She dubs her googly-eyed, big-lipped new friend "Blueback," promising her mom to. doesn't involve sacrifice. Nevertheless, Blueback may disconcert some. oily self-interest in Government, in terms of reconciliation, and the Interestingly, in southern Australia, the Western Blue Groper is the largest carnivorous bony fish species found living on reefs. Adapted from Tim Wintons book of the same name (Winton also shares screenwriting credit here), no doubt ocean life and the environment are depressingly pertinent topics these days. Fogg is particularly impressive as teenage Abby, delivering a quietly commanding performance thats utterly convincing in its presentation of a decent, caring young person with (like all teenagers) some hard life lessons ahead. mobile and not have to get into a working rut. Its clear that the impact on the environment is something you both feel strongly about, and even though its a uniquely Australian tale in terms of setting and story that speaks to the feelings a lot of people in the country have and have had for some time, the themes and messages are universal, so what do you hope audiences take away from the film by the time the credits come up? Eric Bana: Yeah, similar experience. "I never had a desire for a public life, never Connollys production has notes of the Oscar-winning 2020 documentary My Octopus Teacher, with a protagonist (in the novel a boy named Abel, now a girl named Abby) developing a friendship with the titular character: a wild blue groper who profoundly influences her worldview. Abel Jackson lives with his mother, Dora, at Longboat Bay, an isolated stretch of coast whose waters teem with fish. Mia Wasikowska: Yeah, Blueback is quite a classic here in Australia. I've never really had that experience before. I was so proud of it when I saw it. "I feel very specifically that I benefited from growing up where I did, Once Bremer Bay was decided on as a film location, the magic started to unfold. This story was first published on The New Daily. Thats really important. Winton is clear-eyed when it comes to the urgency of environmental action, declaring that a "clock is ticking" on human existence. Its very exciting to take the audience there.. And what that meant was there was a process getting in, but once we were there, they were COVID free at that time. People are Hes the developer who has plans to dredge the bay and set up a marine resort. And theres a simplicity in that, that I think just, you know, works well. finally get pen to paper, you exist only in that present tense - you don't The teenage Abby (Ilsa Fogg) is the perfect child, intellectually gifted, uncannily calm in a crisis and free of all the stroppiness that punctuates the adolescent years of more credible beings. Longboat Bay is like a paradise because of the crystal clear water, the way that the sun is always up and the different and the unique types of fish that are there. The film is heavily anchored in messaging about conservation, the environment and saving our planet in the best way we know how. Feature | 100mins | Completed. [As Jacques] Cousteau said: If you can make people fall in love with something, theyll care for it., I hope the film can inspire an activism about the health of our oceans.. The directors other family film, 2015s Paper Planes, reflects a similar commercial mindset as Blueback, providing a broadly appealing if a little indistinct experience that doesnt speak down to younger audiences but certainly hands them unambiguous moral lessons. In one scene, adult Abby, during a moment of melancholic reflection, casts her gaze towards sand dunes, before Connolly cuts to teenage Abby walking across them. A classically Western Australian story from Tim Winton comes to the big screen with a star-studded cast including Mia Wasikowska and Eric Bana. Blueback PG. Overall, you get a sense of how real it all felt when you watch the film and particularly for the cast who had to interact with the fish. TIM WINTON'S BLUEBACK AND STAGE 4 STUDENTS Luke Bartolo F inding the right novel for a Year 7 class can be quite a tricky task. And I just thought the girls did an amazing job. World War I and the Depression, but I don't believe we need some hideous Between them, Eric Bana and Mia Wasikowska have starred in billion-dollar franchises, Hollywood blockbusters, Oscar-winning movies, and acclaimed features from some of the biggest and best names in the business, but Blueback sees the duo returning to their roots in a moving independent production shot in their native Australia. Teacher preparation: As an adaptation comes to the silver screen, he reflects on how the book's protagonist has haunted him all the way to Ningaloo Reef. Blueback, the new film from director/writer Robert Connolly (The Dry, The Slap, Paper Planes), delivers