THE BAKER NO LEGACY STAINED BY BLOOD IS WORTH HONOURING. INTRODUCTION The Baker is an epic crime thriller about family, fate, and redemption. Evoking the brutal corruption of Suburra, the tense intimacy of Heat, the tragic fatalism of Incendies, and the operatic scale of The Godfather, this is a film about a man seeking absolution before it’s too late. A story for today, set in a world of greed, power, and fractured legacies. THE BAKER 02 LOGLINE An aging drug lord makes one last, desperate move to secure his family’s future…but redemption comes at a price. THE BAKER 03 OVERVIEW Fredric Barakat built his family’s wealth on an empire of illicit drugs. Now, as his health declines and violence tightens its grip, he seeks to dismantle the empire before it destroys his legacy. But the past won’t let go so easily. Fifty years ago, Fredric fled Lebanon after watching his wife murdered. In his new country Australia he rebuilt his life, but at a cost. Now, his granddaughter is kidnapped by a rival gang, his son spirals out of control, and his ruthless second wife pursues revenge. As the rivers rise, Fredric must confront his sins, break free from the past, and find redemption if it’s not already too late. THE BAKER 04 A STORY FOR THE AGES FROM WRITER / PRODUCER – RONNY MOUAWAD The Baker is more than a crime thriller, it’s an immigrant story, a family saga, and a meditation on legacy. Set in a Lebanese diaspora, it explores the clash between tradition and survival, faith and sin. Lebanon has fewer than six million citizens, yet its diaspora exceeds fourteen million worldwide. This story unfolds within one of those communities, where family is everything, and survival means navigating the blurred lines between honour and power. The Baker is a celebration of resilience. My father worked in a factory before opening a chain of Lebanese bakeries in Sydney’s West. I grew up surrounded by stories of survival, of men who fled war-torn mountains to carve out new lives. But all communities have darkness, and mine is no different. Years ago, a girl in our community was shunned because her father was a drug lord. I was told to stay away from a cousin until a suspicious fire ended his life of crime. For years, my mother worried about the backlash of telling this story, but as our churches and mosques now confront these realities, she feels safer. I come from a large Maronite Catholic family and am deeply connected with the Lebanese community in Australia and beyond. Their stories, their struggles, and their resilience are in every frame of this film. THE BAKER 05 THE PAST THE BAKER THE RISE 06 THE STORY At his granddaughter Isabella’s first Holy Communion, Fredric Barakat is surrounded by wealth, family, and faith. But he knows none of it is truly secure, not while his fortune is tied to a violent drug empire. With his health failing, he vows to shut it all down before he loses what matters most. Decades ago, Fredric fled Lebanon after militants murdered his wife. He rebuilt his life, but the past has caught up with him. His son Billy is reckless, his second wife Magda is ruthless, and his granddaughter’s kidnapping by a rival gang forces him to act. When Billy kills a young Syrian gang member, Fredric must negotiate with the enemy, bargaining away parts of his empire to secure peace. But Magda sees his compromises as weakness and takes matters into her own hands, orchestrating a brutal act of revenge. Meanwhile, Fredric travels to Lebanon and encounters General Fadi Melhem. The same man responsible for his wife’s death, now a presidential candidate controlling the global drug trade. Fredric hires assassins to eliminate him, but his war is far from over. Betrayals escalate. Billy’s blind trust in his enemies leads to his downfall, while a long-buried family secret resurfaces: Vincent Karam, Fredric’s protégé, learns that Fredric is his biological father. But before he can reveal the truth, Fredric dies leaving behind a shattered legacy and no redemption. THE BAKER 07 WRITER/DIRECTOR NICHOLAS LATHOURIS Fredric Barakat is haunted by ghosts, by regret, and by the weight of his choices. His wealth cannot guarantee his family’s safety, and his actions have far-reaching consequences. The Baker’s visual style will blend grandeur with decay. The Barakat estate will draw from Baroque and Phoenician influences, mirroring Fredric’s rise and decline. Inspired by The Great Beauty, scenes at Billy’s club will juxtapose opulence with an undercurrent of emptiness. There will be a dynamic interplay between formalism and realism: stylised aesthetics will heighten the drama, while a cinéma-vérité approach will capture authenticity. For the