Aquarius Films, the Sydney-based production company that has credits including 2019 TIFF pic Dirt Music and Garth Davis’ Oscar-nominated Lion, has appointed Rachel Okine as its new Managing Director.
Okine was most recently STXinternational’s head of acquisitions between 2017 and 2019. She was previously Paris-based as Vice President of International Production and Acquisitions for Studiocanal and London-based with Film4.
At Aquarius, Okine will look to drive the company’s growth as it aims to have three-five projects in production per year going forward. She will also manage its established partnerships with Universal, Warner Bros. Australia, Anonymous Content, Netflix, Stan, SBS Australia and ABC Australia, as well as seeking new partners.
Aquarius was founded by Angie Fielder and Polly Staniford. The company’s recent work also includes The Unlisted, a 15-part sci-fi TV series for Netflix and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, which was triple-nominated at the AACTA Awards.
Its upcoming slate features Guy Pearce’s directorial debut Poor Boy, and the second season of Aussie comedian Matt Okine’s series The Other Guy, which primaries on Hulu in the U.S. on February 14.
On the development side, the company is working again with Matt Okine on the film adaptation of his debut novel Being Black And Chicken N’ Chips, as well as feature versions of Dominic Smith’s novel The Last Painting Of Sara De Vos, written by Laura Jones (Angela’s Ashes), and Hannah Kent’s second novel The Good People.
Aquarius founders Fielder and Staniford said the hire would help the company’s long-term plan to expand its “international footprint by working with a range of strategic partners right from the development stage”.
Okine added that she was joining at an “exciting stage in the company’s growth”.