Real-life athletes acting in Sunshine Coast-based film
Set and filmed on the Sunshine Coast, The Edge features real-life athletes as leading actors.
Premiering at the recent Gold Coast Film Festival, the film is an authentic look at the dark side of competitive sports from the perspectives of three young Australian sportswomen.
Jane Larkin, the director, began writing the script for The Edge when she was 15, inspired by her personal experiences as an elite sprint athlete who represented Australia multiple times.
During this time, she noticed that the stories of her marginalised teammates, like First Nations athletes, Paralympians, and LGBTQIA+ people were not being told.
“I grew up idolising male sports heroes on screen but never saw authentic female sprinters or the real stories of minorities in elite sport,” she said.
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Since leaving competitive sport, Jane has also become known for her work as an actress, director, writer and producer, particularly for her work in “Thirteen Lives” and “Boy Swallows Universe”.
The creative powerhouse also holds a Master’s and a Doctorate in writing and philosophy from USC.
Jane recruited First Nations powerlifter Lily Riley and paralympic swimmer Mei Ichinose to help explore the myriad of complications that come with being an Olympic competitor.
Jane plays the lead role of sprinter Annie, because she wanted to find authentic athletes to portray the characters.
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Riley, a Wiradjuri woman and one of the strongest women in Australia, was shocked by the similarities between her character, Sylvia, and herself.
Mei Ichinose, a Japanese Paralympic swimmer who holds the Japanese record for seven events, left the world of sports in 2021 to pursue acting, modelling and public speaking. She makes her acting debut playing the role of Yui in The Edge.
Olympic gold-medallists Sally Pearson and Leisel Jones, Tokyo Olympian Riley Day and Paralympian Braeden Jason also have cameos.
This gritty feature film explores the undercurrents of elite competitive sports by following the three young female athletes sharing a home and living on “the edge” together as they balance their personal and turbulent professional lives.
Touching on themes of mental health, love, identity, as well as topics more personal to each character like ableism, personal tragedies, and romantic commitments, The Edge is a commentary on the hidden challenges that elite competitors contend with in their personal and public lives.
The film showcases many iconic Sunshine Coast locations, including Alexandra Headland, Sippy Downs Eaton Park, Maroochydore boathouses and canals, the University of Sunshine Coast campus, and various venues in Warana and Caloundra.
Sunshine Coast Council Resilient Economy Portfolio Councillor Joe Natoli said the film utilises the region’s gorgeous landscapes, creative talent, and sporting community to capture the essence of the area.
“Council is proud to work closely with the screen industry to help local talent and director Jane Larkin shine on a global stage!” he said.
Produced by 3lite Productions, “The Edge” is set to be released on Netflix on June 20th. Watch the trailer for The Edge here.
