During his opening speech, Ambassador Doyle stressed the relevance of Australian cinema. Australia has produced many talented actors and directors, including Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett, Hugh Jackman and Naomi Watts. Ambassador Doyle reminded the audience about the fact that Australia has the distinction of having produced the world's first full-length feature film, “The Story of the Kelly Gang,” way back in 1906.Guests were then treated to a screening of “Jindabyne,” a film based on Raymond Carver's short story “So Much Water So Close to Home,” a movie the Guardian described as “real cinematic nourishment.” “Jindabyne” received the International Federation of Film Critics award for Best Film and Best Manuscript at the 2006 Stockholm Film Festival.
Films that will be screened during the festival are “Australian Rules,” which is based on the novel “Deadly, Unna?” by Phillip Gwynne and which won the 2003 Cannes Junior special jury prize; “The Bank,” which is a political thriller set in the world of high finance; “Japanese Story,” which features award-winning actress Toni Collette and which was screened at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival and won nine Australian Film Institute awards; “Lantana,” which is a psychological thriller about love and the mistakes people make and which was screened at the 2001 Toronto International Film Festival and San Sebastian International Film Festival and received seven Australian Film Institute awards; “Radiance,” which is a critically acclaimed Aboriginal feature film in which a mother's death draws her three distant daughters back to their childhood home; and “Jindabyne,” the embassy's opening-night feature (details about all movies courtesy of the Australian Embassy in Ankara).
I personally very much enjoyed watching “Jindabyne” -- it is another example of Australian movie craftsmanship. Australian movies often carry a special mystical depth -- present-day life intertwined with rituals inherent in our past. Modern-day Australian filmmakers seem to continue on the path so successfully embarked on by their own pioneers, such as director Peter Weir (“Picnic at Hanging Rock,” “The Last Wave”), who helped firmly establish Australian cinema on the global moviegoers' map.
“Jindabyne” raises as many questions as it tries to answer. Has the conflict between Aboriginals and Australian mainstream society been overcome? Are relationships meant to last forever? What is the influence of religion in all this? Are small-town communities really as tight knit as they try to make us believe? Are loners always the No. 1 homicide suspect? I will not give away the plot -- it is a gripping movie, fascinating and well worth watching. Tickets are on sale at Ankara's Büyülü Fener Cinema. For telephone reservations, please call 03124250100. The last film to be screened will be “Radiance” at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday.
