Occupation The Movie

Now Available on Blu-Ray and DVD at all good retailers and streaming services

After their small Australian country town is annihilated by an overwhelming airborne attack, a group of civilians evade capture and discover they are now among the last remaining survivors of an extraterrestrial invasion engulfing the entire planet.

As humanity falls under world-wide occupation, they form a home-grown army to fight back against vastly superior enemy forces. On the frontlines of the battle for Earth, they are our last hope.

Videos
Gallery
Cast
Crew

Videos

Occupation Official Trailer (2018)

Behind the Scenes

Occupation @ SUPERNOVA

Gallery

Cast

The casting for Occupation was done internally by Luke Sparke and producers Carly Imrie and Carmel Imrie.

The three had extensive discussions about who they envisioned bringing to life the characters. They wanted to keep the project as universally representative as possible, within the casting of actors of various heritages and ages. It was an important step for Carly Imrie to connect with each talent agent personally, in order to discuss the roles and pitch the vision for the project. The producers felt fortunate to be able to cast the actors they did in the roles, as each had so much to work with and bring to the table.

DAN EWING
MATT SIMMONS

Dan first appeared on Australian TV as Reuben Humphries on Home & Away in 2007. He went on to appear in Revolution and Blue Water High in 2008 and Rescue: Special Ops in 2009. In 2009, Dan was cast as Black Ranger, Dillon, in Disney’s Power Rangers: RPM. Following that role, Dan went on to play bad boy Heath Braxton on Home & Away. The role earned Dan a nomination for Best New Talent as 2012’s TV Week Logie Awards. Dan was also nominated for the Silver Logie for Most Popular Actor in 2014.
After leaving Home & Away in 2014, Dan worked on the award-winning short film Factory Hands and returned for the Home & Away special Eye for an Eye for streaming service Presto, along with the two-part sequel Revenge and All or Nothing. He then took on the lead role of Nick Marshal in blockbuster action adventure Red Billabong which was nominated for several AACTA awards which was directed and written by Luke Sparke. He recently shot psychological thriller Beast No More, the romantic comedy Chasing Comets and Red Billabong as well as writer/director Luke Sparke’s new film Occupation. Dan’s next project will be the feature film 1.

TEMUERA MORRISON
PETER BARTLETT

Temuera Morrison, of Te Arawa and Ngati Maniapoto descent, is one of New Zealand’s foremost actors, with a career in Hollywood as well as in New Zealand.
His Hollywood films include Green Lantern, Vertical Limit, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, which followed his role as Jango Fett in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones; The Marine 2, Couples Retreat, Speed 2: Cruise Control, From Dusk Til Dawn 3, Barb Wire, Six Days Seven Nights, Scorpion King 3: Battle For Redemption and The Island of Dr Moreau. He also played Doctore in the Starz US television series Spartacus: Gods of the Arena.

New Zealand films include River Queen, Rain of the Children, Crooked Earth, Never Say Die, Mt Zion, Fresh Meat, Mahana and Tracker. Morrison also starred in the BBC mini-series Tatau, voiced a lead character in the Disney animated feature Moana, and also voiced a lead character in animated NZ series The Barefoot Bandits.

He will soon be seen in the Sparkefilms production Occupation and the US action blockbuster Aquaman in the role of Thomas Curry.

STEPHANY JACOBSEN
AMELIA CHAMBERS

tephany Jacobsen made her debut on American Television as the lead role of Kendra Shaw in Razor, the highly successful feature-length instalment of the critically-acclaimed series Battlestar Galactica.
She was subsequently cast in the David E. Kelley’s Life on Mars pilot and starred on the television series The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Following that, Stephany drew critical praise as Doctor Lauren Yung on the return of Melrose Place. She also starred in the Syfy Network movie Three Inches. Most recently, Stephany had guest-starring roles on Hawaii 5-0, Two and a Half Men and NCIS and a recurring role on Revenge.
Stephany began her career in Australia, with appearances on the popular sci-fi show Farscape and the comedy series Pizza. She received a TV Week Logie Award nomination for “Most Popular New Talent” for her regular role in hit series Home and Away, which she followed with a major recurring arc on the Australian series Headland.
Stephany’s feature film roles include Alex Cross, and The Devil’s Tomb, In addition to her impressive acting credits.

