Australian Rules (film)

Australian Rules
Australian Rules film poster
Directed by	Paul Goldman
Produced by	Mark Lazarus
Written by	Screenplay: Phillip Gwynne Paul Goldman Novel: Phillip Gwynne
Starring	Nathan Phillips Luke Carroll Lisa Flanagan Kevin Harrington
Music by	Mick Harvey
Cinematography	Mandy Walker
Edited by	Stephen Evans
Production company	Beyond Productions
Distributed by	Beyond Distribution
Release dates	5 March 2002 (2002-03-05) (Adelaide Festival of Arts)
Running time	95 minutes
Country	Australia
Language	English
Box office	$567,333

Australian Rules, is a 2002 Australian film directed by Paul Goldman. The film was adapted from the novels Deadly, Unna? and Nukkin Ya^[1] by Phillip Gwynne. It stars Nathan Phillips, Luke Carroll, Tom Budge, Brian Torry and Lisa Flanagan. The film was launched at the Adelaide Festival of Arts on 5 March 2002, and nationwide on 29 August 2002.^[2]

Plot

The film is about a young man experiencing the hardships of growing up in rural South Australia. In particular, it deals with the issue of racial relationships through the central characters, their involvement in local Australian rules football, and aboriginal players.

In an isolated South Australian fishing town, the only thing that connects the black and white communities is football. Gary Black (Nathan Phillips) and Dumby Red (Luke Carroll) are an exception; teenage best friends from different sides of the tracks. Dumby is the star of the football team and likely to become the next big Aboriginal star in the big leagues. Gary is the bookish son of hard-drinking and brutal white fisherman Bob Black (Simon Westaway). He is attracted to Dumby's beautiful sister, Clarence (Lisa Flanagan). When their team wins the premiership, Dumby's elation is short-lived. He is passed over for the best-on-ground prize. Disgruntled, Dumby and his cousin attempt to rob the bar where the celebrations were held, hoping to find the best-on-ground prize. After breaking into the bar, they meet the drunk owner, beat him into unconsciousness and proceed to the safe with the key found in his pocket. Bob, waking to find the owner unconscious with head wound, heads to the office and loads a double-barrelled shotgun. Bob sneaks up behind Dumby and fires two bullets into the figure in the darkness. Bob discovers he has killed Dumby and reloads the shotgun before Dumby's cousin, who's been hiding behind the door, jumps him and points the gun at his neck. Dumby's cousin reveals himself by removing his makeshift balaclava. He doesn't shoot Bob but fires two rounds into the ceiling and runs away into the darkness.

Cast

• Nathan Phillips as Gary "Blacky" Black
• Simon Westaway as Bob Black
• Celia Ireland as Liz Black
• Nick Readman as Team-man
• Catherine Hughes as Sharon
• Hannah-Claire Koblar as Jenny
• Harrison Gilbertson as Greggy
• Kelton Pell as Tommy Red
• Luke Carroll as Dumby Red
• Franchesca Cubillo as Dumby's Mother
• Lisa Flanagan as Clarence
• Tom Budge as Pickles
• Paul Eadon as Thumper
• James Alberts as Carol Cockatoo
• Eileen Darley as Shirl
• Kevin Harrington as Mr. Robertson "Arks"
• Reece Horner as Mark Arks
• Martin Vaughan as Darcy
• Tony Briggs as Pretty
• Brian Torry as Glenn Bright
• Max Fairchild as Big Mac
• Adam Morgan as Field Umpire
• Gabby Gwynne as Scoreboard boy

Awards and nominations

Box office

Australian Rules grossed $2.50m at the box office in Australia breaking new records,^[3]

References

External links

• Official website
• Australian Rules at the Internet Movie Database
• Australian Rules at the National Film and Sound Archive