BADLANDS is an artist-led film production and distribution company founded in 2019 by Sydney filmmakers James Robert Woods and Stephanie Jane Day with a mission to create bold, uncompromising Australian Cinema. Named to channel the authorial spirit of Malick's debut, BADLANDS produces auteur-driven work that doesn't neglect audience.

Since launch, BADLANDS has produced a long line of classy corporates, viral music videos and award-winning short films. The shorts include the ethereal fempocalypse False As A Beach (SXSW, Nowness), brooding B&W anti-comedy Get Back To Me (premiered Cinema Astragale) and the multi-award winning real estate horror/satire Svengali (St Kilda, RevPerth, Canberra SFF, IWFF).

In 2025, Badlands began the transition to longform with the rollout of two feature films: acerbic rom-com Moonrise Over Knights Hill and mysterious family-drama The Ceremony. The former, called "one of the best Australian films of the year" by Cinema Australia, is set for theatrical release in early 2026, while The Ceremony is in advanced development with the support of Create NSW.