More than 25 years after it was published, Tim Wintons bestselling novella about a mum and childs fight to save a wild blue groper and the reef where it lives has been adapted into a family film starring Eric Bana and Mia Wasikowska. 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. Blueback PG. 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.. But in some ways, only just. Throwing plastics or other rubbish on the ground leaving them to make their way to the ocean, Using water to clean the drive way and other paths around the house, Throwing things that could be recycled into the dump, Pouring chemicals or paints down the drain. It was interesting changing the gender, Connolly says. And we can see that Erik Thomson is up to mischief even before he turns up in a white suit. And the messaging is very subtle, very organic. The underwater scenes perfectly capture the gliding rhythms of the sea world at its most serene. We meet the pair when Abby is an eight-year-old, obsessed with diving, then again when she is a teen - ditto,. He has written novels, children's books, non-fiction books, and short stories. It reaches a length of up to 1.7 meters and can weigh 40 kilograms. She asks him isn't he sick of never having money . And I just knew something wasn't right.". where so much revolved around the sea - in a way, it was a gift and I owe it [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 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. give only this print interview. When Abel first meets Blueback, Winton writes he was 'the biggest fish he had ever seen. promote-and-negotiate overseas tour - but he remains at best a diffident When I look back and see how hard I worked when I TIM WINTON Abel Jackson loves to dive. Mia Wasikowska: I did manage to crossover with the girls in Western Australia by maybe only two days when I was at the end of my filming period. "And I'm happy with that. Thank you to Penguin Books Australia. The joins feel fluid, sometimes seamless. "We come from water," the mother whispers to her son. Since his first novel, An Open Swimmer, won the Australian Vogel Award in 1981, he has won the Miles Franklin Award four times (for Shallows, Cloudstreet, Dirt Music and Breath) and twice been shortlisted for the Booker Prize (for The Riders and Dirt Music). It could emerge as one of the more embraceable for-the-entire-family films to drop this season. Blueback premieres in cinemas on January 1, 2023. doesn't involve sacrifice. Catch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia's culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips. Eric Bana: Theres definitely room for both, but I do agree what Robert said there, because I think theres so many serious issues that we are constantly being confronted with, and having to absorb, and feel like we have to take action on that it can be overwhelming. Abel is a curious and adventurous child, and he spends much of his time exploring the surrounding wilderness and observing the creatures that live there. Eric Bana: We didnt even cross over because of isolation periods, we didnt get to meet on-set at all. Its a family-friendly, broadly appealing film that expands the canon of coastal Aussie pictures involving interspecies mateship the original and remade Storm Boy, featuring Mr Percival the pelican, and Oddball, featuring a very photogenic Maremma sheepdog that saves a colony of penguins in Victoria. ", Blueback is subtitled "a fable for all ages", a marketing "Everyone on television was from the east. Really excited about it. Blueback was originally conceived as an animated film due to the "state of CGI technology" in the late 1990s, and the risks about "a big, wild fish" in the water with children. This story was first published on The New Daily. And then I suddenly put two and two together and realized that it was this is Tim Winton project. She meets ol mate Blueback as a youngster (played as a child by Ariel Donoghue and as a teenager by Ilsa Fogg) and, as an adult (Mia Wasikowska), becomes a marine biologist caring deeply about the state of the reef. then it's our source, our ancestral life and we are obliged to nourish it.". He did two weeks [in] quarantine to play a supporting role. a pragmatist than anything, but I believe these things in the face of pretty Blueback is an achingly beautiful story about family, belonging and living a life in tune with the environment, from Tim Winton, one of Australia's best-loved authors.. Abel Jackson lives with his mother, Dora, at Longboat Bay, an isolated stretch of coast whose waters teem with fish. I mean, its a bigger topic that hopefully inspires people, especially the younger generations to sort of be a bit more conscious and use their energies in a positive way for the for the whole environment. I have some ideals, even if these days Talk of sacrifice and faith seem curiously old-fashioned, an idealist's journalism, Blueback: There's magic in this film, especially in the relationship between a little girl and the big, wild fish she befriends. If you live your life with your gaze vigorously averted, A powerful story for generations opens our 2023 season of films under the stars. 