Tania Chambers and Renée Webster.
Writer/director Renée Webster and producers Tania Chambers of Feisty Dame Productions and Judi Levine of Such Much Films are the recipients of Screenwest’s 2019 West Coast Visions initiative.
They will receive $750,000 towards the feature film How To Please A Woman, a heartfelt comedy drama about Gina, an admin worker who starts a company providing women with quality sexual experiences packaged with a houseclean. She soon discovers the boundless nature of not only their desires but also her own.
The project has received development funding from Screen Australia’s Gender Matters Brilliant Stories initiative and Screenwest’s feature development program.
Screenwest head of production and development Matt Horrocks said the film’s DNA was strong and its underlying themes were universal, observing: “The ideas explored in the film will touch audiences worldwide and I’m very excited to see another Western Australian feature film creating opportunities for local crew and creatives to continue working locally.”
It will be the feature debut for Webster, whose directing credits include The Heights and Itch, the latter produced by Chambers and Komixx Entertainment’s Amanda Morrison and Melanie Halsall.
Webster describes the project as an unruly, naughty, feel-good film that explores core themes of women and men’s sexuality, ageing and vulnerability.
Chambers said: “Renée Webster’s talent shone through her previous work where I saw how the audience was touched by her lead characters and thoroughly entertained. I believe it is rare to see a representation of women in commercial cinema that has the balance of seriousness, tenderness and joy we will present in How To Please A Woman.”
Levine added: “As soon as I read the script I knew I wanted to make this film. It has complex, authentic characters and the imagery of women swimming in the Indian Ocean is really powerful.
“This movie illuminates the truth about women balancing the challenges of aging with their continuing needs for an emotionally and physically satisfying life.”
Since its inception more than a decade ago, West Coast Visions has been a catalyst for the careers of WA directors including Zak Hilditch (These Final Hours), Ben Young (Hounds of Love), Stephen McCallum (1%), Maziar Lahooti (Below) and 2018 recipient Jub Clerc (Sweet As).