a big message about ocean wildlife that's perfectly woven into a heartwarming tale about an unlikely friendship. By continuing to use our site you are agreeing to our, Ten-day video challenge creates a snapshot of Adelaides music scene. YouTube. People can watch the film and go on an incredible journey to places we went and filmed in. but in an innocent way, it's discussing these things - we have been taking The most successful was Breath (2017), a coming-of-age story which united Wintons passion for the sea with a poignant examination of the emotional damage casually inflicted on two teenagers by a pair of charismatic but unthinking adults. Its a scenario taken from Tim Wintons 2009 young adult novel, Blueback with one or two changes. 40 pages. Set across three distinct time periods that sees Ilsa Fogg and Ariel Donoghue also play Abby at different points, Bana lends support as the roguish abalone diver Macka, who ends up having a huge impact on the inspiring conservationist. The joins feel fluid, sometimes seamless. Based on the best-selling novel by Tim Winton, BLUEBACK is a timely tale about the ocean, a beautiful marine creature, and a young girl's power to change the world. But we were very lucky, because Western Australia where we filmed was completely separated from the rest of the country. Moving between and integrating these timelines becomes a core structural challenge. On an idyllic stretch of coast whose waters teem with fish, he lives a simple, tough existence. Eric, did you meet the star of the show Blueback at all during your time on set, or was he being a diva and refusing to interact with people who werent direct scene partners? Mia Wasikowska plays a marine biologist in the latest Australian film about interspecies mateship, which is broadly appealing if a little on the nose. But once we were there, we were working on a normal film. Theirs is a simple life. Winton says he was a little shocked when he learned the lead character was no longer a boy called Abel, but a girl. Its achieved with elegance; temporal displacements feeling less like flashbacks or flash forwards than different refractions of the same prism. Between 2000 and 2003, he was famously instrumental in the campaign to save Ningaloo Reef from a resort development. And I love the dynamic between between Macka and Abby. ", Blueback is subtitled "a fable for all ages", a marketing We have an So what did Bana whose international career goes back to 1997s The Castle bring to the project, when cast and crew found themselves filming off Ningaloo Reefs warm waters with whale sharks and oceanic manta rays? Rob made a beautiful choice to make the fish real and mechanical, as opposed to just CGI. sometimes sulkily terse communiques. personally how to resolve. My Year 7 English teacher introduced us to Lochie Leonard and the rest as they say is history. Ilsa Fogg plays the teenage Abby in Blueback. The acting is mostly great, the underwater cinematography is superb and the selection of songs on the soundtrack suggest that Robert Connolly's record collection would be an agreeable place to spend a couple of hours. And I was like, Okay, and then the fish kind of got bigger and bigger! cover-awkward-bases tactic. "I am more he helps his mother each day and loves to dive. Read it now. awkward in that I don't know who it's for. other way round. And it was so emotional. A powerful story for generations opens our 2023 season of films under the stars. Every day while fishing, Abel and his mother would go out and play and feed Blueback. And I think it sort of sends a message that increasing your local biodiversity is almost one of the most powerful things you can do to contribute to the climate. I love the fact that our characters are part of the environment that we're portraying. Eric Bana: I sort of knew Robert was developing it, because we have an office together. An old-fashioned feelgood film that wears its heart on its sleeve, Blueback releases in select theaters, as well as on digital and on-demand, this coming Friday. Read more. The Dry was one of the great experiences of my career and he was stunning in that film. 100% (1) 100% found this document useful (1 vote) 2K views. "I knew I was hard working. Winton says he learned a valuable lesson from this "dark, dark time". Some Blueback fodder that should pique audience interest: Creating Blueback, the hero of the film, was an undertaking. Abby is played as a child by Ariel Donoghue.Credit:David Dare Parker. The waters and land of the Bay both sustain and enrich their lives. While diving, Abby forms a bond with a. But I fear my grandchildren and Abel Jackson has lived by the sea at Longboat Bay ever since he could remember. Blueback, from Quiver Distribution and Roadshow Films, is a co-production of Screen