Reviews

In The Company of Actors is an observational documentary focusing on the Australian cast and crew of Hedda Gabler as it prepares for its New York debut.

Stylistically, In The Company of Actors offers nothing new or exciting to the world of documentary. To the casual viewer, it could be any program broadcast on the ABC's Sunday Arts Show. However, what it does offer the viewer is a wonderful insight into the world of stagecraft and it's actors. This is mainly due to its two central figures, Cate Blanchett and Hugo Weaving. It is their international status that draws the attention of the viewer. It is because of them that we are compelled to view this film and why we are drawn into the inner workings of the play. To many, Hedda Gabler is just a play. In The Company of Actors gives it a more rounded life. It makes the viewer see it as a living and breathing entity. We are drawn into what makes the play come alive on stage.

For those aspiring to be actors, this documentary provides the perfect platform to view what goes on backstage. It allows you to see how the play ticks by letting us into its inner workings. For those that think that acting is an easy and laid back job, this will make you think again. The work and dedication put into this play by cast and crew is staggering. It makes us see the actors in a different light and makes us respect their job even more.

By opening the stage door to us, Ian Darling has invited the viewer into a world we rarely see. One where we "enter as individuals and leave as an audience," united in the world of stagecraft.

Corroboree, Ben Hackworth's first feature length movie, is a visually stunning film about self-discovery and a journey into the magical mind of artistry. Similar in atmosphere to "Picnic at Hanging Rock", Corroboree follows the main protagonist, Connor, as he journeys through a house of mystery and intrigue, reliving the life of a dying film director.

However stunning the setting or the atmosphere of the film, it doesn't make up for the lack of credible acting, scriptwriting or composition. There is no doubting that this film looks beautiful. Katie Milwright, the cinematographer, has photographed the film with grace and beauty. However, Ben's choice of shots and framing do not make full use of her talents. We are unable to relate to the characters, or see their emotional struggles, as Ben chooses not to show us close-ups. The camera seems to be locked into one position every scene and we are unable, as an audience, to intricately follow Connor's mysterious journey. We feel detached, as if we are intruders that shouldn't be there.

This film had so much more to offer than what it did. As a film student, I could see what Ben Hackworth was trying to convey, it is just a shame that he couldn't pull it off. Australian cinema has so much potential to offer the world. We are right up there among the rest when it comes to cinematography and aesthetic. However, Corroboree is a fine of example of what we lack. Until we can find our own unique voice and convey that in script and storytelling format, Australia will always be a small blip on the international film radar.

There is no plot. There are no central characters. There are no moving cameras or close-ups. In fact, this film does not follow any of the conventional storytelling techniques used by mainstream film. However, Roy Andersson's Du Levande is a remarkable piece of cinematic storytelling. It is a touching look at the human psyche.

Comprised of a series of vignettes, Roy Andersson gives us an intimate insight into what makes us all human. In perfectly framed static shots, added with the perfectly in tune, yet quirky, music, Roy introduces us to a host of characters as they undertake their daily existence. Some bordering on tragic, others hilarious, we are taken on a Nordic journey like no other.

It is a journey into the little things that make us human. Instead of over-the-top storytelling or visual techniques, everything is stripped down to the bare minimum so that our sole focus is on the characters themselves. It focuses on the insignificant points of our lives that make us who we are; our dreams, our desperation. It's through this simple observation of others that we can accept who we are as individuals.

The washed out colours and deathly-pale makeup of the characters only seems to emphasize their individual stories and remind us that unlike them, we are all alive. There is no happy ending or light at the end of the tunnel in this film, yet you walk out of the cinema with a sense of life. Much more accessible than his earlier film, Songs from the Second Floor, Du Levande, is a truly inspiring piece of cinema.