has already added so much to our screenplay.
Franco believes deeply that the project can be a truly wonderful piece of Australian Cinema.
Exciting times ahead..... stay tuned!
It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of David Lightfoot. He supported the project so well.
The screenplay has been improved and made so much more with the wonderful assistance of David Lightfoot and Franco Di Chiera. Both Donna and David and Franco have spent many hours rewriting our initial story to make it the best yet. Peer reviews have told us so. It is also with great excitement that we now have Franco Di Chiera with us in the capacity of Director and Screenplay Consultant.
Franco brings with him so much to add to our talented team of movie makers. He has already added so much to our screenplay.
Franco believes deeply that the project can be a truly wonderful piece of Australian Cinema.
Exciting times ahead..... stay tuned!
The Creative Team.
Director/Producer Franco Di Chiera
Screenwriter Donna Fiechtner
Producer Pita Productions
Producer Sabella Sugar
Associate Producer Michael Fiechtner
Executive Producers Caroline Russo
Robert Catena
Screenwriter Donna Fiechtner
Producer Pita Productions
Producer Sabella Sugar
Associate Producer Michael Fiechtner
Executive Producers Caroline Russo
Robert Catena
Franco Di Chiera
Director/Producer
A Pioneer Member of the Australian Academy Cinema Television Arts (AFI/AACTA), Franco’s early works, Waiting ‘Round Wynyard, La Scala Lo Scalone (Stairs and Staircases) and Bad News Bachelors screened at film festivals in Sydney, San Francisco, London and Edinburgh and sold to SBS, TV1 Sweden and NOS The Netherlands. He directed for national broadcaster ABC, The Artist, The Peasant (L’artista, Il Contadino) and The Joys of the Women (Le goie delle donne), released theatrically in Australia and nominated for an Australian Film Critics Circle Award.
His film Pipe Dreams was one of ABC’s highest rating programs for the year. Other ratings successes include SBS productions No Milk No Honey, Hoover’s Gold and The Fabulous Flag Sisters which also screened on Fox Italy and won the Jury Prize at Rome Fiction Fest.
He directed the mini-series Three Forever (Tre per sempre), starring Bud Spencer and produced by Domenico Procacci of Rome-based company Fandango whose films include the award-winning Gomorrah. The series screened on SBS in Australia and RAI in Italy where it attracted over 7 milllion viewers. It also sold to France and Germany. His Death of the Megabeasts screened in the U.S., France and Australia and won a Gold Remi Award at Worldfest - Houston International Film Festival. His Skin Deep presold to SBS and Arte France and was produced by Marco Visalberghi, winner of the Gold Lion at Venice for Sacro GRA. His Jack the Ripper – Prime Suspect was broadcast on Network 7 in Australia and on UK-TV. Distributed by BBC International, it also sold to Netflix U.S.
He produced the drama series Under the Skin, winner of an AFI/AACTA Award for Best Miniseries and Australian Writers Guild Awards including Tony Ayres’ The Long Ride whose series Clickbait recently reached No.1 worldwide on Netflix. Episode Best Wishes screened at the Venice International Film Festival. He was SBS Executive on the landmark indigenous package of dramas, From Sand to Celluloid and the feature, The Quiet Room by Rolf de Heer, director of the cult classic, Bad Boy Bubby. Episode No Way to Forget screened in Un Certain Regard at Cannes and The Quiet Room, in Official Competition, respectively.
He was also executive producer on East Timor - Birth of a Nation narrated by Academy Award winning actor Cate Blanchett and Uncle Chatzkel with producer Emile Sherman whose The King’s Speech won an Oscar for Best Film. Franco directed the romantic comedy Big Mamma’s Boy, starring singing sensation Holly Valance who starred in the hit series Neighbours and the film Taken. The film screened at CinefestOz, was released theatrically in Australia by Madman Entertainment and sold to Fox Movies. He directed the The New MoMA for DAM - Design Art Magazine online and produced the web project Forgiveness Day for The New York Times, currently streaming.
