Baz Luhrmann Used ‘Over 2 Million Feet of Film’ to Turn ‘Australia’ Into Six-Part ‘Faraway Downs’ Series: ‘Episodic Storytelling Has Been Reinvigorated’ by Streaming

variety.com:

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Baz Luhrmann is set to world premiere his upcoming miniseries “Faraway Downs” on the closing night of the upcoming SXSW Sydney Screen Festival, closing the loop on a filmmaking journey that began nearly 20 years ago. “Faraway Downs” is the expanded TV version of the director’s 2008 theatrical release “Australia,” an epic romance starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman that flopped at the domestic box office with less than $50 million. “I was inspired to re-approach my film ‘Australia’ to create ‘Faraway Downs’ because of the way episodic storytelling has been reinvigorated by the streaming world,” Luhrmann said in a statement announcing the film’s premiere. “With over 2 million feet of film from the original piece, my team and I were able to revisit anew the central themes of the work.

I am honored to world premiere ‘Faraway Downs’ in Australia, the place that has inspired me and my work my entire life, and with a partner like SXSW who deeply recognizes the intersection of film, television and music with storytelling.” Colin Daniels, SXSW Sydney Managing Director, added, “We are so happy to be sharing the creative work of Baz Luhrmann and the entire “Faraway Downs” team at Australia’s first ever SXSW Sydney.” Kidman stars in both “Australia” and “Faraway Downs” as Lady Sarah Ashley, an English aristocrat who travels down under after the death of her husband to sell a cattle ranch in the outback.

The property becomes the center of a dispute between a ruthless Australian cattle baron and Lady Sarah, who teams up and falls in love with a local ranch hand (Jackman) to protect her land.