Australia, Screenwest, West Australian Regional Film Fund, Film Victoria, HanWay Films, Pick Up Truck Pictures, Soundfirm, and Arenamedia, hits theaters March 3. a master of language who writes unadorned sentences that build in power and And after others told him they were moved to tears by the tale, he thought After it was published, he became part of a real-life campaign to save the reef. Its also a story about family at the end of the day, and its hard to imagine theres anyone wholl watch the film that wont find at least one element they cant relate to on some level, which can sometimes be a difficult balance to strike when it comes to independent productions that also wear their localization as such a proud badge of honor like Blueback does, which is a testament to how the film turned out. https://libguides.spx.nsw.edu.au/EnglishYear5. The plot is driven by just one desire an overwhelming urge to save the wonders of the marine world from climate change and over-fishing. Radha Mitchell plays Dora, an environmental activist. Talk of sacrifice and faith seem curiously old-fashioned, an idealist's has stooped to the mawkish in this tale about world ecology that as message is indisputable but that as fiction is inane. The storytelling came via stars Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland) and Eric Bana (The Dry, The Forgiven), and a young cast including Ilsa Fogg, Pedra Jackson and Ariel Donoghue. I wanted the actors to do their own swimming rather than stunt people. And, you know, Robs very upfront about the fact that theres no point being ambiguous. seductions of fame. From the hard-to-find Metal Skin, through Somersault, The Black Balloon and the quietly incredible 2016 Is This The Real World, the Aussies routinely knock absolute gems out of the park. And they are the most He's written bestselling novels for adults and children, short stories, plays, essays and memoirs. Blueback is loosely based on Booker Prize nominee Tim Winton's critically acclaimed novella of the same name. Mia Wasikowska and Eric Bana love that Blueback delivers a passionate message about friendship and the beauty of the worlds oceans. Abel Jackson has lived by the sea at Longboat Bay ever since he could remember. their children will have to experience nature in a virtual sense - landscapes The latest film from The Dry director Robert Connolly, starring Mia Wasikowska . Blueback by Tim Winton PLOT Abel Jackson's life is intimately entwined with the environment in which he lives. I mean, its one of the great things about when you really come in and do a supporting role is you dont get to see the rest of the film. My Remove Ads Cast Crew Details Genres Cast When out fishing for some abalone with his mother Abel encounters a massive blue groper called Blueback and promises from then on to the protect this beautiful fish. "We were told by the culture that all the real Australia was elsewhere, it occurred on the east coast," Winton says. something to the future, to define limits on what we'll exploit and how we'll He would have discovered an unpretentious (Supplied: Screenwest) Story puts environment before economics Blueback will be a family-focused film that follows the story of Abby, a child who befriends a wild groper while diving in the ocean. "There are accumulated losses we have suffered in Australia over Eric Bana: Yeah, we shot the follow up which is called Force of Nature last year, and were just finished in the post-production phase, literally within the last couple of weeks. I wanted to make the film in an analogue way. of familiarity with yourself. Abby is played as a child by Ariel Donoghue. Wasikowska was blown away by the extraordinary locale, noting Bremer Bays coastal eye candy. A It was another one of those strange life-imitating-art moments: in Blueback, published in 1997, Abel and his mum successfully protect their patch of coast from developers. This film should certainly help in that ongoing fight. Blueback drifts around a bit, neither plot-driven nor super stylish, but its a nice, gentle kind of drift. If the sea is ultimately where we come from, and it seems we did, * Blueback is published by Macmillan as a hardback, by Pan as a The blue groper at the heart of Blueback was created by Melbournes Creature Technology Company. Winton: an affable, plain-speaking man of unaffected intelligence and deep Yet, at Publisher's Summary. I also hope that, especially for young girls, the film really inspires them, because a lot of women really are kind of leading the climate movement at the moment. Winton says he gets more fan mail about that book than anything else he's written. After the ambition of He laughs, denies he's a romantic. persuasive effect. This book constantly explores sustainability as Abel and his mother are striving to protect the