RUNT Trailer (2024) Lily LaTorre

RUNT Trailer (2024) Lily LaTorre

RUNT Trailer (2024) Lily LaTorre, Family Movie
© 2024 - StudioCanal

Craig Silvey’s beloved best-selling novel leaps onto the big screen in a charming new Australian family movie. RUNT is the heartfelt and hilarious tale of eleven-year-old Annie Shearer and her best friend Runt, an adopted stray dog with remarkable abilities. In a bid to save their family farm, the two aspire to compete in the Agility Course Championships at the prestigious Krumpets Dog Show in London, whilst overcoming hurdles, obstacles, and nefarious villains.
Craig Silvey’s beloved best-selling novel leaps onto the big screen in a charming new Australian family movie. RUNT is the heartfelt and hilarious tale of eleven-year-old Annie Shearer and her best friend Runt, an adopted stray dog with remarkable abilities. In a bid to save their family farm, the two aspire to compete in the Agility Course Championships at the prestigious Krumpets Dog Show in London, whilst overcoming hurdles, obstacles and nefarious villains.

http://www.seepictures.net/runt

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DirectorJohn SheedyWritersCraig SilveyWriter of original materialCraig SilveyProducerJamie Hilton Craig SilveyExecutive ProducersHoward Cearns Josh Pomeranz Bernadette O'MahonyDir. of PhotographyBrad ShieldComposerIan GrandageEditorSimon Njoo ASEProduction DesignerClayton Jauncey
The trailer for Craig Silvey’s award-winning 2002 bestseller Runt film adaptation has been released.

The film follows Annie Shearer and her adopted stray dog called Runt who share an incredibly special bond. When drought strikes, and Annie’s family are at risk of losing their farm, Annie and Runt try to help by winning the Agility Course Championship at the Krumpets Dog Show in London.

The character ois played by Lily LaTorre (Run Rabbit Run), her brother, Jack LaTorre, will play her brother, Max Shearer. And the dog, Runt, is played by a rescue dog called Squid.

‘Squid, a dog of inscrutable breed and pedigree, is a Rescue. She was discovered by our amazing animal department and has since been adopted into the most beautiful, caring home whilst being trained for the role of her lifetime – Runt. She is an absolute star, and melts hearts wherever she goes.’
Adapted from Craig Silvey’s 2022 book of the same name, John Sheedy’s Runt follows 11-year-old Annie Shearer (Lily La Torre) and her best friend, an adopted stray dog called Runt (Squid), who try to save their family farm in the fictional country town of Upson Downs by competing in the Agility Course Grand Championships at the prestigious Krumpets Dog Show in London.

Annie lives on the struggling sheep farm with her brother Max, played by La Torre’s actual brother Jack, her parents Bryan (Jai Courtney) and Susie (Celeste Barber), and Annie’s grandma Dolly (Genevieve Lemon).

Of the other cast, Deborah Mailman will play mentor Bernadette Box, Jack Thompson the villainous Earl Robert-Barren, and Matt Day the unscrupulous Fergus Fink, with Tom Budge rounding out the cast as Fink’s sidekick Simpkins.

Silvey adapted his story for the screen, working with Jamie Hilton, who produces for See Pictures.

Runt will be released in cinemas nationally on September 19 via Studiocanal.

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celeste-barberjack-thompsonjai-courtneylily-la-torreruntstudiocanal
A heartwarming Australian tale of a kid and a stray dog becoming best friends and trying their hand at a high-flying dog show to save their farm all while learning important lessons about kindness and family? Sign me up for Runt.

Based on Craig Silvey's 2022 novel and directed by John Sheedy, Runt is set in the fictional Western Australian town of Upson Downs, where 11-year-old Annie Shearer (Lily LaTorre) and her adopted bestie, a dog called Runt (played by a dog called Squid), live on a sheep farm — which is in financial danger! Together, they enter the Agility Course Championship at the Krumpets Dog Show in London to try and save their home, but the snooty snoots of Krumpets aren't exactly thrilled with Runt's lack of identifiable breed (booooo). Yes, they'll show 'em. And yes, it's giving Babe.

Suicide Squad's Jai Courtney and Wellmania's Celeste Barber play Annie's parents, Bryan and Susie, Deborah Mailman plays Annie's mentor Bernadette Box, Jack Thompson plays villainous farm-threatener Earl Robert-Barren, and Genevieve Lemon plays Annie's grandma, Dolly. Plus, Matt Day and Tom Budge play the wicked Fergus Fink and his sidekick Simpkins.

The trailer is a bloody delightful bunch of scenes involving very good dogs tackling obstacle courses, stealing sausages, and giving fist bumps, all set to The Choirboys' "Run to Paradise." I could not be more into this film. Apparently I need joy.

Runt hits cinemas Sept. 19.

