Subculture Media

Stan today announced that production for a brand new Stan Original Film, A Sunburnt Christmas, Australia’s greatest Christmas film ever, is currently underway in Adelaide and will premiere exclusively on Stan later this year – just in time for Christmas.

Directed by Christiaan Van Vuuren (Bondi Hipsters, The Other Guy), this very Australian comedy is produced by Every Cloud Productions, in association with Highview Productions, from an original concept by Gretel Vella, Eillot Vella and Tim Walker, with major production investment from Screen Australia in association with Stan and financed with assistance from the South Australian Film Corporation. Lisa Scott, Highview Productions, is Producer, with Executive Producers Fiona Eagger and Deb Cox for Every Cloud and Mike Jones co-producing.

Not your typical cliché Christmas movie, A Sunburnt Christmas is a wild, hilarious and heartfelt story about a single mum and her kids doing it tough on their outback farm until a runaway criminal dressed as Santa Claus crashes into their property and their lives.

In the lead role as Daryl the kindly crim, Daniel Henshall (Snowtown, Bloom, Acute Misfortune) is mistaken for the real Santa by the young and fearless Daisy, played by incredible new talent Lena Nankivell. Other newcomers Eaden McGuinness and Tatiana Goode are equally brilliant in their roles as Daisy’s older siblings, her anxious brother Tom and wily teenage sister Hazel who sees Daryl as an opportunity to get her family back on track. Sullivan Stapleton (Animal Kingdom, Ride Like A Girl, 300: Rise of an Empire), also stars as Dingo, the mobster on the hunt for Daryl, with Ling Cooper Tang (The Secrets She Keeps, Stan Original Series The Gloaming) as the children’s mum rounding out the multi-generational cast of diverse characters.

A feel-good comedy-of-errors, A Sunburnt Christmas is the must-watch film this Christmas that will bring the family together to laugh, cry and cheer for the triumph of ordinary battlers who might just get their Christmas miracle.

Christiaan Van Vuuren said: “I‘m absolutely stoked to be working at all this year, let alone on a production as special as this with so many talented eggs. I hope this movie is a Christmas present to all Australians after such a hard year.”

Every Cloud Productions’ Fiona Eagger said: “Christmas is one of those occasions where my family love the ritual of sitting down together to watch something Christmassy. Last Christmas, I asked myself ‘where are our good Aussie Christmas films?’ A Sunburnt Christmas fills that void and celebrates what makes us uniquely Australian. It is a little bit irreverent, not very politically correct, has a big heart and is a lot funny. In a year where we could do with a little Christmas cheer, this is about creating our own miracles and finding faith in each other.

“Alongside Stan and Lisa Scott, Deb and I and the team at Every Cloud Productions, have a strong ethos to give opportunity to new talent. On this show there are many key creatives that are doing their first feature film and we are proud to be doing it with them.”

Stan’s Chief Content Officer, Nick Forward said: “The timing for A Sunburnt Christmas couldn’t be better and we’re delighted to be working with Christiaan Van Vuuren again, along with the talented young writers, Every Cloud Productions and Highview Productions, to create a fun feel-good Christmas film to give us all a bit of much-needed Aussie festive cheer.”

South Australia’s Minister for Innovation and Skills David Pisoni, who recently visited the set, said: “A Sunburnt Christmas will inject $2.9m into the local economy and employ 104 South Australian crew, 15 local cast and 31 extras. Among the cast are three young South Australian actors in key roles, who have the opportunity to work alongside and learn from acclaimed actors Daniel Henshall and Sullivan Stapleton. It is terrific to continue to build on the strong relationship between Stan and South Australia.”

Screen Australia’s Head of Content Sally Caplan said: “We are thrilled to be supporting this Aussie Christmas comedy. With a fun and distinctive story written by exciting new talents Gretel Vella, Eillot Vella and Tim Walker, and comic mastermind Christiaan Van Vuuren in the director’s chair, A Sunburnt Christmas is set to bring laughs for the whole family.”

CEO of the South Australian Film Corporation Kate Croser said: “We are thrilled to welcome the acclaimed and prolific Every Cloud Productions to South Australia for the first time with this Stan Original film. The turnaround on this production, post-Covid and pre-Christmas is incredibly quick, and is testament to the agility and skill of the nimble crew and vendors in South Australia, under the leadership of South Australian producer, Lisa Scott of Highview Productions.” 

Stan Original Film A Sunburnt Christmas will premiere exclusively on Stan later this year