by GREG KING
The Breath of Fresh Air Film Festival screens in Launceston from November 10 through to November 13. The festival will screen some 22 features, 20 documentaries and short films. There are also workshops, panel discussions and Q&As with filmmakers like Clayton Jacobsen.
The Breath of Fresh Air Film Festival screens in Launceston from November 10 through to November 13. The festival will screen some 22 features, 20 documentaries and short films. There are also workshops, panel discussions and Q&As with filmmakers like Clayton Jacobsen.
ALL REVIEWS BY GREG KING
LAST UPDATED OCTOBER 16, 2016
GIRL ASLEEP.
LAST UPDATED OCTOBER 16, 2016
GIRL ASLEEP.
This idiosyncratic, quirky and offbeat coming of age tale has more in common with the droll style of Napoleon Dynamite and the films of Wes Anderson than the sweet natured romcoms of the late John Hughes. It also plays with the familiar tropes of the genre, and embraces the mystery and trauma of growing up. Greta Driscoll (played by Bethany Whitmore, from tv series The Family Law, etc) is about to turn fifteen, but fears leaving her childhood behind. She also has to confront her fears about growing up. An outsider, she has just moved to a new school and is struggling to fit in. She forms a friendship with the nerdy and chatty Elliot (Harrison Feldman, from the tv series Upper Middle Bogan) who aspires to be more than just a friend. And she has to deal with the trifecta of intimidating and bullying mean girls led by Jade (Maiah Stewardson). Greta is also often embarrassed by the behaviour of her quarrelling parents Janet (Amber McMahon) and the daggy Conrad (Whittet), who has a penchant for corny jokes and inappropriately tight shorts. Her parents decide to throw a lavish birthday party and invite all of her classmates. This adds to Greta’s heightened sense of anxiety and discomfort.
Girl Asleep was created as a stage play for Adelaide’s Windmill Theatre by actor turned writer Matthew Whittet (The Great Gatsby, etc) and director Rosemary Myers, and was the third part of a coming of age trilogy. The pair have brought the play to the screen, which allowed them to expand on their vision and broaden it out considerably. Whittet’s screenplay gives some insights into the troubled mind of an adolescent girl. The film is steeped in the aesthetic of the 70s with colourful clothing, vibrant colours, Jonathon Oxlade’s inventive production design and Andrew Commis’ cinematography. Having worked with the stage play from its inception Myers has a deep understanding of the material and the idiosyncratic characters. A veteran of the world of theatre, she demonstrates a strong understanding of the visual language of the cinema with her film debut. She employs a vivid visual style, even cleverly using intertitles placed on objects like a basketball or food stuff to set the scene.
Myers draws solid performances from her cast, several of whom had appeared in the stage play. Whitmore is perfectly cast as the timid misfit Greta, and she uses facial tics and expressions to show her uneasiness and frustrations. Her performance anchors the film.
Girl Asleep was created as a stage play for Adelaide’s Windmill Theatre by actor turned writer Matthew Whittet (The Great Gatsby, etc) and director Rosemary Myers, and was the third part of a coming of age trilogy. The pair have brought the play to the screen, which allowed them to expand on their vision and broaden it out considerably. Whittet’s screenplay gives some insights into the troubled mind of an adolescent girl. The film is steeped in the aesthetic of the 70s with colourful clothing, vibrant colours, Jonathon Oxlade’s inventive production design and Andrew Commis’ cinematography. Having worked with the stage play from its inception Myers has a deep understanding of the material and the idiosyncratic characters. A veteran of the world of theatre, she demonstrates a strong understanding of the visual language of the cinema with her film debut. She employs a vivid visual style, even cleverly using intertitles placed on objects like a basketball or food stuff to set the scene.
Myers draws solid performances from her cast, several of whom had appeared in the stage play. Whitmore is perfectly cast as the timid misfit Greta, and she uses facial tics and expressions to show her uneasiness and frustrations. Her performance anchors the film.
KILLING GROUND.
