Anno 2020 heads to streaming with a global release
'While Anno 2020 was very well received by cinemagoers, we believe it is tailor-made for streaming'
The independent Australian film Anno 2020, which stirred plenty of conversation during its cinema run last year, is now preparing for a worldwide streaming release.
From September 13, the feature will be available across major online platforms including YouTube, Odysee, Daily Motion and Rumble.
Produced in Sydney by Jewish filmmaker Gil Ben-Moshe of MoneyShot Productions, Anno 2020 has already played to audiences in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, with strong interest during its red-carpet screenings. Now, Ben-Moshe says, it is time to bring the film to an international audience.
“While Anno 2020 was very well received by cinemagoers, we believe it is tailor-made for streaming,” Ben-Moshe explained. “Its multimedia style, combined with the way it engages with the pandemic years, makes it ideal for people watching at home.”
The story unfolds across five countries, 17 cities and four continents, weaving together multiple languages, including Hebrew. Adapted from James Morcan’s novel of the same name, the film is billed as a mystery-drama exploring redemption, justice and connection during a time of upheaval.
One of the most striking scenes comes when Ben-Moshe, playing the character Levi, confronts a Holocaust denier, played by Morcan, who is also the film’s director.
Morcan understood that he was probably the best person who could push Ben-Moshe’s buttons in a way to provoke an honest scene, which was completely improvised. For Ben-Moshe, it was also personal.
“Given my own experiences with antisemitism, the emotions in that scene were very real,” he said.
The international cast includes familiar Australian faces such as Erin Connor (Occupation: Rainfall), Greg Poppleton (The Chronicles of Narnia) and Audrey Nitschke (Wolf Like Me), alongside American actors Kevin Scott Allen (American Primeval), Sheila Ball (Assault on VA-33) and La Rivers (Equal Standard). Rising US performer Jessica Castello also appears, as do Israeli talents including Lital Luzon, currently serving in the IDF, and Oren Ben-Moshe.
For Morcan, the streaming release feels particularly fitting.
“This is an alternative film with themes that mainstream distributors might have hesitated over,” he said. “The recognition it received – including the award for Best Experimental Film at the Titan International Film Festival – reflects the unconventional approach we took.”
For Ben-Moshe, the hope is that viewers will find it both challenging and thought-provoking. “We set out to make something different,” he said. “Now it’s time for people everywhere to see it for themselves.”
Anno 2020 will be available to stream on various platforms from September 13.