The Black Balloon (film)

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The Black Balloon

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Elissa Down
Produced by Tristram Miall
Toni Collette
Written by Elissa Down
Jimmy Jack
Starring Rhys Wakefield
Luke Ford
Toni Collette
Erik Thomson
Gemma Ward
Music by Michael Yezerski
Cinematography Denson Baker
Editing by Veronika Jenet
Studio Icon Entertainment International
Distributed by NeoClassics Films
Release date(s) 6 March 2008 (AUS)
5 December 2008 (USA)
Running time 97 min.
Country Australia
United Kingdom
Language English
Budget A$5 million
Box office $2,136,663[specify]

The Black Balloon is a 2008 Australian|British AFI award-winning dramedy feature film which stars Toni Collette, Rhys Wakefield, Luke Ford, Erik Thomson, Gemma Ward as well as a cast of newcomers. It is directed by first time feature film director, Elissa Down.[1]

The film was released in Australian cinemas on 6 March 2008. The world premiere was at the Berlin International Film Festival in Germany in February 2008, where the film received a Crystal Bear as the best feature-length film in the Generation 14plus category.[2]

Contents

[edit] Plot

When Thomas (Rhys Wakefield) and his family move to a new home in the early 1990s and he has to start at a new school, all he wants is to fit in.

When his pregnant mother (Toni Collette) needs to rest, he is put in charge of his autistic older brother Charlie (Luke Ford). Thomas, with the help of his new girlfriend Jackie (Gemma Ward) faces his biggest challenge yet. Charlie’s unusual antics take Thomas on an emotional journey that cause his pent-up frustrations about his brother to pour out, which in turn allows him to reconnect with Charlie in ways he never thought possible.

[edit] Cast

The Afloat! segment was cast from a group of teens and young adults whose lives are affected by autism and Asperger's Syndrome. Some of the Afloat! cast have high-functioning autism themselves, others were their siblings. This reflected the "two by two" nature of the Noah's Ark theme as well as continued the theme of siblings working together and loving one another. As you watch, you cannot tell who has autism and who does not.

[edit] Reception

The Black Balloon received positive reviews. The first weekend of release, The Black Balloon was number 10 on the Australian box office with an intake of $500,000. Rotten Tomatoes reported that, based on 19 reviews 95% of them were positive.[3]

[edit] Awards

The Black Balloon won, on 11 November 2008, the Best Children’s Feature Film in the 2008 Asia Pacific Screen Awards. The award was accepted by Producer Tristram Miall and Director/Writer/Co-Producer Elissa Down.[4][5][6]

Since then, The Black Balloon received numerous awards (and nominations) in Australia and at Film Festivals around the world:

  • Winner – Don Quijote Prize, Kristiansand International Children's Festival – Norway, 2008 [7]
  • Winner – Jury Grand Prix Prize (Bronze Gryphon), Arca Cinema Giovanni Award and Campania Regional Council Award, Giffoni Film Festival, Italy 2008[8]
  • Winner – Best Direction in a Feature Film – Australian Directors Guild (ADG) Awards, Australia 2008[9]
  • Winner – Best Original Screenplay – Australian Writers' Guild (AWGIE) Awards, 2008[10]
  • Winner – Movie of the Year and Star of the Year (Gemma Ward) – Australian International Movie Convention's box office achievement awards – Australia 2008[11]
  • Winner – RoC Gold Standard in Filmmaking – Hamptons International Film Festival, United States, 2008 [12]
  • Winner – Best Children's Feature – Asia Pacific Screen Awards, Australia 2008[13]
  • Winner – Audience Award St Tropez Cinema des Antipodes, France 2008[14]
  • Winner – Best Original Song ("When We Get There") and Best Soundtrack Album at Australian Screen Music Awards, Australia 2008[15][16]
  • Winner – Community Service Prize – ASPECT Art Awards, 2008
  • Winner – Best Script, Western Australia Premier's Book Awards, 2008[17][18]
  • Winner – Best Film, Best Direction, Best Script, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Editing at the AFIs 2008
  • Winner – Best Australian Film, Australian Film Critics Association awards, 2008
  • Nominated – 10 Inside Film (IF) Awards including Best Film, Best Director, Best Script, Best Actor, Best Actress, Australia 2008[19]
  • Nominated – 11 Australian Film Institute (AFI) Awards including Best Film, Best Director, Best Script, Best Lead Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Australia 2008 [20]
  • Nominated – Best Screenplay, New South Wales Premier's Awards, 2008[21]

[edit] Box office

The Black Balloon grossed $2,265,689 at the box office in Australia.[22]

[edit] Filming locations

  • Holsworthy Public School, NSW
  • Bardia Parade, Holsworthy, NSW
  • University of Western Sydney Hawkesbury campus Swimming Pool, NSW
  • Granville Performance Hall, NSW
  • Wattamolla Lagoon, NSW

[edit] Soundtrack

  1. "When We Get There" – Josh Pyke
  2. "Even" – Simon Day (Ratcat)
  3. "Heartbreak Hill" – Michael Yezerski
  4. "The Black Balloon Theme" – Michael Yezerski
  5. "Bath Time" / "Bullet Boy" – Michael Yezerski
  6. "In The Poo" / "The Bus" – Michael Yezerski
  7. "The Lolly" – Michael Yezerski
  8. "A New Game" / "Water Babies" – Michael Yezerski
  9. "Learning To Swim" – Michael Yezerski
  10. "The Kiss" – Michael Yezerski
  11. "The School Fight" – Michael Yezerski
  12. "Fall At Your Feet" – Glenn Richards (Augie March)
  13. "Aftermath" – Michael Yezerski
  14. "The Walk Home" – Michael Yezerski
  15. "The Greatest ACT In History" – David Campbell, Bert Labonte
  16. "Afloat! The Conga" – Claire McCarthy, Miriam Rihani, Afro Moses

