Mockbuster (film)
2025 Australian documentary film
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Mockbuster is a 2025 Australian documentary film directed by Anthony Frith. It is a behind-the-scenes look at Frith's experience of making a mockbuster film called The Land That Time Forgot for American studio The Asylum.
- Anthony Frith
- Sandy Cameron
- David Elliot-Jones
- Sandy Cameron
- Naomi Ball
| Mockbuster | |
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| Directed by | Anthony Frith |
| Written by |
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| Produced by |
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| Cinematography | Maxx Corkindale |
| Edited by | David Scarborough |
| Music by | Bryony Marks |
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Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
Synopsis
Australian filmmaker Anthony Frith is contracted to American mockbuster film production studio and distributor The Asylum, known for their 2013 film Sharknado. He has to direct a film called The Land That Time Forgot, a "lost-world dinosaur epic" set in his hometown of Adelaide, South Australia, on a shoestring budget, and to be completed in six days. Mockbuster is a behind-the-scenes documentary showing Frith's progress through the making of the film.[1]
Cast
- Anthony Frith
- Brendan Petrizzo (producer at The Asylum)
- David Rimawi (co-founder and CEO of The Asylum)
- David Latt (co-founder and president of The Asylum)
- Paul Bales (filmmaker, co-founder and COO of The Asylum)
- Michael Pare (actor)
- Michelle Bauer (actress)
- Lauren Koopowitz
- Eric Roberts (actor)
- Eliza Roberts (actress)
- David Margetts
Production
The film was presented at Marché du Film at Cannes Film Festival in April 2024, as part of "Adelaide goes to Cannes".[2] The film is a "double-feature" directorial debut for Anthony Frith (who also works as a tutor with the University of South Australia), with the creation of The Land That Time Forgot along with Mockbuster.[3][4] He said afterwards "I went into this project thinking that directing a dinosaur movie for The Asylum would be fun, and that it would make for a hilarious behind-the-scenes doc... started to see their true genius: controlled chaos".[4]
Funding for Mockbuster was provided by Screen Australia, with the South Australian Film Corporation and the Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund, in association with VicScreen.[4] Additional funding was provided by KOJO Studios, Green Marble Productions, and Time Horse Productions.[4] The film was co-written by Frith and Sandy Cameron (a UniSA lecturer in film and television[3]), and produced by Cameron, David Elliot-Jones, and Naomi Ball,[1] through Mostly True Media and Walking Fish Productions.[4] Maxx Corkindale was responsible for the cinematography, Bryony Marks composed the score, and David Scarborough edited the film.[1] Executive producers included New Zealand filmmaker David Farrier, Nick Savva (general manager of Giant Pictures), Madeleine Schumacher, Alex West, Ty Morse, Phil Laboon, Ari Harrison, and Cam Rogers.[4]
Release
Mockbuster had its world premiere at the 2025 Adelaide Film Festival on 24 October 2025 at the Piccadilly Cinema in North Adelaide.[1] The Land That Time Forgot also got its premiere at the festival, screening at The Mercury on 26 October.[3][5]
The film was acquired by American distribution company Giant Pictures for worldwide distribution, while Umbrella Entertainment has distribution rights for Australia and New Zealand.[4] The film was be screened at various North American film festivals, before theatrical release in the US in late spring 2026.[4][6]
Reception
Mockbuster won the Feature Documentary Audience Award at the Adelaide Film Festival.[7] Phil Hoad of The Guardian gave the documentary four stars out of five.[8]