He is writer on the mini-series The Rocky Road and the feature film Chasing Sophia, collaborating with producer Sabella Sugar of Ultrafilms. He is also co-writer of the Cold War spy drama, Little Europe and the director attached on the period romance, Photos In The Attic, set in France and Australia. Franco has performed senior industry roles including Drama Development Executive Screenwest, Commissioning Editor SBS, Executive Producer Film Australia, Director WA Screen Academy Edith Cowan University and Production Investment Manager Film Victoria.
Sabella Sugar
Producer
A principal at Ultrafilms Pty Ltd (founded in 1997), by the late David Lightfoot. Ultrafilms have a number of projects in development in which Sabella is heavily involved.
Sabella was an Executive Producer on the feature film 'Never Too Late,' Directed by Mark Lamprell, it features screen veterans Jackie Weaver, Jack Thomson and Academy award winner James Cromwell. Released in 2020, Never Too Late was no.4 at the Australian box office.
More recently, she was an executive Producer on the thriller ‘The Girl At The Window’ starring Radha Mitchell and Vince Colosimo scheduled for release mid 2022.
She is a Company Director of Strategic Film Distribution. Through their unique platform and technology, Strategic Film Distribution provides a number of services including; AI online targeted marketing campaigns for films. Their technology uses emotional intelligence testing providing in-depth market reports and analysis on audience market testing for films and trailers prior to release. Enabling producers to gain valuable insights as to the effectiveness of their campaign.
Sabella previously has a background in the Financial Services Industry spending over 8 years working with an AFSL share market advisory service where she presented and produced the daily market update reports.
Producer
A principal at Ultrafilms Pty Ltd (founded in 1997), by the late David Lightfoot. Ultrafilms have a number of projects in development in which Sabella is heavily involved.
Sabella was an Executive Producer on the feature film 'Never Too Late,' Directed by Mark Lamprell, it features screen veterans Jackie Weaver, Jack Thomson and Academy award winner James Cromwell. Released in 2020, Never Too Late was no.4 at the Australian box office.
More recently, she was an executive Producer on the thriller ‘The Girl At The Window’ starring Radha Mitchell and Vince Colosimo scheduled for release mid 2022.
She is a Company Director of Strategic Film Distribution. Through their unique platform and technology, Strategic Film Distribution provides a number of services including; AI online targeted marketing campaigns for films. Their technology uses emotional intelligence testing providing in-depth market reports and analysis on audience market testing for films and trailers prior to release. Enabling producers to gain valuable insights as to the effectiveness of their campaign.
Sabella previously has a background in the Financial Services Industry spending over 8 years working with an AFSL share market advisory service where she presented and produced the daily market update reports.
Caroline Russo
Executive Producer
Caroline Russo is a Queensland-based Executive Producer and International Screen Industry Consultant. She was Executive Producer on the indie film Stalker and the horror movie Boar, picked up by Universal Distribution.
She has collaborated with filmmakers, connecting projects with producing, financing and distribution partners. In the last year, Caroline has been working on the film Ruby Choice, starring actress Jane Seymour and the LA story, Who is Gatsby Randolph?, documenting the meteoric rise of of an alter ego music producer. As Executive Producer, she secured distribution for the project.
Currently, she’s involved in the international feature film Photos In The Attic, to be shot in France and Australia.
Executive Producer
Caroline Russo is a Queensland-based Executive Producer and International Screen Industry Consultant. She was Executive Producer on the indie film Stalker and the horror movie Boar, picked up by Universal Distribution.
She has collaborated with filmmakers, connecting projects with producing, financing and distribution partners. In the last year, Caroline has been working on the film Ruby Choice, starring actress Jane Seymour and the LA story, Who is Gatsby Randolph?, documenting the meteoric rise of of an alter ego music producer. As Executive Producer, she secured distribution for the project.
Currently, she’s involved in the international feature film Photos In The Attic, to be shot in France and Australia.
Robert Catena
Executive Producer
Executive Producer Robert Catena has a background in finance and stockbroking over a 30 year period. He’s a representative of CPS Capital Group and Director of Mercury Anetac Capital in Western Australia, advising companies. He has been involved in a number of film and television productions including The Fabulous Flag Sisters screened on SBS in Australia and Fox Italy, where it won Best Documentary at Roma Fiction Fest. He was Executive Producer on the feature film Big Mamma’s Boy selected to screen at CinefestOz, released nationally in Australia by Madman Entertainment and sold to Fox Movies. He helped finance the development of the miniseries The Rocky Road and is an Executive Producer on the feature Chasing Sophia.
