peeker
TracyTHE HOME SONG STORIES AN OSCAR CONTENDER
October 27th 2007 15:38
It was expected that the main contenders for the upcoming Academy Awards were likely to be either Cate Blanchett, Russell Crowe, Nicole Kidman or a cinematographer.
Not so, it is looking like it will be Australian director Tony Ayres' film, The Home Song Stories. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences named it today as an entrant in the best foreign language film category for the February 24th 2008 Oscars.
In my opinion this seems like a good choice, which is not to say that there aren't many other talented actors or cinematographers out there.
The Home Song Stories is a true story, one heavily burdened with pain and human wandering for a life better than the one the characters were living. Filmmaker, Tony Ayres, bravely delved deep into his past to create The Home Song Stories. As I knew this fact, the story was somewhat more personal and affecting, knowing this was actually someone’s life and not just a story. The film continues to be narrated from young Tom’s point of view and seen through his perspective. The young son’s acting was superb, as they all were but he stood out, probably because of his young age.
The film is cleverly shot in Australia, in Mandarin, Cantonese and English. It is a finely chiseled story of Rose, a glamorous yet unstable woman, who struggles to survive in seventies Australia with two young children. She does what she needs to do to continue to exist. Sometimes that survival barely happens.
This is a film that shows the non-black and whiteness of people in our lives. I felt a surge of various emotions towards the Rose, empathy, anger, frustration, sympathy. To me that show that a film is working if a viewer is affected by the story and having a reaction. It shows how personal difficulties that can be passed down the family line impacting others around.
It deals with mental instability, family relationships and suffering. It is painful tale of passion, displacement shown with an extraordinary honesty about it, an often confronting honesty. Its striking honesty made me hard for me to watch at times, but nonetheless the tale was well-told and deeply affecting.
This is a harrowing story, one with much pain. It was difficult to watch all the characters bounce from one raw situation to the next in the hope that life will get better. There were no scenes of physical hurt, but the emotion agony was strong, at times uncomfortably hard to endure.
The resolution of the film was apt, it wasn’t a tidy Hollywood ending, and it was believable and tenderly illustrated.
The film has already created an interest at film festivals around the world and in Australia, where it recently collected nine nominations for Inside Film Awards, including best feature film, best director, and best actor for Joel Lok and Chen for best actress.
Click here for all Foreign Film submissions for Oscars 2008.
| 57 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
Subscribe to this blog
Comment by peeker
Film Peek
Gizmo Peek
Film Peek Forum
Thanks for the preview of this movie. Looks quite alright.
It's a tough competition, we'll see what foreign films will ultimately get the nomination from all 63 submissions...
Cheers,
peeker
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
It makes up for when I barrack for whoever is playing against Leyton Hewitt.
Michaelie
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Good to see you. I think there are many other great contenders for Oscars but seeing as this one is ear-marked and I've seen the film, I thought I would comment.
Like you said, it is a tough competition, we'll just have to wait and see what happens,
Thanks for your comments,
Tracy
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I always think it's great when there are a range of varying styles of films/actors in the competition instead of just the obvious ones.
Thanks for the morning laugh:
It makes up for when I barrack for whoever is playing against Leyton Hewitt.
Tracy
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
This is definitely a film worth seeing,
Tracy