"Fall at Your Feet" is a rendition of the Neil Finn (Crowded House) song. The soundtrack won 'Best Original Soundtrack' at the 2008 APRA-AGSC Screen Music Awards for Michael Yezerski,[23] with Josh Pyke winning 'Best Original Song' for "When We Get There", which he co-wrote with Yezerski.[24] Songs also featuring in the film include "Better" by The Screaming Jets, "Don't Go Now" by Ratcat, "Streets of Your Town" by The Go Betweens, "Know You Know" by The Someloves and Jimmy Barnes' "Driving Wheels".

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ CLPR (15 January 2007). "Press releases: Principal photography commences on The Black Balloon". Inside Film Magazine. Archived from the original on 2007-02-04. http://web.archive.org/web/20070204042026/http://www.if.com.au/Press/2007/01/15.html. Retrieved 2007-01-29. 
  2. ^ Berlinale. "The Festival – Awards & Prizes – Prizes Generation". http://www.berlinale.de/en/das_festival/preise_und_juries/preise_generation/index.html. Retrieved 2008-02-16. 
  3. ^ The Black Balloon at Rotten Tomatoes
  4. ^ "Ebroadcast.Com.Au, Asia Pacific Screen Awards Winners Announced". Ebroadcast.com.au. 12 November 2008. http://www.ebroadcast.com.au/enews/movies/ASIA-PACIFIC-SCREEN-AWARDS-WINNERS-ANNOUNCED-121108.html. Retrieved 2010-08-22. 
  5. ^ "in.reuters.com, Kazakh comedy wins Asia-Pacific best movie award". In.reuters.com. 11 November 2008. http://in.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idINTRE4AA2RG20081111?sp=true. Retrieved 2010-08-22. 
  6. ^ 12 November 2008 12:00AM (12 November 2008). "theaustralian.news.com.au, Balloon Grabs Asia-Pac Screen Award". Theaustralian.news.com.au. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,24897,24640516-7582,00.html. Retrieved 2010-08-22. 
  7. ^ "... Just Tion! » Nordic And Baltic Kids For Kids". Cifej.org. 1 February 2008. http://www.cifej.org/?page_id=76. Retrieved 2010-08-22. 
  8. ^ [1][dead link]
  9. ^ bruce hunt. "Australian Directors Guild". ADG. http://www.adg.org.au/awards.aspx. Retrieved 2010-08-22. 
  10. ^ [2][dead link]
  11. ^ [3][dead link]
  12. ^ "RoC Presents the "Gold Standard in Filmmaking" Award to A Winning Woman Filmmaker at The 16th Annual Hamptons International Film Festival". Jnj.com. 13 October 2008. http://www.jnj.com/connect/news/product/20081013_140000. Retrieved 2010-08-22. 
  13. ^ "Black Balloon notches up another film win – Film – Entertainment". smh.com.au. 12 November 2008. http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/film/black-balloon-notches-up-another-film-win/2008/11/12/1226318697557.html. Retrieved 2010-08-22. 
  14. ^ "Inside Film: Film and Television Industry News and Issues for Australian Content Creators – Black Balloon audience choice at St Tropez". If.com.au. 27 October 2008. http://www.if.com.au/2008/10/27/article/PPKFZVSOFW.html. Retrieved 2010-08-22. 
  15. ^ "Black Balloon, Underbelly claim soundtrack honours – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". Abc.net.au. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/11/03/2409184.htm. Retrieved 2010-08-22. 
  16. ^ Iain Shedden, Music writer (4 November 2008). "Pyke gets there in Black Balloon | The Australian". Theaustralian.news.com.au. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24598597-5013575,00.html. Retrieved 2010-08-22. 
  17. ^ "Western Australian Premier's Book Awards: State Library of Western Australia". Slwa.wa.gov.au. http://www.slwa.wa.gov.au/pba.html. Retrieved 2010-08-22. 
  18. ^ [4][dead link]
  19. ^ "Black Balloon nabs 10 IF Award noms – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". Abc.net.au. 1 October 2008. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/10/01/2379228.htm. Retrieved 2010-08-22. 
  20. ^ "The Black Balloon wins 11 AFI nominations – Film – Entertainment". smh.com.au. 29 October 2008. http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/film/the-black-balloon-wins-11-afi-nominations/2008/10/29/1224956118269.html. Retrieved 2010-08-22. 
  21. ^ [5][dead link]
  22. ^ Film Victoria – Australian Films at the Australian Box Office
  23. ^ "The Black Balloon and Underbelly claim music honours". The Age. 4 November 2008. http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/music/the-black-balloon-and-underbelly-claim-music-honours/2008/11/04/1225560789178.html. Retrieved 2008-12-08. 
  24. ^ Shedden, Iain (4 November 2008). "Pyke gets there in Black Balloon". The Australian. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24598597-5016490,00.html. Retrieved 2008-12-08. 

[edit] External links
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