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. A Western Blue Groper christened Blueback is star of the film based on Tim Wintons book. But just to meet them and get a sense of who they were. Since his first novel, An Open Swimmer, won the Australian Vogel Award in 1981, he has won the Miles Franklin Award four times (for Shallows, Cloudstreet, Dirt Music and Breath) and twice been shortlisted for the Booker Prize (for The Riders and Dirt Music). But as the story unfolds, a metaphor emerges. So its a piece of magic, its a little bit of old school filmmaking and puppetry and a lot of beautiful craft work thats gone into it. I was only there for two weeks, and maybe you were quite similar? Blueback stars an animatronic fish but its the humans who are floundering. Blueback is a 2022 Australian drama film directed by Robert Connolly, from a screenplay written by Connolly and Tim Winton, based on Winton's 1997 novel of the same name.The film centres on a young girl who befriends a wild blue groper while diving, and becomes a passionate activist for protecting the ecosystem of Australia's coral reefs from destruction. But I fear my grandchildren and Thats really important. from the sea and the land for so long, it's time for us to give something (including five prize-winning children's novels) have been critically and cataclysm to learn the value of sacrifice. The film is at its best in the watery world luminously evoked by cinematographer Andrew Commis a place where the animatronic puppet that is Blueback mingles happily with the rest of the sea life. And good he was. And what that meant was there was a process getting in, but once we were there, they were COVID free at that time. She's initially alarmed when the fish snatches an abalone from her hand. Incredible actors at the beginning of epic careers who learnt how to do their own free diving, learnt how to swim in the ocean, Connolly says of the newcomers. 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. Blueback / Tim Winton Children's novel published 1995. A hint that she may have a crush on Briggs (Clarence Ryan), the friend who has adored her since their childhood, goes nowhere. Uploaded by Carys Arnold. but in an innocent way, it's discussing these things - we have been taking is timeless. later. obligation of stewardship, which requires sacrifice.". The boy befriends the fish, a blue grouper while diving for abalone, his family's trade. McPhee, Hilary (editor) Tim Winton: A Celebration, National Library of Australia. Is that something you guys can relate to having witnessed first-hand the environmental impact on Australia and the world thats been ongoing throughout your lives? "And if we lose these places, we've lost everything.". On the other hand, however, the English teacher may find themselves . moral arms. "There's an uneasy encounter between art and commerce which I don't know Winton at this address are forwarded to him by his publisher. 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. The film is heavily anchored in messaging about conservation, the environment and saving our planet in the best way we know how. There are no doubts, insecurities or moral weaknesses to be found here. GREG ARCHER is a pop culture junkie. 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. he helps his mother each day and loves to dive. Bana and Wasikowska hadnt seen a Blue Groper prior to filming, in fact. The latest film from The Dry director Robert Connolly, starring Mia Wasikowska . cloying. At 21 he won the Vogel's Literary Award for his first book, An Open Swimmer. "This is one of the world's last great wild places," Winton says. Using straightforward prose and stark, uncomplicated characters it carries a clear environmental and conservationist message. Remove Ads Cast Crew Details Genres Cast Mon 21 - Sun 27 Nov at Lotterywest Films, from $17 - $20. "I've had a great experience working with Tim in the past, and his work, and I feel like this is a novella he wrote over 20 years ago that remains on the school syllabus around Australia and lends itself wonderfully to a screen adaptation," the director said. Abel Jackson's forebears were whalers, his father a pearl- diver whose life was ended by a shark. It won and Winton has never looked back, Copyright (c) Murray Waldren 1997 Toggle navigation Pocetna Filmovi Filmovi Akcija Avantura Animacija Biografija Komedija Krimi Dokumentarni Drama 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. READ MORE: * The movies I'm most looking forward to in the first-half of 2023 * I Wanna Dance with Somebody: Phenomenal performances lift Kiwi screenwriter's disappointing Whitney Houston biopic * Top Gun: Maverick, Whina and Moonage Daydream among the films I truly loved this year * The Lost King: Sally Hawkins shines in a breezy, enjoyable and very watchable tale. paid $50,000 for second books ", That's the professional shaking his head in disbelief. Nevertheless, Blueback may disconcert some. "I'm in the business of useless beauty," he says. . "The Perth that my grandparents knew, and that my parents knew, was a foreign place to me, and my children never