Damage
dir. Madeleine Blackwell (tv actor and sister of the late Paul Blackwell, beloved theatre actor)
Out from her aged-care home on a mission, Esther enlists the aid of a cab driver, Ali. He has a history of escape from the Middle East which haunts him as he tries to overcome the frustration of a fare who doesn't have an address to guide him. They are on the road together at night. She can't remember, and he can't forget.
These are wonderful characters, brilliantly evoked by the two low-key stars (Imelda Bourke & Ali Al Jenabi) to tell a sad, fascinating and lovely story. A good mood is created in this tender and original film exploring themes of aging, connection, seeking asylum and freedom.
Damage is a deeply humane, geriatric road movie and buddy flick with a cascade of arresting images from in and around Adelaide. The opening scene of a submerged jetty is very arresting and is actually from nearby Port Parham. For we locals, it is very 'Adelaide' (location of many fine films; Look Both Ways, Snowtown, Travelling Light, A Month of Sundays, Return Home, Wrong Side of the Road etc) but as never seen before, thanks to cinematographer Hugh Freytag.
But Damage also features harsh surveillance-quality footage from the WikiLeaks released Collateral Murder, a classified US military video depicting the indiscriminate slaying of over a dozen people including two Reuters news staff in Iraq in 2007.
The deliberate pace stylishly tells a wise story.
Out from her aged-care home on a mission, Esther enlists the aid of a cab driver, Ali. He has a history of escape from the Middle East which haunts him as he tries to overcome the frustration of a fare who doesn't have an address to guide him. They are on the road together at night. She can't remember, and he can't forget.
These are wonderful characters, brilliantly evoked by the two low-key stars (Imelda Bourke & Ali Al Jenabi) to tell a sad, fascinating and lovely story. A good mood is created in this tender and original film exploring themes of aging, connection, seeking asylum and freedom.
Damage is a deeply humane, geriatric road movie and buddy flick with a cascade of arresting images from in and around Adelaide. The opening scene of a submerged jetty is very arresting and is actually from nearby Port Parham. For we locals, it is very 'Adelaide' (location of many fine films; Look Both Ways, Snowtown, Travelling Light, A Month of Sundays, Return Home, Wrong Side of the Road etc) but as never seen before, thanks to cinematographer Hugh Freytag.
But Damage also features harsh surveillance-quality footage from the WikiLeaks released Collateral Murder, a classified US military video depicting the indiscriminate slaying of over a dozen people including two Reuters news staff in Iraq in 2007.
The deliberate pace stylishly tells a wise story.