Sanctum

Intense and thrilling is this breathtaking journey of an underwater cave diving team that gets trapped in a subterranean cave after a tropical cyclone cuts access to their only known exit. The divers now must confront their ultimate test of survival and navigate the treacherous, claustrophobic, labyrinthine cave and plunging cliffs to find an escape route.

Master diver Frank McGuire (Richard Roxburgh) is challenged by the disjointed efforts of crew members Carl Hurley (Ioan Gruffudd), the expedition's reckless financier with his adventurous girlfriend Victoria (Alice Parkinson), and Frank's estranged teenager son, Josh (Rhys Wakefield). Frank's only constant support comes from his loyal assistant Crazy George (Dan Wyllie).

Australian director Alister Grierson (Kokoda, 2006) loosely based the feature on the 2007 real life experience of caver and co-screenwriter Andrew Wight. Sanctum is set in the world's largest cave labyrinth, in the South Pacific's Esa'ala caves of Papua, New Guinea, but was filmed in Queenland's Gold Coast as well as in South Australian caves.

The feature's highlight is in its visuals. Director of photography, Jules O'Loughlin applied the same Fusion 3D Camera System James Cameron used in Avatar. His stunning underwater cinematography along with Nicholas McCallum's detailed production design of underground caves, long flowing rivers and waterfalls, visually immerse the audience in an awe-inspiring underwater world.