A weekend camping trip to the beach turns into a battle for survival in this taut thriller from Australian writer/director Damien Power. Ian (Ian Meadow) and Samantha (Harriet Dyer) head off for a camping trip in the hopes that the time together away from the city will allow them time to heal their relationship. When they arrive at the remote camping ground they find another tent erected, but it looks abandoned. Then Ian and Sam stumble across an abandoned child and discover a murder scene. They become hunted by a pair of psychopathic hunters (Aaron Pedersen) and Aaron Glenane. This is the debut feature film for Power, a short film maker whose Peekaboo screened at the St Kilda Film Festival a couple of years ago. The initial inspiration for the film came from a vision Power had of an orange tent in the middle of nowhere, but it has taken him a decade to flesh out the concept and bring it to the screen. Power cites films like Straw Dogs and Michael Haneke’s Funny Games as influences on the film, although this is not quite as compelling nor as unsettling with its depiction of violence. The film has been nicely shot on location at Macquaries Fields, outside of Sydney, by Simon Chapman (The Devil’s Candy, etc). Power brings some tension to the frantic chase through the bushland. Power uses a nonlinear narrative style that moves back and forth, slowly revealing the fate of the first family, which adds a frisson of tension to the material. Cast against type Pedersen is quite menacing here, while Glenane (Deadline Gallipoli, etc) is quite scary as Chook, the small town psychopath.
SUNSET SONG.
The latest film from revered British director Terence Davies (Distant Voices, Still Lives, etc) is an epic adaptation of Lewis Grassic Gilbert’s beloved novel. Sunset Song tells the powerful and moving coming of age story of Chris Guthrie (played here by model/singer Agyness Deyn) in the early part of the 20th century. Raised on a farm in the Scottish hills, Chris lived in a house with her mother, older brother Will (Jack Greenlees), and her tyrannical, emotionally abusive and selfish father (Peter Mullan). We follow her journey from innocence to heartbreak as World War One intrudes and brings about drastic changes in the role of women as well as destroying the hopes of the future generation.
Davies brings a harsh and gritty realism to the material, which shares some of his familiar themes and motifs – repression, longing, and a woman caught up in rapidly changing times. The film also has a surprisingly strong feminist slant to it. The series of tragedies that befall this hard working farming family will remind many of the Oscar winning classic How Green Was My Valley. It would be a hard heart indeed that fails to be moved by the film’s final few minutes that delivers a potent anti-war message – haunting music plays as the camera travels through grey, muddy battlefields, and then a lone piper plays.
Newcomer Deyn has a natural screen presence, and gives a soulful performance as the strong willed heroine, giving her a slightly contemporary feel. The role of the brutal patriarch is familiar territory for Mullan, but with an excellent and powerful performance he manages to bring some subtle nuances to the character and make him a more sympathetic and three dimensional character.
The film has been gorgeously shot by cinematographer Michael McDonough, who brings an almost poetic sensibility to the material. McDonough uses the widescreen effectively for some sweeping exterior shots that will remind audiences of Terrence Malick’s visually stunning Days Of Heaven, while the interiors have been shot using natural lighting that enhances their claustrophobic and oppressive nature. And Davies is a classical filmmaker who uses long steady takes rather than the kinetic style of fast editing and hand held cameras.
Davies brings a harsh and gritty realism to the material, which shares some of his familiar themes and motifs – repression, longing, and a woman caught up in rapidly changing times. The film also has a surprisingly strong feminist slant to it. The series of tragedies that befall this hard working farming family will remind many of the Oscar winning classic How Green Was My Valley. It would be a hard heart indeed that fails to be moved by the film’s final few minutes that delivers a potent anti-war message – haunting music plays as the camera travels through grey, muddy battlefields, and then a lone piper plays.
Newcomer Deyn has a natural screen presence, and gives a soulful performance as the strong willed heroine, giving her a slightly contemporary feel. The role of the brutal patriarch is familiar territory for Mullan, but with an excellent and powerful performance he manages to bring some subtle nuances to the character and make him a more sympathetic and three dimensional character.
The film has been gorgeously shot by cinematographer Michael McDonough, who brings an almost poetic sensibility to the material. McDonough uses the widescreen effectively for some sweeping exterior shots that will remind audiences of Terrence Malick’s visually stunning Days Of Heaven, while the interiors have been shot using natural lighting that enhances their claustrophobic and oppressive nature. And Davies is a classical filmmaker who uses long steady takes rather than the kinetic style of fast editing and hand held cameras.
LIFE, ANIMATED.