RHIANNON FISH
VANESSA

Born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Rhiannon Fish is best known for her in The 100 and Home and Away.
Rhiannon gained her first role as Lisa Jeffries on Neighbours. She later secured the role of Rocky in the Australian Disney Channel show As the Bell Rings, a guest role in Satisfaction, and starred in the feature film Playing for Charlie in 2008. In 2010 she was cast in the role of April Scott in Home and Away, a role she departed in 2013 after three years on the show.
Rhiannon participated in the 13th series of Dancing with the Stars, finishing in second place behind Cosentino, before joining the cast of The 100 in the recurring role of Ontari in November 2015.

ZACHARY GARRED
DENNIS

Zachary Garred starred in his first lead role on the Australian and Irish co-production Foreign Exchange. He has starred in some of Australia’s biggest television productions such as All Saints, Two Twisted, Home and Away, Out Of The Blue and Scorched: The Complete Story and the feature film Newcastle.
He has also starred in two box office record holding theatre productions in Newcastle with Stooged Theatre - Breathing Corpses and Ruben Guthrie, the second of which led to a CONDA nomination for Best Actor.
In 2014 Zachary was cast in the long-running television series General Hospital, as Levi Dunkleman and also next worked on NCIS: Los Angeles and starred in the Lifetime movie Marriage Of Lies.

IZZY STEVENS
ISABELLA BARTLETT

Izzy was discovered in a high school play at age 17, and a month after signing with Random Management, she had landed a lead role on Australia’s critically acclaimed television series Underbelly: Razor. She played Eileen Leigh the daughter of notorious drug lord Kate Leigh.
Straight from Underbelly, Izzy landed the role of Tracey Smart on the award winning TV show Puberty Blues, carrying her role over both seasons of the show. Izzy went on to write and direct her debut short film Placidyl, a quirky David Lynch style film which was chosen for Cinema Australia’s Sunday Shorts program.

CHARLES TERRIER
JACKSON

Charles Terrier is an Australian actor, writer and director known for his roles in Blinder, Neighbours and Mama's Gun, along with a range of short films, theatre productions and television commercials.
Charles studied at 16th Street Actors Studio in Elsternwick, Melbourne and attended the Drama Centre’s ``Shakespeare and Company`` in the United States, where he lived and studied for a summer.
His upcoming projects include A Little Resistance, War Brides, The Hidden Well, Occupation and the television series Counter Play.

CHARLES MESURE
ARNOLD

One of Australia’s most versatile actors, Williamson has an incredibly diverse list of credits spanning the last three decades. Career highlights include the television productions Underbelly: Razor, Lost, My Brother Jack, Farscape, Go Big, RAN: Remote Area Nurse, the international production Me and My Monsters and Hawke in which he portrayed former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating.
His many feature film credits include The Great Gatsby, Gods of Egypt, Backyard Ashes, Welcome to Woop Woop, The Thin Red Line, Babe II, Strange Planet, Me Myself and I, Mr. Accident, Dirty Deeds, The Rage In Placid Lake, The Wannabees and Happy Feet. Felix recently performed with a stellar international cast on the feature Truth. He will soon be seen in In Cold Light and Peter Rabbit.
Felix is the co-creator, writer, co-director and an actor in the web series Avalon Now (Series 1 & 2), a comedy about the struggles of life on Sydney’s affluent northern beaches which was commissioned by property website Domain.

