Teen phenomenon finds backing from ZDF and ZDF Enterprises

ZDF and ZDF Enterprises are teaming up with Australia’s Werner Film Productions to coproduce the 1 x 90’ feature film based on the sensationally successful Young Adult hit series Dance Academy. A global hit, the Australian teen drama has been screened in over 160 countries including ZDF in Germany, Teen Nick and Netflix in the US and Nickelodeon in the UK. The series has twice been nominated for an international EMMY Award in the Kids Series Category, has taken out two Logies as well as multiple Gold Plaques at the Chicago Film Festival’s Television Awards, Bronze & Silver World Medals at the New York Festival’s International Television & Film Awards and Kidscreen Awards for Best Teen/Tween Series and Best Companion Website. Dance Academy has been nominated for nine Australian Writer’s Guild Awards (won twice) and has won three Australian Director’s Guild Awards.

Shooting on the feature film, called Dance Academy – The Comeback, will start in spring 2016, and will include locations in Sydney and New York. It is expected to be completed in December 2016.

The feature film alludes to the return of star ballet student Tara Webster to her studies after a devastating injury sidelined her career. Since then, she has decided to forget about dancing and to concentrate on fitting into normal life as a university student.

Recovering from a broken back seems easy now compared to Tara’s crippling mental block about performing in front of an audience. Can she find the strength in time to prove she belongs on the world stage? When everything she’s ever wanted is on the line, how does she know if she should cut her losses and walk away? Or dig deep and give it one last shot, risking mind-searing despair?

The film will have a national theatrical run in over 50 theaters, with a full-fledged marketing campaign to include premiere events with celebrities and press, a national TV campaign on a major cable network, social media campaigns etc.

Nicole Keeb, Head of International Coproductions and Acquisitions, Children and Youth at ZDF: ”It will be very exciting to accompany our beloved heroes again. This time we will follow their search for their way into real life after academy. A crucial point for many teens after school or college and therefore definitely very interesting for our audiences at ZDF and KiKA. After the last season, many fans asked how Tara and Co. were doing and what was happening to them. In this movie they will find the answers!”

Arne Lohmann, VP ZDFE.junior, adds: ”ZDF Enterprises was amazed by the huge global success of Dance Academy, the series. With this feature film, we are taking the excitement to the next level and will introduce our popular characters to a new generation of audiences.”

Joanna Werner, Producer and Founder of Werner Film Productions: ”I am so delighted to again be working with ZDF and ZDF Enterprises to bring Dance Academy to the big screen. Since we finished filming the television series in 2013 we have been inundated with letters from fans around the world asking us ‘what comes next?’ for our characters. This film is our chance to answer that question and more.”