Hot from its world premiere at the London Australian Film Festival, this is an exciting directing debut by actor Mark Lee, who is probably still best known as Mel Gibson’s co-star in Peter Weir’s 1981 classic Gallipoli. The Bet is a modern morality tale set in the glamorous yet cutthroat world of Sydney stockbroking. Newcomer Will (Matthew Newton) falls in with a powerful set of Sydneysiders and is lured into a dangerous bet with a colleague. Who can make the most money in three months? Will’s desperation to prove himself turns the betting game into an obsession which forces him to confront the perils of ego, the consequences of unbridled ambition and the value of true love.

Short film beforehand:
TWO MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT
(Dir: Charlotte George. 2005. 16 min.)