Aboard a steamship sailing across the Atlantic Ocean in 1874,
widower John Andrews delights the restless minds of his two children

with a tale of courage, hope, war, and true love that begins with the
end of the world.

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90 minute Feature Film shot on location in Canada, Australia and Scotland
Post-produced in Sydney, Australia.

Released in 900 Theatres in the United States on 17th April 2024
Theatrical Distribution by Fathom Events

Writers
Aaron Hartzler, H.G. Sloan

Producers
Bin Li – Kyle Portbury – Martin Thorne

Executive Producers
Kevin Christenson – Vyacheslav Demyan – Derek Morris

Director
Kyle Portbury

Director of Photography
Peter Moss

Film Editor
Bin Li

Original Songs
Jonas Myrin

Music Composer
Blake Robinson & Michael Price

Production Designer
Lisa Soper

Costume Designer
Sue Fijalkowska

supervising sound editor
Matt Perrott

Casting by
Ilona Smyth

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One day each year, regional stockmen, far flung locals and grey nomads gather to play a game of cricket in the most unusual, abandoned town setting in the Australian Outback.
___

 This is their story.

TV Pilot shot on location in Farina, South Australia

Post-produced in Sydney.

Written & Directed by
Matt Sterne

Producers
Bin Li, Henry Richardson

Director of Photography
Evan Papageorgiou

Film Editor
Bin Li

The Way Back – Scene 8 and Scene 12

In 2009, the film had already been mixed, awaiting Studio notes. The main editor, Lee Smith, had moved on to another project, while I remained on standby for any necessary editorial adjustments.

One morning, our director, Peter Weir, entered the room and said: “Remember the deleted scene 8 where Colin kills the poor man with the sweater?” Peter paused, contemplating, before suggesting an intriguing idea. “Do you think we could intercut that scene with scene 12, where Jim and Mark discuss the Gulag?”

Considering the logistics, I replied, “We’d need suitable reactions from Jim and Mark to fit with the actions of scene 8, they would need to react accordingly.”

Peter, with his characteristic knowing smile, agreed, saying, “Let’s find them.” He then went out for a long lunch. 

Upon his return, I presented the edited sequence to Peter, igniting his enthusiasm as he transitioned into director mode. Together, we refined the sequence: trimming here, exploring alternatives there, and questioning the necessity of certain shots. After about thirty minutes of collaborative editing, we viewed the scene and found ourselves erupting into laughter, realising our success. 

We had resurrected a deleted scene, seamlessly integrating it into another scene where it hadn’t been originally conceived or filmed.

“Beaming with satisfaction, Peter congratulated me, shaking my hand, before departing with a simple yet heartfelt “Well done, Bin.” “

Paradise Road – Talking about Tigers and Love

This marked one of my earliest experiences editing wide-screen scenes, captured on Kodak stock using anamorphic Panavision lenses.

The narrative arc of Rosemary Leighton-Jones stood out as my favourite, delving into the essence of true love. However, it also introduced me to the challenges of Studio intervention. Fox mandated the removal of a pivotal scene where Rosemary clandestinely met her husband, Dennis Leighton-Jones, at night—a decision that many of us believed compromised the integrity of the storyline.

Moreover, this scene holds a special place in my memory because not a single frame was altered from the moment I initially edited it to its eventual release. Both director Bruce Beresford and editor Tim Wellburn upheld its integrity throughout the months of post-production, making no alterations—a rare occurrence in the editing process.

Mao’s Last Dancer – Sales Trailer

Producer Jane Scott tasked me with swiftly crafting a five-minute sales trailer for Mao’s Last Dancer to submit to the Toronto International Film Festival to capitalize on potential sales opportunities.

Director Bruce Beresford and editor Mark Warner offered minimal feedback likely due to their busy editing schedule on the real film.

This left me alone in my cutting room enjoying the creative process of shaping the trailer, truly fortunate I must say.