cinéSARNIA presents September 22 & 23

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Wayne Blair

Australia, 2012 English 103 minutes Cast: Chris O’Dowd, , Miranda Tapsell, Jessica Mauboy,

Upcoming Films: October 20 & 21: Amour November 3 & 4: Searching for Sugar Man November 17 & 18: No December 8 & 9: Still Mine

SPECIAL FEATURE

November 30: Twenty Feet from Stardom

The Sapphires

A Special Presentation at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival®, The Sapphires is a wildly entertaining musical comedy in the tradition of Strictly Ballroom and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert . Based on the smash 2004 Australian play by Tony Briggs (who co-wrote the screenplay), The Sapphires was inspired by the true story of Briggs’ mother and aunt, who sang in an all-Aboriginal female soul quartet that entertained American troops during the Vietnam War.

Set in 1968, the story begins with sisters Gail (Deborah Mailman; Bran Nue Dae , the Film Circuit hit Rabbit Proof Fence ), Diana (Jessica Mauboy; Bran Nue Dae ), and Cynthia (newcomer Miranda Tapsell) entering a local talent competition in an outback pub, where their moving rendition of a Merle Haggard classic outclasses the tone-deaf competition but fails to win over the racist judges. One man is impressed, however: boozy Irish emcee Dave Lovelace (Chris O’Dowd; Bridesmaids ), a would-be music promoter with an ear for raw talent. He convinces thcountry standards for soul music, promising to turn them into stars. Recruiting their long-estranged cousin Kay (Shari Sebbens) as a fourth member, the girls soon sing their way from the far-flung Australian outback to Southeast Asia and a tour of war-torn Vietnam. Filled with show-stopping renditions of classic Motown hits that showcase the phenomenal voice of Mauboy (an Australian Idol alumnus), the debut feature by director deftly mixes sparkling humour with serious drama, a delicate balance maintained not least by O’Dowd’s charisma and lackadaisical charm. Featuring stunning period recreations and gorgeous cinematography by Warwick Thornton, The Sapphires is a rousing film that hits all the right notes.

“First-time filmmaker Wayne Blair […] has crafted an exuberant elebration of Aboriginality that fizzes with humor and heart; its soulfulness goes beyond the embrace of a jukebox full of Motown, Stax and Atlantic Records hits.” –Megan Lehmann, The Hollywood Reporter e girls to swap their sleepy