FELIX WILLIAMSON
SETH GRIMES

Seth is a small-town radio host with aspirations to move into the city circuit. Being a host, he knows how to be funny and sarcastic, but he's not a real big people person or outdoors kind of guy. Even with all that, he stands up to help fight the invaders - even if looking after himself is still the number one priority.

JACQUELINE MCKENZIE
COLONEL GRANT

One of Australia’s most renowned actors Jacqueline McKenzie graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in 1990.
Jacqueline’s feature film career is extensive, with her most notable performances including films such as Angel Baby, Romper Stomper, Talk, Roses are Red, Mr. Reliable, A Cut in the Gates, Peaches, Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang), Beneath Hill 60, The Water Diviner, Force of Destiny, Don’t Tell, Harmony, Three Summers, The Gateway and Occupation.
Jacqueline has been awarded two AACTA awards for her roles in the film Angel Baby, and the television movie Halifax f.p.: Lies of the Mind. She also won a Television Logie Award for her performance in Halifax f.p.: Lies of the Mindand and has won two Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards for Best Actress for Angel Baby (1995) and for Best Supporting Actress for The Water Diviner (2005).

AARON JEFFERY
MAJOR DAVIS

Aaron Jeffery has built a solid career in film, theatre and television and has become one of Australia’s most sought after leading men. Aaron is renowned for his work on McLeod’s Daughters, where he played the male lead of Alex for seven series. This role has garnered two TV Week Silver Logie Awards for Most Popular Male Actor and has captured the hearts of the public in Australia and internationally.
His work in Underbelly: Badness drew exceptional commendation, with Aaron winning an AACTA Award for his performance as bikie turned police informer Frank O’Rourke. Aaron starred as prison guard Fletch in three seasons of the critically acclaimed Wentworth television series, consolidating his place as an exceptional talent. Other television credits include The Strip, East West 101 (Series 3), Old School, Wild Boys, Texas Rising, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, Water Rats and New Zealand’s Outrageous Fortune and telemovie Cancer Man – The John Scott Story as the lead. Most recently Aaron was cast in the role of Chopper Read in Underbelly Files, which was a very well received portrayal of the famed criminal.

TRYSTAN GO
MARCUS CHAMBERS

Fifteen-year-old actor and singer Trystan Go got his first professional break at the age of 13 with the role of Prince Chulalongkorn in Opera Australia’s production of The King and I.
The role of young Benjamin Law in the acclaimed SBS/Matchbox television series The Family Law soon followed. The highly successful series recently won the 2016 Screen Producers Australia Awards (SPAA) for Best Comedy Series Production and the 2016 Casting Guild of Australia (CGA) Award for Best Casting in a TV Comedy Series. Trystan returned as Benjamin Law in Season 2 of The Family Law which aired on Australia's SBS television network from 15 June 2017.

BRUCE SPENCE

Bruce Spence began acting in 1969 and spent several years as a member of the Australian Performing Group, which pioneered the development of a uniquely Australian theatre.
Bruce has appeared in close to thirty films since his debut in 1971 in the title role of Stork, a comedy which has been credited with reviving the moribund Australian film industry at the time. He has appeared in the Cars That Ate Paris, Eliza Frazer, Newsfront, Dimboola, Green Ants, Mad Max II (Road Warrior), Mad Max III (Beyond Thunderdome), Birdsville, Once Upon a Weekend, Pallet on the Floor, The Year My Voice Broke, Rikki and Pete, Wendy Cracked a Walnut Foster in Confidence, Shrimp on the Barbie, Double Take Meets Hercules, Queen of the Damned, Aquamarine, Solo, Battleground, Subdivision, I Frankenstein, Mystery Road, The Man with Wings
Bruce has acted in almost all major Australian series, both in continuous roles and as a guest performer.

