Former Ngarluma and Yindjibarndi chief executive John Hackwell co-wrote the story with "The Husband of Tootsie Daniel" Narbaru Daniel, of a Jewish-American art appraiser sent to Australia to authenticate a forgery in an Aboriginal art collection. Producers plan to use Cossack as the backdrop for the film, which is also set to feature acting talent from across the Pilbara.
Mr Cunningham said the region was 'perfect' and he hoped to achieve what he believed was a modest budget for an Australian feature film. Negotiations with several big businesses in the area have proven to be successful. As an incentive, the Shire of Roebourne is considering giving the filmmakers up to 10 per cent of the budget if the majority of its Australian component is filmed at Cossack and surrounding areas. As for Matthau, who shares his father's sense of humour and sounds very similar to him, the Pilbara is as foreign to him as Australia. Matthau, who directed his father in The Grass Harp and is currently working on the post-production of his latest film Her Minor Thing, is excited about coming to Australia. "The Australians I've met here have been very friendly and, come on, everybody speaks English, there are beaches and people are nice – what more do you want?" he told the Pilbara News. "I was very flattered that Russell offered it (Dingo Dreaming) to me. "I thought the writing was very intelligent and reminded me of one of my favourite films, which is Local Hero. I think it has that flavour to it. "I'm excited about it." Matthau said the film would have tremendous appeal to Americans. "It's a classic fish-out-of-water story," he said. "The guy is from New York and he is as unfamiliar with parts of Australia as the international audience is, I think. "It could play anywhere."
Matthau's role requires some knowledge of art, which he readily admits he lacks. What he does know, he says, he gained from his father. "I just remember what my father told me and that's the definition of Baroque is when you have no more Monet."