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Shannon Connellan
Shannon Connellan is Mashable's UK Editor based in London, formerly Mashable's Australia Editor, but emotionally, she lives in the Creel House. A Tomatometer-approved critic, Shannon writes about everything (but not anything) across entertainment, tech, social good, science, and culture.
STUDIOCANAL has dropped the first trailer for the highly-anticipated film, Runt.

Runt, based on Craig Silvey’s best-selling novel is a delightful Australian family film that blends heartfelt moments with humour. The story revolves around eleven-year-old Annie Shearer and her best friend, Runt, an adopted stray, filmed right here in WA!

The live action feature is adapted for the screen by its West Australian author Craig Silvey. Directed by multi award winning Director John Sheedy (H is for Happiness) and produced by See Pictures’ Jamie Hilton (June Again, Breath).

Runt brings together an all-star Australian cast including Jai Courtney, Celeste Barber, Deborah Mailman, Matt Day and Jack Thompson. Leading the picture are two new stars, nine-year-old Lily LaTorre who plays the story’s hero Annie Shearer, and rescue dog Squid in the title role of Runt (pictured).

“I am so proud of this beautiful, uplifting film. Our stellar cast and talented team have perfectly captured the heart and humour of the book, and I can’t wait to share RUNT with audiences of all ages throughout Australia,” says Craig Silvey.

The novel Runt was released in 2022 and has achieved significant acclaim, winning several major Australian literary awards. These accolades include the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s Book of the Year for Young Readers, Book of the Year for Younger Children at the Australian Book Industry Awards, and the overall Book of the Year at the Australian Indie Book Awards. The success of the book underscores its broad appeal and the resonance of its themes with readers.

Runt was shot in WA in York and Perth in 2023.

Runt is in cinemas from September 19.

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What is Runt about?
A little dog that could!

But, in greater detail, Runt is adapted from the award-winning 2002 children’s book by Western Australian author (and extremely nice guy) Craig Silvey. Set in the fictional Western Australian town of Upson Downs, the film follows plucky kid Annie Shearer, whose delight at adopting the titular Runt, a stray dog of indeterminate heritage, is somewhat muted by the fact that her family is facing eviction from their farm at the hands of their greedy landlord, Earl Robert-Barron (robber baron, get it?).

What’s a precocious battler to do but take a crack at the Agility Course Championships at the world famous Krumpets Dog Show in London? Runt is written by Silvey himself, while John Sheedy directs.

The cast of Runt
Lily LaTorre (Run Rabbit Run) is Annie Shearer; Captain Boomerang himself, Jai Courtney, is dad Bryan; Celeste Barber is mum Susie; Jack LaTorre (yes, he’s her IRL brother) is brother Max; living legend Jack Thompson and the ubiquitous and talented Matt Day are on villain duties as scumbag landlord Earl Robert-Barren and snooty dog breeder, Fergus Fink, respectively; Deborah Mailman (The Sapphires) is Bernadette Box; Tom Budge (Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga) is Simpkins; and Genevieve Lemon (The Piano) is Dolly Shearer.

And most importantly, we have Squid as Runt, an actual rescue dog adopted and trained for the production. Look at her!

Runt trailer

Why we’re excited about Runt
Look, I don’t know about you, but this kind of slobs vs snobs narrative is like catnip to us. Runt is clearly a kids’ film, which might put off certain subsets of the public, but it looks like it’s going to a fun, charming, and uplifting kids film, which is harder to pull off than you might imagine. We can’t wait.
Studiocanal has boarded the big screen adaptation of Australian author’s Craig Silvey’s award-winning 2002 bestseller Runt, about the friendship between a young girl and a stray dog she takes under her wing.

Child actress Lily LaTorre, whose credits include feature Run Rabbit Run and TV series The Clearing, has been signed for the lead role, to star alongside by a rescue dog called Squid.

The actress’s real-life sibling Jack LaTorre will also join her in his big screen debut as a daredevil younger brother.

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The all-Australian adult cast includes Jai Courtney, Celeste Barber, Deborah Mailman, Matt Day and Jack Thompson.

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Set in the country-town of Upson Down, the comedy drama follows eleven-year-old Annie Shearer and her adopted stray dog Runt, as they try to save the family farm by competing in the Agility Course Grand

The production is led by Sydney and Perth-based See Pictures, with the backing of Screen Australia, Screenwest and Lotterywest and the WA Regional Screen Fund.

Co-financiers also include the Australian Children’s Television Foundation (ACTF), a collective of West Australian private investors assembled by Birdbath, as well as Screen NSW and Spectrum Entertainment.

Filming will being in Western Australia, in Perth and the Wheatbelt town of York in November.

The feature is adapted for the screen by Silvey and will be directed by John Sheedy (H is for Happiness). See Pictures founding partner Jamie Hilton (Breath, June Again) lead produces.