Crew

LUKE SPARKE
WRITER/DIRECTOR/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/EDITOR

Luke began his film career as a Costume Supervisor, Key Webber and Military Advisor. His first Feature Film was The Great Raid. He later worked on the Steven Spielberg, Mini-Series The Pacific (2010). He spent nine months working with the American crew of the series and obtained a wealth of production knowledge. In Beneath Hill 60 (2010), he worked as the onset costumer.

Luke has observed how successful directors take a storyline and combine it into a powerful and unforgettable piece of film work. So, in the mid-2000’s, he started directing historical military short films and has used these similar techniques and approaches to bring to life the vision of his story.

In 2014, he wrote and directed a two-part TV special called Yesterday Is History that aired on the Australian History Channel just before ANZAC day 2015. Luke’s feature film directorial debut was for his monster script Red Billabong, which was released in August 2015 across selected screens Australia wide.

CARMEL IMRIE
PRODUCER

Carmel started her career off working in sales in various companies, where she received many awards for her great communication, people skills and sales abilities. With these skills, it was an easy transition to work in the film industry full-time with Sparkefilms.

Since then, Carmel has been Production Manager on two television pilots Yesterday is History, which aired on the History Channel in 2015. She also Production Managed Sparkefilms debut feature film Red Billabong. Occupation is Carmel’s debut as a Producer.

CARLY IMRIE
PRODUCER

Carly Imrie started out in the film industry in 2010 studying Diploma of Cinemagraphic Makeup at the acclaimed Frampton Institute on the Gold Coast, Australia.

She joined up with Sparkefilms in late 2010 on several projects big and small in the make-up department and assisted in the early development of Sparkefilms’ WW1 epic (The 34th Battalion). In 2014, Carly produced the TV show Yesterday is History, which aired on Foxtel’s History Channel in April 2015.

She has recently completed post-production & released on her debut feature film Red Billabong which she produced with Sparkefilms Writer/Director Luke Sparke, Occupation is Carly’s second foray into the action genre.

TONY O’LOUGHLAN
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

Tony O’Loughlan is a highly experienced, award winning cinematographer based in Brisbane, Australia, who has received over 30 ACS Awards for his work. Coming from a highly technical background in motion picture and broadcast camera departments, Tony has worked across many formats and genres; including Sci-fi, Fantasy, Crime, Horror, Comedy and Action.

His feature film main unit DOP credits extend to features such as Drive Hard and the episodic Doctor Who spin-off Sci-fi series K9.
Tony is also the current President of the Queensland Branch of the Australian Cinematographers Society (ACS).

TRACEY ROSE SPARKE
COSTUME DESIGNER

Tracey Rose Sparke grew up in the Hunter Valley, NSW. Before starting her career in the entertainment industry, Tracey served in the Australian Army Reserve.

Tracey Rose has worked on over 80 film productions from short films to huge international productions such as Steven Spielberg’s The Pacific.

In 2010 she was nominated for the AFI Award for Best Costume Design for Beneath Hill 60. The scope of her design skills can be seen from Edwardian gowns and costumes on Changed Forever to contemporary costumes in Red Billabong.

CHRISTOPHER ELVES
COMPOSER

Recognised as one of Australia’s leading international screen composers, Christopher is renowned for his ability to score truly “filmic” music for television as well as film and he has received no fewer than six coveted Apra/AGSC Screen Music Awards over the last seven years.

In 2009 Christopher was recognized internationally for his outstanding score for the animated series Animalia, winning the Emmy for “Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction and Composition”. In 2010, Christopher’s prolific output was further rewarded with two nominations for the Apra/AGSC Awards, one of which recognised him as one of the top four most performed Australian screen composers in the World.

Now Available on Blu-Ray and DVD at all good retailers and streaming services

Videos

Gallery

Cast

Crew

LUKE SPARKE WRITER/DIRECTOR/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/EDITOR

CARMEL IMRIE PRODUCER

CARLY IMRIE PRODUCER

TONY O’LOUGHLAN DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

TRACEY ROSE SPARKE COSTUME DESIGNER