BOYS IN THE TREES
It’s Halloween 1997 - the last night of high school for Corey, Jango and their skater gang, The Gromits. Childhood is over and adult life beckons. But for Corey, his past has some unfinished
What starts off as a normal walk through empty suburban streets descends into something darker and magical as they tell each other ghost stories, drawing upon their fears of the world around them. As they walk through their memories and ghosts of the past, Corey is surprised to discover how much he still has in common with his abandoned friend.
But on the night of the grave’s delight, even the most buried truths will find a way of coming to life.
CRITICAL ACCLAIM
This film will be a good springboard for the director, because (no exaggeration) there is aftertaste of Spielberg.
Amidst the rousing soundtrack of 90s rock recalling my own high school experience is a devastating message about childhood anger, ego, depression, and desire.
Contrasting colour and darkness, he leaves an un-nerving imprint and his music video-like sections also make an impact
THE CAST
Boys In The Trees by Nicholas Verso is brought to life by the vast talent of a group of brilliant young Australian actors.
ROMANY
Mitzi made her television debut when she joined the cast of the popular Australian series Home and Away, playing the role of ‘Rabbit’. She then followed up with roles in ABC drama series Hiding, ABC's The Code, in which she appeared opposite Lucy Lawless, Foxtel’sSLiDE and the International Emmy-nominated series Dance Academy.
In 2012, Mitzi starred in the critically acclaimed short film Yardbird, which was nominated for the Palme D’Or for Best Short Film at the Cannes Film Festival and the Crystal Bear for Best Short Film at the Berlin International Film Festival.
COREY
Film credits include the adaptation of Tim Winton’s book The Turning (Cockleshell, directed by Tony Ayres), feature films Galore from director Rhys Graham. Return to Nim’s Island opposite Bindi Irwin, and his professional debut in Kriv Stenders’ Lucky Country(aka Dark Frontier).
His professional stage debut was in Opera Australia’s Capuletti. Other credits include the young Michael Hutchence in the INXS miniseries Never Tear Us Apart, Surviving Georgia, It’s A Date, The Man that Got Away, and short films including The Last Time I Saw Richard .
JONAH
Gulliver’s first role was playing alongside Sullivan Stapleton in the Australian crime series Rush. He also starred as the title character in the Melbourne Theatre Company's Poor Boy with Guy Pearce. He then spent several years in the UK where he won a role is Scorsese’s film Hugo.
He portrayed David Collins in Tim Burton’s 2012 feature film Dark Shadows. Following this, he portrayed Tad Lincoln in Steven Spielberg's Lincoln(2012). In 2013, he played the teenage version of Jerry Hickfang (Ryan Reynolds) in The Voices.
JANGO
After attending a weekend course at NIDA, Justin found himself in the lead role in the 2011 NIDA Summer production of Robin Hood. This led to him landing the role of ‘Griff Curby’ in the series Conspiracy 365. In 2012 he accepted the role of Lisa McCune’s son, Jack Stewart in Reef Doctors. Later that same year, joined the cast of Neighbours as the wayward Harley Canning.
He also performed in the blockbuster Mad Max: Fury Road. Justin has continued to work on many projects including his second feature film Body In The Yard and the television series Deep Water.
WRITER/DIRECTOR
Nicholas began his career directing Super 8 music videos for musicians including Wendy Rule, Kerri Simpson, Beki & The Bullets and The Cat Empire.
In 2016, he directed his debut feature film, Boys In The Trees, for Mushroom Pictures. This script won the NewDraft Award at NewFest 2011, received a rehearsed reading at the Lincoln Center in New York and was also nominated for the Monte Miller AWGIE Award. It will make its world premiere in September 2016 at the 73rd Venice International Film Festival and screen in cinemas across Australia from October 2016.
His short film work includes Hugo (winner of the Grand Prize for Fantasy at the Rhode Island International Film Festival), three Apocalypse Bear webisodes (funded by the City of Melbourne), Flight (a Tropfest finalist) and most recently, The Last Time I Saw Richard (funded through Screen Australia’s Springboard programme and winner of several awards including Best Short Film at the 2014 AACTA Awards and Best Emerging Filmmaker at the Melbourne Queer Film Festival).
His television work includes directing the Emmy award-winning Nowhere Boys for Matchbox Pictures, Snake Tales – a children’s sitcom for Network Nine (winner of the ATOM award for Best Childrens Programme and Gold Remi Award at Worldfest Houston) and directing multiplatform content for Conspiracy 365, Dangerous Remedy, Time Of Our Lives, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries (Season 2 & 3), Molly and Glitch.
As a director, Nicholas has attended the Berlinale Talent Campus, Binger FilmLab Directors Coaching Programme (Amsterdam), trained with Song Of The Goat theatre company (Poland), won the 2013 Inscription LA Residency and was awarded an Asialink Arts Fellowship to Beijing in 2015.
Nicholas also works as an AV Designer for theatre, designing shows for Melbourne International Festival, St Martins Youth Theatre, Melbourne University, Malthouse Theatre and the National Institute of Circus Arts.
As one half of installation art duo, MerryVerso, Nicholas has also designed artworks with Hermione Merry for the Yarra Ranges Council and worked with boys on remand at the Melbourne Juvenile Justice Centre to create Nocturne: Forgotten, a multiform work incorporating an 18 speaker sound wall, video projections and experiential installation where audiences are invited to step inside the emotional landscape of these boys and their forgotten voices.
He is also a DJ under the pseudonym of DJ Versey Verse and has started one of Melbourne’s most popular Friday nights on Brunswick St.
PRODUCER
John previously worked with Nicholas on his award winning short film, The Last Time I Saw Richard. John is an Executive Producer of Killing Ground and was Co-Producer of the high profile Australian comedy BoyTown.
In television, John produced the two part miniseries Molly for Seven Network, arguably the highest rating drama in Australian television history, and was Executive Producer on Molly: The Real Thing documentary. He was also Executive Producer and Producer of Head First Series 1&2 for the ABC, Producer of The Nation for the Nine Network and Series Producer on John Safra.
FESTIVAL SHOWINGS
WHERE CAN I
SEE IT?
Boys In The Trees has had a limited release in Australian cinemas.
Look out for Festival and FanForce screenings near you!