Studiocanal is handling international sales and will also handle the film’s theatrical release in Australia and New Zealand.
overall comments and recommendations
details of classification and consumer advice lines for RUNT
a review of RUNT completed by the Australian Council on Children and the Media (ACCM) on 10 September 2024.
Overall comments and recommendations
Children under 8 Not suitable due to language.
Children aged 8–10 Parental guidance recommended due to language.
Children aged 11 and over Ok for this age group.
About the movie
This section contains details about the movie, including its classification by the Australian Government Classification Board and the associated consumer advice lines. Other classification advice (OC) is provided where the Australian film classification is not available.

Name of movie: RUNT
Classification: PG
Consumer advice lines: Mild coarse language
Length: 93 minutes
ACCM review
This review of the movie contains the following information:

a synopsis of the story
themes
use of violence
material that may scare or disturb children
product placement
sexual references
nudity and sexual activity
use of substances
coarse language
the movie’s message
A synopsis of the story
The outback Australian town of Upson Downs has fallen on hard times. It hasn’t rained in over a year and the miserly Earl Robert-Barren (Jack Thompson) has put a dam on his property, consequently drying up the river, creating drought and forcing his neighbours to sell their farms. The inventive Shearer family is doing all they can to keep their home but they seem to be fighting a losing battle. The widowed Grandma Dolly lives in a tiny, ramshackle trailer to one side of the property. Her daughter-in-law Susie (Celeste Barber) and son Brian Shearer (Jai Courtney) have had to take out a loan to pay the overdraft on their family farm. Their son Max (Jack LaTorre) is determined to capture his daredevil stunts on film in the hope that he will become famous and he is causing his parents no end of stress. Their daughter Annie (Lily LaTorre) loves to fix things but, try as she might, this problem may just be beyond her abilities. She and Runt, the stray she adopted, enter a dog show at the local fair and take first place, much to the horror of defending champion and nefarious show-off, Fergus Fink (Matt Day). Annie and Runt go on to win the National Competition and are subsequently invited to participate in the illustrious Krumpets Dog Show in London. Annie pins all her hopes on winning the prize money in order to save her family’s farm but despite their best efforts things don’t quite go according to plan and Annie learns some valuable lessons about disappointment, pursing dreams, and the power of community.

Themesinfo
Financial hardship; Injustice; Sacrifice; Reckless behaviours; Sabotage.

Use of violenceinfo
There is some violence in this movie, including:

When Runt steals some sausages from a butcher shop, a woman chases him down the street with a meat cleaver. Others soon follow suit and a man with a net repeatedly tries to corner and capture Runt.
Max lights his bike wheels on fire as he tries to film a daring stunt. He winds up setting his pants on fire and his mother whacks him and his bike with a blanket, trying to put out the flames.
When Annie asks Max to do something dangerous, he responds enthusiastically with: “I suppose I could fall and die. You’ll have to film me!” He does not plummet to his death but he nearly slips and is hanging on upside-down.
Max jumps from a tall height and realises, as he lands, that his arm is broken and his bone is at a very strange angle.
When Annie goes to meet with someone, her father checks in with her, saying he just wanted to make sure she wasn’t boiling in a cauldron.
Robert-Barren is washed away in a rainstorm when his dam breaks.
Material that may scare or disturb children
Under fiveinfo
Nothing further noted.
Aged five to eightinfo
Nothing further noted.
Aged eight to thirteeninfo
Nothing further noted.
Product placement
The following products are displayed or used in this movie:

Though YouTube is not specifically mentioned, that would seem to be the site to which Max is uploading his videos.
Susie frequently uses a Singer sewing machine.
Sexual references
There are some sexual references in this movie, including:

A presenter talks about a contestant’s “Cocker”, called Peanut, and giggles repeatedly about the breed and choice of name.
Two commentators talk about “stiff competition” while alluding to other meanings.
Nudity and sexual activity
There is some nudity and sexual activity in this movie, including:

When Max’s pants catch on fire, he quickly removes them and is seen standing in his underwear.
Fergus Fink does weird gyrating dance moves, including hip circles and pelvic thrusts, as he takes off his jacket. When later he does similar moves, the camera zooms in on his mid-section.
Susie and Brian kiss.
Grandma Dolly and a female character appear to fall in love.
Use of substances
None noted.
Coarse language
There is some coarse language in this movie, including:

When a character says that Susie’s pies taste like “Shi-”, Annie quickly talks over him so that the word goes unnoticed by her mum.
Bugger off!
“Big, glittering, shi-” – while the last consonant is lost, the word and intention are quite clear.
Bloody hell
Bastard
What the f-
“Stuff your rams up your Jonesy.”
You biscuit
There is some toilet humour when a dog pees on Fergus, and when another character says that he “nearly soiled himself”.
In a nutshell
RUNT is a heart-warming Australian drama based on the beloved children’s book by Craig Silvey. The family film contains powerful messages about sacrifice and determination, and beautiful examples of an impoverished community coming together to cheer on a child and a stray dog that no one wanted. Due to the language, RUNT is best suited to audiences over the age of 8.

