Strictly Ballroom

Strictly Ballroom
Australian theatrical release poster
Directed by	Baz Luhrmann
Screenplay by	Baz Luhrmann Craig Pearce Andrew Bovell
Based on	Strictly Ballroom by Baz Luhrmann
Produced by	Tristram Miall Antoinette Albert
Starring	Paul Mercurio Tara Morice Bill Hunter Pat Thomson Gia Carides Peter Whitford Barry Otto
Cinematography	Steve Mason
Edited by	Jill Bilcock
Music by	David Hirschfelder
Production companies	M&A Productions Ronin Films
Distributed by	Ronin Films
Release dates	20 August 1992 (1992-08-20) (Australia) 12 February 1993 (1993-02-12) (United States)
Running time	94 minutes
Country	Australia
Language	English
Budget	AUD 3 million
Box office	AUD 80 million[1]

Strictly Ballroom is a 1992 Australian romantic comedy film directed and co-written by Baz Luhrmann in his feature directorial debut. The film is the first in his Red Curtain Trilogy of theatre-motif-related films; it was followed by 1996's Romeo + Juliet and 2001's Moulin Rouge!^[2]

Strictly Ballroom is based on a critically acclaimed stage play, originally set up in 1984 by Luhrmann and fellow students during his studies at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts in Sydney. An expanded version of the play became a success at the Czechoslovakian Youth Drama Festival in Bratislava in 1986. In 1988, it had a successful season at Sydney's Wharf Theatre, where it was seen by Australian music executive Ted Albert and his wife Antoinette. They both loved it, and, when Albert, soon after, set up the film production company M&A Productions with ex-Film Australia producer Tristram Miall, they offered Luhrmann their plan to transform his play into a film.^[3] He agreed on the condition that he would also get to direct it.^[4]