There are those who have made their mark on Australian history by blundering up on to beaches on the basis of bad advice; others have secured their place in legend by wandering around hopelessly lost in the desert.
An Indonesian fishing boat abandons a group of Iraqi and Cambodian men on a remote part of the Western Australian coast. Told there is a bus over the dunes, the men are abandoned to a desert the size of Poland. While most are quickly rounded up, three men with little in common but their history of misfortune, elude capture and begin an epic but confused journey. They are searching for sanctuary, family, a way home or the myriad of other things that have always drawn people to such an unlikely place as Australia.
Pursued by an army reservist unit more concerned with having a kick of the footy than with preserving the integrity of our borders, our three protagonists wander deeper into the desert, searching desperately among the harsh beauty of the Pilbara for a compassionate western democracy. Or at least a bus to Perth.
Based on several true stories, Lucky Miles is the feature debut from Adelaide-born Michael James Rowland, who has been a filmmaker to watch since his Russian space film, Flying Over Mother.
Festivals: Opening Night film – Adelaide FF 2007; Sydney FF 2007; Karlovy Vary FF 07 (In Competition); Jerusalem FF 2007 (Israel); Saint-Tropez Antipodes FF; Pacific Meridian FF 07; Middle East FF 07 (Vladivostok); London Australian FF 08; Rosemount Festival of Australia Film (Dublin, Ireland): Opening Film (2008); AICE Australian Film Festival (2008) (Israel); Alès Film Festival (2008); Amazonas Film Festival (Brazil) (2007); Chicago International Film Festival (2007); Hawaii International Film Festival (2008); Istanbul International Film Festival (2008); Mons International Love Film Festival (Belgium) (2008); Philadelphia International Film Festival (2008); Pusan International Film Festival (2007); Taipei International Film Festival (2008); Tiburon International Film Festival (California, USA) (2008); Tokyo International Film Festival (2007);AFI Fest (LA, USA) (2007)
Awards:
- Winner: Audience Award – Sydney FF 2007
- Winner: Special Jury Prize- Karlovy Vary FF 07
- Winner: Black Pearl Jury Prize –Middle East FF
- Winner: Best Script- Pacific Meridian FF (Vladivostok)
- Winner: Best Film -Saint-Tropez Antipodes FF
- Co-winner: Best Film – 3rd Asian Festival of 1st Films 07 (Singapore)
- Winner: Best Producers – 3rd Asian Festival of 1st Films 07
- Winner: Middle East International Film Festival – Best New Director Award (2007)
- Nominated: Best Film – If Awards
- Nominated: Best Cinematography – If Awards
- Nominated: Best Screenplay – If Awards
- Nominated Best Editing – If Awards
- Nominated: Best Production Design – If Awards
- Nominated: Best Film – AFI Awards
- Nominated: Best Screenplay – AFI Awards
- Nominated: Best Screenplay – Asia Pacific Screen Awards