ABOUT THE PROJECT
Milk & Honey is a distinctive and compelling international short film, from the writer/actors Louisa Mignone & Andrea Demetriades, along with producer Leonie Rothwell and award-winning producer Annmaree J Bell.

SYNOPSIS
Sisters’ Sofia and Liliana arrive in a rural town of New South Wales in 1953. They have travelled far from their hometown in Naples, Italy in search of a new life in a country that is labelled 'the new America'.

Here they are welcomed by their husbands Federico and Umberto, whom they have married by proxy but have never met. With only photographs of the two men to guide them into this union and the promise of a better life in the land of milk and honey, the women leave their war-ravaged home and family to take this leap of fatih.

What transpires is a night of chaos, courage, love and sisterhood.

Latte e Miele is a story about the first night in Australia and how with sisterhood a woman can achieve anything.



THE FILM
Proxy marriages were a common practice in Australia and Canada from the 1920s to the 1960s. It was a practical solution as it united single lonely men in Australia with women from war-torn areas of Europe. In 1954, for every 100 Italian-born women, there were 203 Italian-born men living settled in Australia. The government opened their shores to these women and what transpired was a phenomenon of boatloads of proxy brides arriving in Australia with the promise of a better life.

As filmmakers we became deeply intrigued with these women and their stories. Women who would leave their families behind and travel to the other side of the world to marry men that they had never met. To us, this seems terribly frightening and brave.

Latte e Miele (Milk and Honey) is an amazing story that brings to life a moment in our culture that has not been explored to this extent. It is a personal journey for the women to come to a strange land and marry – not for love – but for the chance for a better life.

Post war Europe was not a place that provided the opportunities like the new found land of Australia. We share the insight of two women who made the journey blind, only to be surprised by their courage, love and belief in each other prevail above all else.

We have a strong desire to tell these stories and Latte e Miele (Milk and Honey) is the beginning of what we hope to be a long career of translating our history to a wide audience here and abroad.

WHY WE'RE CROWDFUNDING
This short film is part of the 2013 MetroScreen First Breaks program, with a screening of the finished film in December this year.

Although we have a highly talented cast and crew on board, as well as the support of MetroScreen, we still need a little more to go towards production costs in order to fully realise this amazing project.

We are in pre-production now with shooting to begin in August. This is followed by 8 weeks of postproduction in picture and sound. Our film will be completed by December 2013 and we look forward to sharing it with you.

Our goal is to enter our film into A-list domestic and international films such as Berlin, Cannes and Sundance to showcase this amazing story.

You can pledge a small amount in return for rewards like DVD’s and posters or you can donate more and with a larger donation even become one of our Associate Producers.

Details of all supporter rewards are listed to the right!

ABOUT THE TEAM
Latte e Miele (Milk and Honey) is the passion project of award-winning team. The team have won numerous awards and their films have screened in prestigious film festivals all over the world including: Sydney, Berlin, Palm Springs, New York and Montreal.

ABOUT AZURE PRODUCTIONS
Founded on the principles of Create, Inspire, Achieve, Azure Productions is a Sydney-based independent production company specialising in the development, production and co-production of shorts, feature films, television and web-series. The company was founded in 2004 by producer Annmaree J Bell and managing director John Frank.

Azure Productions aim is to provide high quality services and produce international feature films, which are successful both creatively and commercially.

Be apart of Latte e Miele (Milk & Honey)!
Film website: www.azureproductions.com.au/milkandhoney
Follow Azure Productions on Twitter: www.twitter.com/azureprodutions
And Azure Productions Facebook:www.facebook.com/azureproductions
Azure Productions website: www.azureproductions.com.au
Feel free to email us to ask us questions, get more information, and become involved in the making of MILK & HONEY: [email protected]

** DISCLAIMERS: PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS APPLY TO THE REWARDS:

1. 1. The location of the film shoot and post production are TBC. The producer reserves the right to shoot and post produce the film in any location.
2. 2. The digital download or DVD of the film will only be available once the film has been released.
3. 3. Location of the Cast and Crew screening is TBC. Tickets offered as part of the rewards packages do not include any travel or accommodation.
4. 4. The choice of original production still will be at the discretion of the producer.
5. 5. If you choose a reward that includes a set visit or invitation to a test screening, the date of these will be at the discretion of the producer. The location of the film shoot and post production is TBC. Set visits offered as part of the rewards packages do not include any travel or accommodation.
6. 6. The opportunity to host your own private screening of the film (as part of the Associate Producer package) is only available in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane. No flights and accommodation are included for you or your guests.
7. 7. The choice of an original prop or costume is at the discretion of the producer.
8. 8. The location and date of the test screenings are TBC. Invitations to the test screenings offered as part of the rewards packages do not include any travel or accommodation.
9. 9. Date of the dinner or lunch with the director and/ or producer will be based on their availability.
10. 10. If you select the extras reward, no travel or accommodation will be provided as part of the reward.

*All pledgers for EVERY package will be added to our exclusive members only database where you will receive regular updates about the production of the film, including behind the scenes clips and interviews, cast and crew blogs and exclusive previews of the trailer, chances to talk to cast and crew throughout the production.