Donna Fiechtner.
Screenwriter
Donna Fiechtner is an accomplished educator ,author, mother and wife. She is interested in historical stories and the way they connect people of the past to the present. Donna has spent over 30 years in the school environment as a teacher and administrator and she loves making learning fun and meaningful for her students no matter what age they are. She and her husband Michael, offer Education, Travel and Leisure services to a range of clients through their Intercultural Consulting Group Consultancy.
During her life she has lived in both Japan and France immersing herself in all that culture has to offer.
Donna has co-authored an inspiring book on the WW 1 Graffiti on cave walls in Naours in Northern France and has written the most recent screenplay and an accompanying novel for a feature film in development-Photos in the Attic. The story is set during WWI in Vignacourt, France and Childers, Queensland where principal screenwriter Donna Fiechtner and fellow creative collaborator and husband, Michael , are based. Both historians, it is told through their unique and insightful lens. It’s based on an original script by Donna and Michael together with Hollywood screenwriter Shirley Pierce who has done projects for MGM, Sony Pictures, 20th Century Fox and Disney. “
Donna is keen to share her talents with those around her and be involved in life changing opportunities .
Michael Fiechtner
Associate Producer
Michael Fiechtner is a passionate historian, widely read and a qualified educational specialist having spent over 35 years in various school and higher education settings and positions both in Australia and overseas ,providing intercultural opportunities across the world. He is also the Director of Intercultural Consulting Group... concentrating on leisure, education and travel services to a range of clients. He is currently focused on providing Environmental Education amongst a wide range of interests.
He and his wife Donna have travelled extensively over the past 20 years immersing themselves in projects in both Japan with the Hiroshima Peace Park and World War 1 battlefields in France. Michael and Donna have made it their life passion to research WW1 stories and have a strong interest in the Western Front and the untold stories. They have been involved in the village of Vignacourt in France - Home of the Lost Diggers Collection and Naours home to the collection of WW1 Grafitti.
Michael and Donna have co-authored a book on the Naours caves in Northern France and also have devoted a great deal of their time and efforts into writing and attracting attention for their feature film based on WW1 and Vignacourt titled Photos in the Attic currently in development. This is their first foray into the com[lex world of movie making. They claim the journey to make it may be a better movie than the actual movie !
Michael’s passion is engaging with interesting people from diverse backgrounds and developing interesting projects to get involved in that can make a difference!
Associate Producer
Michael Fiechtner is a passionate historian, widely read and a qualified educational specialist having spent over 35 years in various school and higher education settings and positions both in Australia and overseas ,providing intercultural opportunities across the world. He is also the Director of Intercultural Consulting Group... concentrating on leisure, education and travel services to a range of clients. He is currently focused on providing Environmental Education amongst a wide range of interests.
He and his wife Donna have travelled extensively over the past 20 years immersing themselves in projects in both Japan with the Hiroshima Peace Park and World War 1 battlefields in France. Michael and Donna have made it their life passion to research WW1 stories and have a strong interest in the Western Front and the untold stories. They have been involved in the village of Vignacourt in France - Home of the Lost Diggers Collection and Naours home to the collection of WW1 Grafitti.
Michael and Donna have co-authored a book on the Naours caves in Northern France and also have devoted a great deal of their time and efforts into writing and attracting attention for their feature film based on WW1 and Vignacourt titled Photos in the Attic currently in development. This is their first foray into the com[lex world of movie making. They claim the journey to make it may be a better movie than the actual movie !
Michael’s passion is engaging with interesting people from diverse backgrounds and developing interesting projects to get involved in that can make a difference!
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.....follow the Photos in the Attic movie project on Facebook now....
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The Teaser Post Card collection.......
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The Sad Digger..... one of the images in the Thuillier collection.
George Gordon Gilbert
artwork Isobel Fiechtner
George Petrou Artwork
The Lost Diggers
