With @WatchItWombat
How do you start a new life alone in a foreign country?
While fleeing his homeland, Theo washes up in a small Greek fishing village in the Aegean Sea. In order to survive and start his new life, he seeks to make a living from the island’s primary source of income – fishing. After convincing the grumpy widower Hector to let him join his one-man crew, they discover they may have a lot in common. It’s not all smooth sailing, as Theo must contend with a thug, determined to wreak havoc on his new life and sever his growing bond with Hector.
Behind the Film: Inspiration, Cast and Visuals
I spoke with the talented director and Brisbane local Jacob Richardson to find out why he wanted to tell this story on a remote Greek island. Jacob said he wanted to make a film that tackled his own experiences with his grandfather.
“He was dealing with the grief of losing my grandmother and I wanted to do so in a way that took our very small but universal story and told it on this big, expansive, mythic island – grounding it in a broader examination of the refugee crisis,” Jacob said.
Jacob achieved what he set out to accomplish by creating a universal story that would work in any language, brought to life by a superb cast. Although they may be relatively unknown to some, the pairing of Costas Mandylor’s Hector and newcomer Nicky Dune’s Theo was a great move. The contrast of the two actors, one stoic and the other the epitome of youth, keeps you watching to see how they’ll influence each other.
Despite the troubling themes of loss and survival, this isn’t a ‘woe is me’ story. The Aegean shows us how we can deal with our losses and learn to create a new life for ourselves without forgetting those that we’ve left behind.
The breathtaking scenery and cinematography deserve to be experienced on the big screen, so I urge you to grab a seat in a boutique cinema and settle down for an emotional journey about the human condition. Lovers of heartfelt stories set against stunning backdrops, treat yourself to this charming tale.
The Aegean, in Aussie cinemas May 16.
Spit Movie Review and Interview
Is Queensland the new Hollywood? Judging by the amount of movies being made in our backyard, you could be rubbing shoulders with De Niro any day now.
One Aussie filmmaker who is bringing Tinseltown Down Under is director Jonathan Teplitzky with his new Gold Coast gangster tale, Spit. The film is packed with a largely Queensland cast, including Brisbane local David Wenham, star of 300 and two The Lord of the Rings movies (to name but a few). Although a sequel to the 2003 crime comedy Gettin’ Square, you don’t need to have seen the original to enjoy this, but it definitely adds value.
Johnny ‘Spit’ Spitieri, played by Wenham, is a hapless crim with a heart of gold. All he wants to do is get home, look after his mates and maybe settle a few scores along the way. Despite being more dramatic and emotional than its predecessor, Spit packs in plenty of laughs and shines a light on how refugees and minorities are treated in Australia. Mateship and family are at the heart of the story, and discovering what lengths you would go to for those you care for the most.
An Inside Look with the Filmmakers
I was lucky enough to sit down with Jonathan and David and pick their brains, asking firstly, ‘Why the Gold Coast?’
“Sunshine and big skies,” Jonathan said. “Because the film is about little characters in big environments.”
David chimed in with his best quiz show impression. “Buzz! It’s a sunny place for shady characters.”
Well, he could have a point there.
David said that they never even considered doing a sequel.
“But of all the characters that I’ve played, Spit is the character that people talk to me about the most,” he said.
When asked how he deals with stardom, he said he takes it in his stride. Well, almost.
“It’s always really lovely,” he said. The only time I don’t like it – you’re in a restaurant and you’re just about to put the fork in your mouth and you hear, ‘Excuse me, I know you don’t like to be disturbed when you’re eating, but…’ Otherwise, I love to chat.”
You couldn’t hope to meet two nicer blokes, so support their film and Aussie cinema and check out Spit. Only in cinemas March 6.
Read more stories from our Redcliffe Guide print magazine here:
- Spellbound
- The Best Days of Their Lives
- Say Cheese
- Reaching the Pinnacle
- Closing the gender gap in STEM
- Teens Rock the Green at School’s Out Event
- Laurie’s Beach Walk
- SANDBAG Counsellors Boost Empowerment for Marginalised Communities in India
- Win A $200 City Cave Voucher
- Securing your accounts with multi-factor authentication
- Bracken Ridge Toastmasters
- Boondall School’s Big Bash
- Trying New Things
- Bramble Buzz: Updates from the Community
- Organic Gardening in March