Holy Communion reception, the camera will immerse itself in the celebration, creating organic vibrancy and spontaneity. Instead of lighting scenes, we will light locations using chiaroscuro techniques to add depth and texture, subtly shifting brightness to reflect the characters’ psychology. Montage and cross-cutting will intensify tension and revelation, ensuring that every frame serves the story. THE BAKER 08 MARKETABILITY AND COMMERCIAL APPEAL The Baker is a gripping crime thriller with global appeal, drawing comparisons to A Prophet, The Godfather, and City of God. It offers: •  A fresh, untold story – The Lebanese diaspora has rarely been explored in cinema at this scale. • A built-in audience – The global Lebanese community, along with crime/thriller fans, ensures a strong viewership base. •  Award potential – With its thematic depth and visual ambition, The Baker has the potential to be a festival breakout. • Proven market success – Films like A Prophet and Gomorrah have shown that international crime thrillers can achieve both critical acclaim and box office returns. THE BAKER 09 WISH LIST OF INTERNATIONAL CAST Tony Shalhoub Fredric “The Baker” Barakat THE BAKER Eric Bana William “Billy” Barakat Hiam Abbass Magdaline Barakat Daniella Rahme Aida Barakat Nadine Labaki Theresa Karam Bassam Youseff Monsignor 10 BUDGET AND SALES Mena & Rest of World Sales Screen Australia Screen NSW ANZ distributor Private investors Gap Finance (cash flowing Australia 40% producer offset) $15m AUD THE BAKER $10m USD 0 $1m $2m $3m $4m $5m 11 THE FILMMAKERS FINAL THOUGHTS As sons of migrants, this story runs deep in our blood. The Baker is more than a film, it’s a personal truth told with the respect it deserves. Set against a world where power, legacy, and morality collide, it speaks directly to now. With a gripping narrative, bold visuals, and a fresh take on crime and redemption, The Baker is poised to cut through and captivate audiences worldwide. Now is the time to tell this story. THE BAKER 12 TEAM BIOS RONNY MOUAWAD Ronny began his career on the Sydney theatre stage, where years of live performance sharpened his craft before landing a role in the acclaimed Australian drama All Saints. He went on to appear in Rake and the hit series Underbelly: The Golden Mile. In 2021, he shared the screen with Tilda Swinton in George Miller’s blockbuster Three Thousand Years of Longing. Beyond acting, Ronny has pursued his passion for storytelling as a writer, director, and producer. More recently, he collaborated with Nico Lathouris (Mad Max: Fury Road, Furiosa) on The Baker and produced the award-winning documentary Enough! Lebanon’s Darkest Hour. Currently, Ronny’s TV slate includes three original concepts: Mr. Potts Point, Oi’ Hero, and The Black Bag. NICHOLAS LATHROURIS Nico’s career spans over 50 years across film, television, and new media, encompassing acting (two AFI Award nominations), directing, and screenwriting. His work ranges from tentpole feature films to avant-garde theatre. Nico is best known for his collaboration with Kennedy Miller Mitchell as co-writer and dramaturg on the Mad Max franchise. Fury Road was named one of the Top Ten Movies of the Decade and won the David Bradbury Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Screenplay. Furiosa was nominated for Best Screenplay at the 2025 AACTA Awards. Nico has several films in development, including The Mediation and Universal Machine, and two awaiting production: The Reunion and The Baker. THE BAKER TRACEY MAIR - Executive Producer/PR Tracey Mair is a leading film and television communications specialist. She has provided advice to organisations including Screen Australia, Screen NSW and SPA, and production companies including Goalpost Pictures, Matchbox Pictures, Lingo Pictures and SeeSaw Films. Tracey has been unit publicist on dozens of Australian and international productions and/or has managed the national PR campaigns for projects including The Power of the Dog (director Jane Campion), The Royal Hotel (director Kitty Green), Lion, Ride Like a Girl and I Am Woman and TV shows such as Apples Never Fall, Narrow Road to the Deep North and Warwick Thornton’s The Beach. Tracey was an Executive Producer of I Am Woman, which premiered at TIFF. 12 CONFIDENTIAL THE BAKER by Ronny Mouawad & Nicholas Lathouris. This document contains confidential and proprietary information intended solely for the recipient. By accepting this material, you agree not to distribute, disclose, or share any part of its contents without prior written consent. Ronny Mouawad +61 410 434 484 ronnymouawad@gmail.com Tracey Mair +61 419 221 493 traceym@tmpublicity.com THE BAKER 13