Australian film wins in Cannes
May 25th 2009 06:14
We're not always dreaming of Hollywood - often the most original, moving and innovative films are made right in our own backyard. Samson and Delilah is the story of troubled young love set against the desert backdrop of Alice Springs, and it's just won the prize for the best first feature at this year's Cannes Film Festival.
Samson and Delilah was up against 25 other films from around the world for the coveted Camera d'Or prize, and was a popular win both among the festival's press and the Camera d'Or's jury.
"We watched many marvellous movies and I kept waiting for something to chase it away, but nothing did," said the chairman of the Camera d'Or jury, French-Moroccan actor Roschdy Zem. He went on to praise the efforts of the unknown actors Rowan McNamara and Marissa Gibson, who were both 14 at the time of filming, for their depiction of "a great love story, almost without words".
Aboriginal director Warwick Thornton used his own experiences as a child in Alice Springs not only as for inspiration in the film's creation, but also as a way of reconciling with his troubled past. "I grew up on the streets of Alice Springs, getting into trouble with the police. I needed direction and somehow I found cinema, or cinema found that direction for me. It saved my life," he said. "The original story [for Samson and Delilah] came out of anger at the neglect of our children, not only by the government and wider society, but even by parents. So it came from a dark place. I had to think about it for a year in order to present something that wasn't angry, where people could just go on a journey with these children."
The prize marks the beginning of what looks to be a promising career for Thornton, and is in keeping with the strong tradition of Australian films finding success on the world stage. "Thank you for believing in our first-born baby," Thornton said as he accepted the award. "I don't know what to say. Viva Cannes, viva le cinema."
Samson and Delilah was up against 25 other films from around the world for the coveted Camera d'Or prize, and was a popular win both among the festival's press and the Camera d'Or's jury.
"We watched many marvellous movies and I kept waiting for something to chase it away, but nothing did," said the chairman of the Camera d'Or jury, French-Moroccan actor Roschdy Zem. He went on to praise the efforts of the unknown actors Rowan McNamara and Marissa Gibson, who were both 14 at the time of filming, for their depiction of "a great love story, almost without words".
Aboriginal director Warwick Thornton used his own experiences as a child in Alice Springs not only as for inspiration in the film's creation, but also as a way of reconciling with his troubled past. "I grew up on the streets of Alice Springs, getting into trouble with the police. I needed direction and somehow I found cinema, or cinema found that direction for me. It saved my life," he said. "The original story [for Samson and Delilah] came out of anger at the neglect of our children, not only by the government and wider society, but even by parents. So it came from a dark place. I had to think about it for a year in order to present something that wasn't angry, where people could just go on a journey with these children."
Warwick Thornton with the Camera d'Or prize for 2009
The prize marks the beginning of what looks to be a promising career for Thornton, and is in keeping with the strong tradition of Australian films finding success on the world stage. "Thank you for believing in our first-born baby," Thornton said as he accepted the award. "I don't know what to say. Viva Cannes, viva le cinema."
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