The shadow of the Snowtown murders still looms large, raising questions about the violence that can explode out of forgotten communities in Australian society. 16-year-old Jamie is a kid from Adelaide’s northern suburbs who desperately needs a father figure. What he gets instead is John Bunting, a charismatic figure who condenses all the hatred and grievance in our culture and then unleashes it in a cold fury. Justin Kurzel’s debut feature marks the arrival of a major filmmaking talent. He has made a film as starkly confronting as it is beautifully controlled, with consistently fine performances from a local cast of mainly first-time actors. In the style of The Boys or Samson & Delilah, it is a film of silences that cut deep; it evokes the Dardenne brothers through its ability to lay the brutality of life before us with immense yet simple power. Snowtown will resonate with you long after you leave the cinema.
Festivals: Cannes – Critics Week Special Mention by Jury; Toronto; Helsinki; San Sebastian; Fantastic Fest, USA; Festival Cinema de Valenciennes, France; Busan, Korea; Rio de Janeiro; Chicago; Istanbul (Autumn Screenings); Hawaii; London; International Cinematographers’ Film Festival, Manaki Brothers, Macedonia; Philadelphia; Australian Film Festival, Singapore; Horrorthon, Irish Film Institute, Dublin; AFI Film Festival, Los Angeles;Taipei Golden Horse; Leeds; Stockholm;Tallinn Black Nights, Estonia; Plus Camerimage, Poland; Marrakech; Thessaloniki, Greece; Hong Kong 2012
Awards:
Winner:
- Adelaide Film Festival Audience Award
- Special Jury Mention: Critics Week Cannes Jury Prize
- Marrakech FF: Best Actor – Daniel Henshall
- Marrakech FF: Special Jury Award
- AWGIE Winner Feature Script (Adapted) – Shaun Grant
- IF Award for Best Editing – Veronika Jenet
- Gold Hugo, After Dark Competition: Chicago FF
- Feature Film Score of the Year Award 2011 Screen Music Awards – Jed Kurzel
- AACTA Award for Best DIRECTION – Justin Kurzel
- AACTA Award for Best Adapted SCREENPLAY – Shaun Grant
- AACTA Award for Best LEAD ACTOR – Daniel Henshall
- AACTA Award for Best Supporting ACTRESS – Louise Harris
- AACTA Awards for Best Editing – Veronika Jenet
- AACTA Awards for Best Sound – Frank Lipson, Andrew McGrath, MichaelCarden, John Simpson and Erin McKimm
Australian Film Critics Association Awards:
- Best Australian Film
- Best Actor – Daniel Henshall
- Best Director
- Best Screenplay – Shaun Grant
Nominations:
- Best Film Script Screen QLD Award, QLD Premier’s Literary
- IF Award nominations: Direction – Justin Kurzel
- Editing – Veronika Jenet
- Sound: Frank Lipson, Andrew McGrath, Michael Carden, John Simpson, Erin McKimm, Des Kenneally
- Cinematography – Adam Arkapaw
- Production Design – Fiona Crombie
AACTA Award Nominations:
- Best Film – Sarah Shaw, Anna McLeish
- Best Direction – Justin Kurzel
- Best Adapted Screenplay – Shaun Grant
- Best Actor – Daniel Henshall
- Best Supporting Actress – Louise Harris
- Best Cinematography – Adam Arkapaw
- Best Editing – Veronika Jenet
- Best Original Music – Jed Kurzel
- Best Sound – Frank Lipson, Andrew McGrath, Michael Carden, John Simpson, Erin McKimm Member’s Choice Award
Australian Film Critics Association Awards Nominations:
- Best Australian Film
- Best Actor – Daniel Henshall
- Best Actress – Louise Harris
- Best Director – Justin Kurzel
- Best Screenplay – Shaun Grant
- British Film Institute Awards: Sutherland Trophy – Justin Kurzel