Kidnapped movie filmed at Thala Beach hits cinemas this week

FILM

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Australian Thriller Kidnapped, filmed near Port Douglas, opens in cinemas this week.

Australian thriller Kidnapped, which was shot by the Steve Jaggi Company at Thala Beach Nature Reserve in August/September 2020, opens in cinemas on Thursday March 18.

The release follows a special premier screening and Q&A event at Event Cinemas Cairns Central on Tuesday night.

Kidnapped stars Claire van der Boom (Palm Beach, Pulse) and Todd Lasance (Spartacus, The Vampire Diaries, The Flash).

The story follows Californian Attorney Savannah Morgan (van der Boom), who is living the dream of bringing her husband Brad (Lasance) and their five-year-old daughter Aria, back to her birthplace in Queensland, Australia. When Aria goes missing from the resort’s Kidz Club, this idyllic holiday in paradise becomes Savannah’s worst nightmare.

Australian Thriller Kidnapped, filmed near Port Douglas, opens in cinemas this week. Image: Supplied.

Kidnapped was developed by Sepia Films out of Vancouver Canada and Brisbane-based The Steve Jaggi Company and marks their first foray into a growing market segment.

The script was written by Australian writer Shanrah Wakefield and directed by Canadian director Vic Sarin.
 The film co-stars Melina Vidler, Lynn Gilmartin, Sami Afuni, Ngoc Phan and introduces Molly Belle Wright as Aria.

The cast and crew assembled at the picturesque Thala Beach Nature Reserve in Far North Queensland in August 2020 to film the project, adhering to strict COVID production guidelines. 

Pictured on set in Port Douglas (from left) Claire van der Boom, Todd Lasance and director Vic Sarin. Image: Courtesy Diane Templeton.

Producer Steve Jaggi said: “Having already filmed This Little Love of Mine in Far North Queensland, we knew that filming in a pandemic was possible. The unique location of Thala Beach Nature Reserve allowed us to create a production bubble in this small piece of paradise.

“It wasn’t always easy and operating under COVID safe guidelines meant significant changes for all departments, but our cast and crew were incredible, and everyone worked hard to keep the production safe.”

Kidnapped will be released theatrically by Athabasca Film, screening in select cinemas across Australia in an exclusive deal with Event Cinemas and Village Cinemas.

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