This is a touching, life affirming documentary that is a tribute to the human spirit and the importance of art and film in transforming lives. This documentary centres around Owen Suskind, who was diagnosed with severe autism at the age of three. According to the doctors and specialists, the symptoms meant that he would be dependant upon others for the rest of his life. But his life was changed for the better through watching a lot of classic Disney animated features. Through endless viewing of these films, like Aladdin and The Little Mermaid, Owen learned to speak and communicate with others. The breakthrough came while watching Aladdin, and from then Owen learned to relate to the world through Disney cartoons. He even taught himself how to read by repeatedly watching the end credits. The themes and positive morals of these family friendly films with their stories about pain, overcoming adversity and facing challenges, finding strength and courage, and the importance of friends and family helped him better understand the world around him and he developed a number of coping mechanisms.
Life, Animated explores Owen’s life in compassionate and sympathetic fashion. Director Roger Ross Williams (tv series Undercover Boss, etc) has been granted extraordinary access to Owen as he follows him around as he goes about his life. This intimate portrait gives us insights into Owen’s world and the challenges he faces. Life, Animated is a blend of home movie footage, animation, intimate and personal interviews and brief snippets from Disney movies. And there is some animation created by Mathieu Betard, Olivier Lescot and Philippe Sonnier that illustrates Owen’s journey.
The documentary has been inspired by Ron Suskind’s own book Life, Animated: A Story Of Sidekicks, Heroes and Autism. There are some emotionally moving and heartwarming moments throughout as the film explores parental love and the sense of determination displayed by Owen. But the film is not all upbeat and positive as there are a few darker moments throughout. And there is a feeling that Life, Animated is also a tad manipulative at times.
Life, Animated explores Owen’s life in compassionate and sympathetic fashion. Director Roger Ross Williams (tv series Undercover Boss, etc) has been granted extraordinary access to Owen as he follows him around as he goes about his life. This intimate portrait gives us insights into Owen’s world and the challenges he faces. Life, Animated is a blend of home movie footage, animation, intimate and personal interviews and brief snippets from Disney movies. And there is some animation created by Mathieu Betard, Olivier Lescot and Philippe Sonnier that illustrates Owen’s journey.
The documentary has been inspired by Ron Suskind’s own book Life, Animated: A Story Of Sidekicks, Heroes and Autism. There are some emotionally moving and heartwarming moments throughout as the film explores parental love and the sense of determination displayed by Owen. But the film is not all upbeat and positive as there are a few darker moments throughout. And there is a feeling that Life, Animated is also a tad manipulative at times.
THE BAULKHAM HILLS AFRICAN LADIES TROUPE.
This is a moving and life affirming documentary about courage, the triumph of the human spirit to overcome trauma, and the power of theatre and art to transform lives. Four refugees talk about their horrific experiences in wart torn countries in Africa – tales of rape, kidnap and violence. We get to hear the stories of Yarrie, Aminata, Yordy and Rosemary as they relive their individual experiences. But there are also some common elements to their stories, which will be familiar to a number of refugees who have escaped violence and conflict to find a safer home.
Veteran theatre director Ros Horin approached a number of refugee women, interviewing them about their experiences, with the idea of telling their stories through a theatrical piece. Empathetic and sympathetic, Horin worked with four women who had no professional acting experience and workshopped her ideas. Working with counsellors and community advocate groups, Horin did her best to protect the women throughout. Horin also decided fairly early on to film the lengthy process of workshops, training, rehearsals and ultimate performance, so we get this document of the evolution of the show. This film gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process.
Horin hopes that The Baulkham Hills African Ladies Troupe will also be a powerful tool to help change entrenched attitudes towards the plight of refugees and to broaden our understanding of their experiences.
Veteran theatre director Ros Horin approached a number of refugee women, interviewing them about their experiences, with the idea of telling their stories through a theatrical piece. Empathetic and sympathetic, Horin worked with four women who had no professional acting experience and workshopped her ideas. Working with counsellors and community advocate groups, Horin did her best to protect the women throughout. Horin also decided fairly early on to film the lengthy process of workshops, training, rehearsals and ultimate performance, so we get this document of the evolution of the show. This film gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process.
Horin hopes that The Baulkham Hills African Ladies Troupe will also be a powerful tool to help change entrenched attitudes towards the plight of refugees and to broaden our understanding of their experiences.
