"Answered by Fire" (2006) TV mini-series

Director:

Jessica Hobbs

Writers:

Barbara Samuels (written by)
Katherine Thomson (written by)

Release Date:

28 May 2006 (Australia)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

An action packed mini series set against the tumultuous lead up to the 1999 referendum in East Timor and its horrifying aftermath...

Plot Keywords:

TV Mini-Series

Awards:

5 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Daniela Carvalho	...	Singing Girl
Alex Tilman	...	Ismenio Soares
Fatima Almeida	...	Madalena Soares
Damien Garvey	...	Ron Nestovic
Felisberto Araujo	...	João Soares
José da Costa	...	Sico Soares
David Wenham	...	Mark Waldman
Ron White	...	Bill
Toni Scanlan	...	Robyn
Linda Cropper	...	Liz Savage
Tara Morice	...	Helen Waldman
Ines Araujo	...	Maria Siga
Angelo Lemos	...	José Sarmento
Francisco de Carvalho	...	Joaquim
Afonso Corte Real	...	Father Faria

Country:

Canada | Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:M

Filming Locations:

East Timor

Company:

Beyond Simpson le Mesurier

Trivia:

The Queensland sets and locations were so realistic that a lot of the East Timorese actors and community involved with Answered by Fire believed they were actually in East Timor.

Stark, gut-wrenching, honest, humane - and BRILLIANT

I've only seen Answered By Fire once. I need to see it again before I can hope to view it critically and dispassionately, and my perceptions of it right now are severely influenced by the knowledge that as I write there are tens of thousands of people crowding refugee camps around Dili in what threatens to be some sort of repeat of the appalling events this production portrays a small glimpse of.

What impressed me were the realism of it, the humanity and inhumanity within us all, and I am frankly surprised that the political thought police allowed some of what is said, and much of what is implied, to get out onto Australian national television.

The acting - by the professionals and the recruited Timorese from the community now in Australia alike - was totally believable and transparent. The sets, in Queensland, are well done (I understand the Timorese in the cast sometimes found it hard to believe they weren't back home). The violence of the situation is communicated without being in-your-face or graphic. There's just enough "human-interest" to prevent it being a political essay or docu-drama, but not so much that it risks becoming mawkish.

My only regret, entirely selfish, but the reason I awarded it 'only' 9 out of a possible 10 stars, is that its length (and presumably available budget) prevented some of the themes touched on / alluded to being explored in greater depth: I wanted more!

I was genuinely affected by this production. If there is any way you can arrange to see Answered By Fire, do so.