“Ford vs Holden,” a feature documentary tracking Australian rivalry between car brands, will take to the road in April.
The film, which is targeting a cinema release, is produced by WildBear Entertainment for Universal Pictures Content Group, and received finance from the Queensland state government.
Holden is a Melbourne-based car marque owned by the U.S.’s General Motors. It previously manufactured vehicles in Australia before changing lanes and becoming an imported of overseas-made vehicles which were re-badged under the continuing Holden brand.
The title of the film is a tongue-in-cheek reference to “Ford v Ferrari,” the 2019 James Mangold-directed biographical action picture. However, the auto industry rivalry runs deep and the title was also previously used in the first season of by “Top Gear Australia,” the TV motor magazine show.
“The rivalry between the Ford and Holden brands is one familiar to Australians across all walks of life, so it is exciting to see Queensland play a key role in documenting it for a global audience,” said Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.
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“Ford vs Holden,” is being produced by WildBear’s Brisbane office, under principal and producer, Veronica Fury. It features a blend of fresh interviews and archive footage with the package narrated by actor Shane Jacobson.
“This investment in Ford vs. Holden follows recent support for WildBear Entertainment’s acclaimed documentary ‘Hating Peter Tatchell’ and the popular factual series ‘Aussie Mega Mechanics’,” said Screen Queensland acting chief creative officer Belinda Burns. It also follows the company’s previous motor racing documentary “Brock: Over the Top,” directed in 2020 by Kriv Stenders.
“My government has thrown its support behind the screen sector and the production of this documentary through Screen Queensland’s Screen Finance Program and I look forward to tracking the continued economic and cultural success – nationally and internationally,” said Palaszczuk.
“Documentaries are an amazing way to reflect and deliver thought-provoking and captivating viewing experiences for audiences, and I am excited to bring this particular part out of history to the big screen,” said Fury in a prepared statement.
