While the Men Are Away

While the Men are Away is an Australian television drama series broadcast on SBS and follows Francesca (Michela De Rossi) who is left in charge of an apple farm after her husband enlists in World War 2. Francesca recruits local women and "certified coward" Robert (Matt Testro) to help her. The series explores patriarchy, racism and homophobia. Julie Eckersley, Head of Scripted said, "While the Men Are Away is an absolutely delightful revisionist history with a twist of truth. It is warm hearted and clever and full of characters you will fall in love with." The series was promoted as an "often (but not always) wildly historically inaccurate" dramedy about the Women's Land Army during World War II and premiered on 27 September 2023 with double episodes. Production The series was announced in December 2022 as an Arcadia production with major production investment from Screen Australia and finance with support from Screen NSW. It was filmed in Orange and Central West of New South Wales.