environment. There is no discernible "Connolly style" in any of his films, just extreme competence, humility and a love of storytelling. Adapted from Tim Wintons best-selling 1997 novella of the same name, co-writer and director Robert Connolly tells the environmentally-conscious and emotionally-driven story of the unlikely lifelong connection forged by young activist Abby and the titular wild blue grouper, which goes on to inform, inspire, and define her entire life. That night, he got up, and started the book again, from scratch. Yet he still believes there is a place and indeed, a very important one for art and writing. https://www.penguin.com.au/products/9. TIM WINTON Abel Jackson loves to dive. Mon 21 - Sun 27 Nov at Lotterywest Films, from $17 - $20. We did as best we could to made sure that didnt happen. Were working to restore it. Blueback by Tim Winton. I liked this film immensely. He did two weeks [in] quarantine to play a supporting role. Art is everywhere, as the ABC celebrates the first ever Arts Week, from Saturday August 6. Its a film about young people having great agency for change, [and] the inspiration they get from their parents, so even though I changed the gender I feel its a film for all young people., Melbourne-based actor Eric Bana on a mission. '," Winton says. freedom I had as a kid, a sense of wide-open spaces, the kind of Australian Winton's novel was created for the young adult market, and is therefore a lot more positive and simply written than his novels for adults. They do this by: Other visual effects came from Soundfirm (Peter Rabbit, Paper Plane) and Surreal World. Macka is a small but pivotal role, and one that ends up having a massive influence on Abby throughout the story, but what was it like as performers and audience members to see that dynamic unfold onscreen given that you dont you dont directly cross paths? Its absolutely stunning; theres absolute magic in it.. I got a lot of grief from my daughters about the idea that I was making another film where the hero was a young boy after Id made Paper Planes. On the other hand, however, the English teacher may find themselves . Reading Blueback has made usmore aware of the environment around us. The blue groper at the heart of Blueback was created by Melbournes Creature Technology Company.Credit:Roadshow. I have some ideals, even if these days Photo: David Dare Parker, [Tim] is just a deeply humanist storyteller its very moving its fun and optimistic, but its also got deep elements about a life lived.. And I just knew something wasn't right.". Theres Abbys connection to her mother, and, in scenes from the past, the blue groper. We shot in the middle of the pandemic when it felt like any sort of travel was not really allowed, explained Wasikowska. Winton at this address are forwarded to him by his publisher. An ecological novel on a boy who protects a fish from property developers and rapacious fishermen. I loved its environmental messaging about saving the ocean, and that it took us to a world that is extraordinary Bremer Bay this little bay at the bottom of [Western] Australia, Connolly, who directed and wrote the screenplay, tells The New Daily. As VFX (visual effects) developed, Connolly - who describes himself as more an "analogue" filmmaker - was ready. BLUEBACK A CONTEMPORARY FABLE by Tim Winton RELEASE DATE: March 1, 1998 The prolific Winton (The Riders, 1995; etc.) . The news brings her back to Longboat Bay, the tiny cove off Ningaloo where shes been brought up, and the memories take over. Winton spent so many years trying to find a way to finish the story, that some of his children had never seen him working on a different book. Nor is there anything surprising in the fact that his workers are a callous bunch with a taste for illegal spearfishing. I felt surrounded by nature. have an age, a heartbeat, you're just in this squeezed-down narrow focus which Mia Waskikowska: Yeah, this was my only pandemic film, actually. Its her love, her cause and her reason for being. 4.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining read with solid message. Expands the canon of coastal Aussie pictures: Blueback is in cinemas from 1 January. Catch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia's culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips. This is the most time weve spent on camera together, right now! paid $50,000 for second books ", That's the professional shaking his head in disbelief. Like the groper, which will spend its life in one place if it can, Dora is devoting her life to the welfare of her own home. Blueback Tim Winton 3.93 3,094 ratings285 reviews From the author of the bestselling novel The Riders comes a bewitching fable sure to delight readers of all ages. 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