The NSW Government has secured post production of Peter Weir’s new film, The Way Back, in Sydney.

The Way Back stars Jim Sturgess, Ed Harris and Colin Farrell, and tells the story of an incredible trek to freedom undertaken by a group of escapees from a remote Soviet Gulag in 1940.

Premier Nathan Rees said the film will employ about 100 post production specialists from several of Sydney’s leading post-production companies.

An incentive package provided by the NSW Department of State and Regional Development (DSRD) secured post-production of the film for Sydney.

"Post-production work to take place in NSW will include digital special effects, sound mixing, picture editing and recording work,” Mr Rees said.

“NSW has some of the best post-production facilities in the world and this film will be another excellent chance to showcase our State’s skills and talents internationally.

“The Government has identified the creative industries as a driver of economic activity.

"We know that the creative industries employ five percent of the NSW workforce and today’s announcement helps keep our skilled film crew stay in NSW."

NSW talent working on The Way Back, will include:

• Sydney born Peter Weir, a six-time Academy Award nominated director whose credits include Master and Commander, The Truman Show, Dead Poets Society and Witness
• Sydney digital effects company Rising Sun Pictures, whose credits include Wolverine, Australia and Watchmen
• Deluxe Sydney, which recently updated its digital film department and sound re-recording stages, will do sound mixing
• Spectrum Films at Fox Studios will do picture editing
• Redline Sound Studios of Willoughby will do recording work
• Sound editing will be undertaken by a combined US and Australian team led by Richard King, winner of the Academy Award for sound design for Dark Knight
• Other NSW talent working on The Way Back include the Oscar-winning cinematographer Russell Boyd and Oscar-nominated editor Lee Smith.

The Way Back announcement follows the Premier's announcement in April that the movie Green Lantern will be made in Sydney, with 500 new jobs across the creative sector.

The NSW Government is also investing more than $1 million through the NSW Film and Television Office for two feature films, one telemovie, one children’s television series and three factual programs.

The two feature films are Being Dead, to be directed by Ray Lawrence (Lantana, Jindabyne), with producer Emile Sherman and writer Beatrix Christian; and Beneath Hill 60, to be directed by Jeremy Sims (Last Train to Freo) with producer Bill Leimbach and writer David Roach.

The $1 million investment will attract at least $17 million in NSW, as projects attract additional private and federal investment.

Funding is also being provided for Not 14 but 47, the fifth instalment of Gillian Armstrong’s acclaimed documentary series that has followed the lives of a group of girls since they were 14 in 1976.