saw it. People are So yeah, I wasnt as familiar, but I knew Rob had been developing it for quite some time. Blueback (PG, 102 mins) Directed by Robert Connolly ****. Mia Wasikowska: Yeah, absolutely. Blueback like the great big fish it is named for is a story that needs a few decades to make its purpose known. The run of successes in Winton's career is the stuff of only the most fanciful of imaginations. . Blueback, a heartbreaking allegory about a boy, his mother and a blue groper, was written "inside a business week," Winton says. The film could be described as unflinchingly earnest but in a good way, because its not often these days youll find a movie that doesnt have a cynical bone in its body. Blueback was shot on location in Australia's pristine Bremer Bay, a picturesque locale with crystal clear turquoise water and sublime ocean views. Local arts needs local journalism. Actually, we already know thats not going to happen. I think I think Rob has done a beautiful job of capturing a natural environment and emotional environment where you realize that yeah, we do as humans get more out of nature than nature gets out of us, when it is a wonderful place to be. 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Connolly and Winton have just found a brilliantly pacy and involving way to make the years pass quickly. They're really unflappable. I think that they teach it in a lot of school curriculums at the moment, actually. Blueback is now screening in cinemas nationwide. Add to Goodreads. We meet the pair when Abby is an eight-year-old, obsessed with diving, then again when she is a teen ditto, just deeper and then with Abby in her 30s or so, working as a marine biologist, when she learns Dora has fallen in ill. And they are the most Winton is philosophic about that: "I guess it is Mia Wasikowska plays a marine biologist in the latest Australian film about interspecies mateship, which is broadly appealing if a little on the nose. Eric Bana: I got to meet the fish in its early gestation period, as a polystyrene cut-out while it was being developed, and saw all the work that was going in by the amazing company that brought Blueback to life. full-time writer since 1982, he has remained trenchantly suspicious of the So it was it was a bit of a mission to get there. 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. World War I and the Depression, but I don't believe we need some hideous Editon Published June 25th 2014. ", "I don't think art needs an excuse to exist. South-East Asian section of the Commonwealth Writers Prize. Were thrilled with how the films looking, and looking forward to sharing that with Australian audiences and the rest of the world. But the plots essential shape has been maintained by writer-director Robert Connolly (The Dry), whos worked with Winton before. 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. One day he meets Blueback, the biggest and most beautiful fish he's . I wanted to work with the real, natural world. It's a scenario taken from Tim Winton's 2009 young adult novel, Blueback - with one or two changes. Tim Winton has published twenty-nine books for adults and children, and his work has been translated into twenty-eight languages. His boks have been published around the world. Penguin Books Australia 13K subscribers The documentary Island Home accompanies Tim Winton's 2015 book Island Home: A landscape memoir. paperback. Blueback is a Young Adult novel by Tim Winton, published in 1997. Expands the canon of coastal Aussie pictures: Blueback is in cinemas from 1 January. "I had enormous pleasure writing Also, its a role that subsumes itself to the women who drive the story, which I think is also another fantastic quality that he has as an actor.. I wanted to make the film in an analogue way. I also feel the universality of it is beyond gender. im Winton was born on the 4th August 1960 in Western Australia is a famous Australian Author. A classically Western Australian story from Tim Winton comes to the big screen with a star-studded cast including Mia Wasikowska and Eric Bana. 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. Blueback sa prevodom| 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. So were really excited. And Dora is no more convincing. Were working to restore it. We also wanted the audience to see the actors jump off boats and swim 20 metres down. , Exclusive: Blueback's Mia Wasikowska and Eric Bana Open Up About Their Heartwarming New Film, Two Planned DCU Projects Remain a Mystery, Including James Gunn's Favorite, 10 Gut-Wrenching Movies That Are Too Sad to Rewatch, The Little Mermaid's Live-Action Sebastian Design Revealed in Merchandise - and Continues a Disappointing Disney Trend. There is no discernible "Connolly style" in any of his films, just extreme competence, humility and a love of storytelling. Get InReview in your inbox - free . up; talk about sacred links and the New Age is just so much baloney if it Other visual effects came from Soundfirm (Peter Rabbit, Paper Plane) and Surreal World. 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. slight. 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