Till Human Voices Wake Us (2002)

Director:

Michael Petroni

Writer:

Michael Petroni (writer)

Release Date:

12 September 2002 (Australia)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

There will be time to wonder "do I dare"

Plot:

A man returns to Victoria, Australia, where he grew up, and encounters a mysterious woman who reminds him of someone he once knew.

Plot Keywords:

Love | Friend | Poetry | Guilt | Amnesia

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Guy Pearce	...	Dr. Sam Franks
Helena Bonham Carter	...	Ruby
Frank Gallacher	...	Maurie Lewis
Lindley Joyner	...	Young Sam Franks
Brooke Harmon	...	Silvy Lewis
Peter Curtin	...	Dr. David Franks
Margot Knight	...	Dorothy Lewis
Anthony Martin	...	Russ
Dawn Klingberg	...	Mrs. Sarks
David Ravenswood	...	Lawyer
Stewart Faichney	...	Reverend Mortenbury
Diana Greentree	...	Mrs. Pickford
Ian Swan	...	Police Sergeant
Mark Perren Jones	...	Police Constable
Sally Plant	...	Student #1
Andrea Swifte	...	Patient #1
Fred Barker	...	Train Conductor
Reville Smith	...	Undertaker
Joanie Thomas	...	Lady on Train
Roger O'Conner	...	Man on Train
Amanda Douge	...	Katherine
Kathy Bedford	...	Nurse
Josephine Keen	...	Patient #2
Bassem Abousaid	...	Psychology Student

Directed by
Michael Petroni

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Michael Petroni		writer

Produced by
Thomas Augsberger	....	producer
Andrew Deane	....	executive producer
Matthias Emcke	....	producer
Beau Flynn	....	executive producer
Shana Levine	....	producer
Lucy McLaren	....	line producer
Dean Murphy	....	producer
Nigel Odell	....	producer
Justin Pearce	....	associate producer
Yoram Pelman	....	executive producer
David Redman	....	producer
Stefan Simchowitz	....	executive producer
Gareth Wiley	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Dale Cornelius
Amotz Plessner

Cinematography by
Roger Lanser

Film Editing by
Bill Murphy

Casting by
Stewart Faichney
Maura Fay

Production Design by
Ralph Moser

Art Direction by
Adele Flere

Costume Design by
Jeanie Cameron

Production Management
Lucy McLaren	....	production manager (as Lucy Maclaren)
Andy Pappas	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Todd Embling	....	third assistant director
Jason Faulkner	....	second assistant director
Karan Monkhouse	....	first assistant director

Sound Department
Perry Dwyer	....	boom operator
Scott Findlay	....	sound designer
Scott Findlay	....	sound effects editor
David Harrison	....	dialogue editor
Juliette Hill	....	foley recordist
Michael Slater	....	sound designer
Michael Slater	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jenny Sutcliffe	....	additional boom operator
John Wilkinson	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Aaron Beaucaire	....	special effects coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Richard Allardice	....	additional key grip
Darryn Fox	....	best boy
Trish Keating	....	focus puller
Brendan Madden	....	best boy
Con Mancuso	....	additional gaffer
Katie Milwright	....	clapper loader
Emma Moroney	....	clapper loader
Harry Panagiotidis	....	Steadicam operator
Ken Pettigrew	....	gaffer (as Kenny Pettigrew)
Peter Stott	....	Steadicam assistant
Travis Walker	....	additional grip

Editorial Department
Ian Letcher	....	color timer

Music Department
Adelaide Art Orchestra	....	orchestra
Drew DeAscentis	....	music editor
Robin Gray	....	music scoring engineer
Timothy A. Sexton	....	conductor
Larry Seymour	....	music copyist
Edgardo Simone	....	orchestrator
Richard Ziegler	....	music editor (uncredited)

Other crew
Sandi Austin	....	production secretary
Trevor Blainey	....	production accountant
Francisco Cortes	....	acquisitions & co-productions: Paramount Classics
Stewart Faichney	....	producer attachment
Tara Ferrier	....	continuity
Warwick Field	....	operator: remote head
Chris Goodall	....	stand-in: Guy Pearce
Andrew Mackie	....	unit publicist
Anna Molyneaux	....	production coordinator
Jenny Moroney	....	production accountant
Drew Rhodes	....	assistant location manager
Tim Scott	....	additional location assistant
Sophie Siomos	....	production accountant
Rebecca Slotegraaf	....	stand-in: Helena Bonham Carter
Dan Karcher	....	website producer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Instinct Entertainment
• Key Entertainment (sales agent)

Distributors

• Instinct Distribution (2007) (worldwide) (video)
• RCV Film Distribution (2003) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Globe Film Company
• Key Entertainment
• Madman Entertainment (2003) (Australia) (DVD)
• Paramount Classics (2003) (Latin America)
• Paramount Classics (2003) (Middle East)
• Paramount Classics (2003) (North America)
• Paramount Classics (2003) (South Africa)
• Paramount Classics (2003) (UK)
• Paramount Filmes do Brasil (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• RCV Film Distribution (Belgium)
• RCV Film Distribution (Luxembourg)
• RCV Home Entertainment (200?) (Netherlands) (video)
• The Globe Film Company (Australia)
• Tomorrow Film Corporation

Other Companies

• Australian Film Finance Corporation (AFFC)  funding
• Film Victoria  funding
• South Australian Film Corporation, The  sound post-production

MPAA:

Rated R for a scene of sexuality.

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Cinevex)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:M18 | Australia:M | Netherlands:MG6 | UK:12 | USA:R | Canada:PG (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Australia

Company:

Instinct Entertainment

Trivia:

The title is taken from the last line of 'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock' by T.S. Eliot: "Till human voices wake us and we drown".

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Sam's father has a plaque outside his surgery noting him as an 'M.D.'. In Australia, doctors receive the post-nominals 'M.B., B.S.' (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery). A doctor with a M.D. has received a much higher degree and is unlikely to be practising as a General Practitioner.

Quotes:

Silvy Lewis: If moths are attracted to the light, why don't they come out in the day?
Young Sam Franks: ...guess in the day, light comes to them.

A Beautiful, Beautiful Film

I am not one to write comments on films on many occasions but I recently saw this movie and it touched me so much that I felt compelled to comment on the film.

"Till Human Voices Wake Us" was beautiful in it's imagery and cinematography, music, acting and writing. It had so many themes which resonated with me on such a deep level. Themes such as look at how we deal with traumas in our life and how they impact on who we become as an adult. Themes about looking at the patterns of behaviour passed down from generation to generation and the huge difficulty in breaking those patterns. Perhaps most important to me was the message that you have to work through your past in a positive way so that you can be free to live your future.

The characters were so beautifully created and the subtlety of the performances was just so moving. It's amazing how a glance or a breath can convey so many words and feelings.

I thoroughly loved this film and its images, themes and lyrical beauty have come back to me again and again since seeing the film. Thank you to all involved for providing me with such a wonderful experience.