The main messages from this movie are that it doesn’t matter where you come from, it only matters who you are; and that you must believe in yourself, in the goodness of others and in the power of community. The film also shows the importance of not giving up and teaches the value of never, ever underestimating the abilities of an underdog.

Values in this movie that parents may wish to reinforce with their children include:

Courage
Ingenuity
Love
Compassion
Respect
Teamwork
Helpfulness.
This movie could also give parents the opportunity to discuss with their children attitudes and behaviours, and their real-life consequences, such as:

Annie is taught that kind lies are okay. Parents may wish to discuss honesty and the implications of deceiving others despite the best of intentions.
Unethically depriving others of water and the effects that this can have on both environments and communities.
Sabotaging someone else so that you can get ahead.
Runt (PG, 92mins) Directed by John Sheedy ****

Upsom Downs might pride itself on being the home of the Big Ram, but it’s also in the middle of the Big Dry.

Rain hasn’t fallen in the tiny Western Australian town for more than a year and the forecast is simply for more of the same.

For the Shearer family, it’s the overdraft on the overdraft that has them worried about their farming future. Wandering livestock doesn’t help either, especially when it’s on to Earl Robert-Barren’s (Jack Thompson) estate.

Having already syphoned off what little water there is onto his land, he’s been taking advantage of those struggling to purchase their properties for a song. One more trespass from the Shearers’ ovine cluster – and he promises they won’t get them back.

A diversion to their increasingly dire situation comes in the form of the local show. Susie Shearer (Celeste Barber) has high hopes for her “humble pies”, even if the rest of the family are sceptical of the saleability of mackerel and prune and chicken feet and leek.

Meanwhile, husband Bryan (Jai Courtney) has secretly been dabbling in experimental rose propagation and is quietly confident he may just have a prize winner amongst them.

For 10-year-old Annie (Lily LaTorre) though, it’s simply a chance to soak up some colour and spend some time with her new canine pal Runt. That is, until she spies an agility competition – with a top prize of A$500.

Runt is a crowd-pleasing Australian comedy that should appeal to those who enjoyed Paper Planes, Oddball, Strictly Ballroom, Muriel’s Wedding or The Dressmaker.
Supplied
She knows her charge is fast, she’s seen how quick he was after snatching sausages from Grubb’s Grub before he came to live on the Shearers’ farm. There’s just one problem, not only does he only listen to Annie, but he won’t run if anyone is looking at him.

Borrowing the $20 entry fee from her mother’s meagre pastry takings so far, Annie enlists the help of her daredevil brother Max (Jack LaTorre) to create a distraction. Cue a record-breaking run that not only boosts the Shearers’ coffers (explained away as a last-minute run on pies), it also earns Annie and Runt a spot at the nationals.

However, although a top-two finish there could earn them a trip to London’s prestigious Krumpets Dog Show – and the chance to win a life-changing A$250,000 – Annie needs to find a way to help Runt overcome his stage fright.

But even as she seeks out the services of reclusive former national champion Bernadette Box (Deborah Mailman), one of her rivals is unhappy at the appearance of this upstart. Fergus Fink (Matt Day) has his sights set on Krumpets glory – and isn’t about to let some “scruffy stray” and her pooch rain on his parade.

Matt Day plays Runt’s vain, villainous Fergus Fink.
Supplied
What follows is a delightful tale of dogged determination, dastardly behaviour and the odd minor disaster, as a girl and her canine companion win the hearts of two nations and cinema-going audiences of all ages.

Yes, this is a crowd-pleasing Australian comedy that should appeal to those who enjoyed Paper Planes, Oddball, Strictly Ballroom, Muriel’s Wedding or The Dressmaker.

Like those fabulous tales, writer Craig Silvey (adapting the story from his own 2022 novel, now known as The Underdogs of Upsom Downs) and director John Sheedy (the little-seen, but hilarious H is for Happiness) populate their story with colourful characters, terrific set pieces and plenty of opportunities for “the feels”.

Courtney (Storm Boy) gives good Dad, comedian Barber (Wellmania) is a hoot and Day (TV’s Rake) is a hilariously hissable baddie.

However, Runt’s secret sauce, unsurprisingly is its central combination of Squid the dog and Lily LaTorre (Run Rabbit Run). Both possess natural screen charisma and chutzpah that ensure you’ll be willing them to win, regardless of whatever seemingly insurmountable challenges they come up against.

Runt begins screening in cinemas nationwide on Monday, September 30.