The Australian Government will provide $3.1 million in support through the Location Incentive for feature film Sleeping Dogs, helping to create over 220 jobs for local cast and crew.
Set to commence filming in Victoria this month, the production will also receive support through the Victorian Government's Victorian Screen Incentive. The production is set to use the services of more than 150 Australian business and inject more than $23 million into the Australian economy.
Starring Russell Crowe, Sleeping Dogs centres on former homicide detective Roy Freeman, who is undergoing treatment for Alzheimer's. He is tasked with re-examining a brutal murder case from his past after a death row inmate Roy arrested 10 years prior is now proclaiming his innocence.
Intrigued and fighting to regain his memory, Roy enlists his former partner to help him revive the investigation and discover the truth. This time though, things unfold very differently. As he uncovers a tangled web of contradictions and secrets, Roy is forced to face a horrific reality that changes his world forever in the blink of an eye.
Federal Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke, said it was great to see another international production call Australia home.
"Bringing productions like Sleeping Dogs to Australia means more jobs for local cast and crew, as well as a chance to showcase our homegrown talent to the rest of the world," Minister Burke said.
Victorian Minister for Creative Industries Steve Dimopoulos said the project builds Victoria's pipeline of major screen productions and boosts the state's profile as a screen leader.
"2021-22 set a record for screen production in Victoria and this year is already shaping up to be another bumper year. Sleeping Dogs will deliver hundreds of local job opportunities while boosting businesses in catering, transport, accommodation and more.
This project will utilise our cutting-edge technical capabilities, our screen facilities, stunning locations across Melbourne and world-class crews and talent, with Victoria once again showcased as a global leader in screen production."
"Federal Government support from Minister Tony Burke, as well as Vicscreen, have been invaluable and we couldn't be happier to shoot this film in Melbourne. The crew is second to none and we feel so lucky to be able showcase this beautiful city on the big screen," producers for Sleeping Dogs said.
