"THE ASSIGNMENT" Cast Announced

Assembling a Lean and Fearless Creative Team

With THE ASSIGNMENT, Presidential Productions has assembled a compact but formidable cast and creative team, uniting emerging Australian talent with collaborators whose skillsets align precisely with the film’s psychological and stylistic demands.

David Kara

Francis Ryan

At the centre of the film are two sharply contrasted performances. Melbourne actor David Kara will star as Harrison, a physically imposing yet quietly unnerving figure whose calm demeanour masks something far darker. Kara, previously seen in feature film Downriver (2015) as well as multiple award-winning short films, will fully immerse himself into the role, working with the film's writer/director, James Cunningham, crafting a character defined by restraint, control, and latent menace. "Kara's portrayal of Harrison avoids caricature, instead presenting violence as something methodical, rationalised, and disturbingly ordinary, says Cunningham.

Opposite Kara is fellow actor Francis Ryan as Leo, a vulnerable and intellectually curious counterweight. In his first professional film role, Ryan — who balances acting aspirations with a career in molecular microbiology — will work closely with Cunningham to refine Leo’s emotional arc. Ryan's performance in THE ASSIGNMENT will bring a rare authenticity to the character’s uncertainty and moral conflict, grounding the film’s thriller mechanics in genuine human fragility.

Behind the camera, Melbourne-based cinematographer Lukas Yannoutsos was brought on board to shape the film’s distinctive visual language. Drawing on a naturalistic yet moody aesthetic, Yannoutsos has been tasked with crafting images that feel clean and observational while slowly tightening into unease. His work on THE ASSIGNMENT will culminate in a striking rooftop outdoor shower scene filmed at sunset golden hour, a clear nod to Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960) filtered through a contemporary Australian setting.

The creative team is rounded out by Argentine composer Pedro de Prada, who will provide an original electronic score channeling the pulsing minimalism of John Carpenter and the orchestral dread of original Psycho composer, Bernard Herrmann. Editing duties will be handled by Japneet Dahliwal, while sound will be recorded by Kyle Evans. Producers Vanessa Abbott and Slade Philips will oversee financing as well as the project’s tightly controlled production.

Together, the cast and crew reflect a deliberate curation; minimal, focused and united by a shared understanding of genre, tone and restraint. Currently in pre-production, Presidential Productions' THE ASSIGNMENT will be sharpened by creative collaboration and bold independent filmmaking.

For more information visit presproductionsco.com/the-assignment

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