Toni Collette’s directorial debut, The Best Of, is among 75 projects sharing more than AUD 16.9 million, or $11.7 million, in production and development funding from Screen Australia, according to Variety. The film is an adaptation of Graeme Simsion’s bestselling novel, marking Collette’s first time stepping behind the camera for a feature.
The funding round covers a wide range of Australian film and television projects, from first-time filmmakers to established industry names. Collette, long known for her acting work, now joins that list as a director backed by the country’s national screen funding body.
What Screen Australia’s Backing Means
Screen Australia is the government agency responsible for funding and supporting Australian screen content, and its production and development grants are a key financing step for local film projects. Inclusion in this round signals that The Best Of has cleared an institutional vetting process and secured public backing toward getting made.
The agency did not break out how much of the AUD 16.9 million pool went specifically to The Best Of, and Variety‘s report did not specify that figure. Screen Australia’s support is typically layered alongside other financing sources, though no additional partners or production companies attached to the film were named in the report.
What It Means For Fans Of Collette And Simsion’s Novel
For fans of Collette’s acting career, the funding news confirms her long-rumored move into directing is advancing with real financial backing rather than remaining a standalone announcement. For readers of Simsion’s novel, it confirms a screen adaptation is in active development, though plot details beyond the source material’s status as a bestseller were not disclosed.
No information on casting, a production start date or a release window has been made public. The scope of the creative team working alongside Collette has also not been detailed beyond her role as director.
Background On The Funding Round
Louise Gough, Screen Australia’s director of narrative content, framed the broader funding round as a reflection of the breadth of Australian storytelling currently in the pipeline.
“Australian storytellers continue to captivate audiences with their creativity, originality and distinctive perspectives,” Gough said. “This latest round of funding supports an exciting range of projects from emerging creatives forging new paths to established voices exploring new creative territory. Screen Currency 2026 found that local stories matter deeply to Australians, and these projects will deliver on the authenticity and ambition that audiences have come to expect.”
Gough’s reference to Screen Currency 2026, an audience research study, points to continued demand among Australian viewers for homegrown film and television, a trend Screen Australia cited as part of its rationale for this round of support.
What’s Next
Screen Australia has not released a timeline for when The Best Of will move into production, and no premiere date has been set. Further details on casting, crew and a shooting schedule are expected to emerge as the project advances through development, though none have been confirmed as of this report.
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