86 MOVIES SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2014 HERALDSUN.COM.AU ANGELINA JOLIE’S LATEST FILM FINDS HER CONSUMED WITH THE LIFE OF A WAR GREAT, AND AUSTRALIA, WRITES TIFFANY BAKKER

From left, Jolie on the set of Unbroken in Sydney; with WWII hero Louis Zamperini; and, below, Jack O’Connell as Zamperini in a scene from the film. HERO’S PATH LEADS DOWN UNDER

HEN “I was halfway through them to do. Shiloh and Pax, Angelina Laura’s book, and I remember especially, are now serious Jolie first I sat up and I woke up surfers and skateboarders. decided she everybody around me,” she They didn’t do that before and wanted to says, smiling. now they surf and skateboard tell the story “It was like having this all the time.” Wof American Olympian- fever, and it wasn’t like when There were a few other turned-World War II hero you want to make a film and firsts for the Jolie-Pitts during Louis Zamperini on screen, you want to direct something their Australian stay. she knew she had to do it in — it was that I really, really “We had an Australian Australia. wanted to trace his footsteps. Christmas,” she says. “We had “The US shares this history “I really, really wanted to rented a place and we were with Australia,” says the actor- learn what he learned. I just hanging out. It was the turned-director, sitting in an wanted to go on this journey first time we had a edit bay on the back-lot of because I knew I’d be a better barbecue for Universal Studios in Los person for it, and my children Christmas. Brad Angeles where she’s putting would be better if they saw it. got on the the finishing touches to “This story was what I be,” she says, adding that the direct,” she says, laughing. much personality and barbie and Unbroken, the film based on wanted to dedicate years of my film’s crew had to recreate “It’s such a funny thing to humour, and as a person, he is worked it Zamperini’s incredible life. life to.” everything from a plane realise — you know, certainly, naturally so interesting and so pretty well, “We are connected in this Zamperini died in July of crashing into the ocean, to the I’d act in that, but I’d never masculine. I thought.” particular moment in history, this year, just as Jolie was 1936 Berlin Olympics, to want to direct that.” “He was great to work with, UNBROKEN in such a strong way, so it was finishing the film. various POW camps. She says her own and I hope to work with him OPENS ON really special to be there. It felt “I took my laptop into his “It was difficult for experience as an actor gives again.” JAN 15. right to be in Australia.” hospital room, and he was able everybody in the best way. her more scope to “protect” When we speak, she’s also It is fitting then, that the to watch it,” she says. “I’m glad “The Australian crew said the performances of those prepping her next film By The world premiere of the 39-year- I was able to do that.” to me that it was the hardest she guides. Sea, which she’ll direct and old’s passion project will be in The film is Jolie’s second film they’d ever done because On Unbroken, she was star in, opposite her husband. Sydney tomorrow night, directorial effort; she wrote there were so many different particularly impressed with Asked about the challenges ahead of a wider release in and directed the 2011 film In worlds. But we all felt like we rising Aussie star Jai Courtney of directing Pitt on a movie set, January. the Land Of Blood and Honey, were doing it out of respect to who stars as an Australian she grins. “I have yet to Jolie has spent more than which was set around the the people who really lived fighter pilot in the film. Aussie discover. We haven’t done it two years of her life immersed Bosnian conflict. through it, and we were doing actor Alex Russell also has a yet, but we shall see,” she in Zamperini’s epic story of Though she remembers service to them so everybody prominent role as Zamperini’s laughs. “We shall see.” resilience — he survived two that experience as a baptism had a great attitude, nobody brother, Pete. For now, though, she’s years in a Japanese POW by fire, the experience of complained. It was really nice.” “Oh, I love Jai,” she says looking forward to bringing camp after he had endured a filming Unbroken in Australia Jolie willingly admits that animatedly. “Jai has such a the film “home” to Australia. plane crash in the Pacific and took things to a whole other directing gives her more great energy. When you bring Jolie says she now feels a great 47 days aboard a life raft. level in terms of sheer scale satisfaction than acting does. a bunch of guys together, you affiliation with our country, Jolie, who came to and budget. “I gave myself “You’re a part of it in such a really notice those who are the adding the months the family Zamperini’s story via Laura such a big challenge because it complete way that you never team leaders, and who rally spent in Australia left an Hillenbrand’s 2010 bestseller, was such a jump. Unbroken feel as an actor — I certainly everyone. They have great indelible mark on her children. remembers reading the book was just beyond anything I’d never did as an actor — and energy, and great humour, and “The kids really did love it while she was in Cambodia done. Even when I got the job, you make different choices. a great masculinity, and he is there. It’s such a wonderfully with her husband Brad Pitt I think none of us anticipated “The films I act in probably one of those — he’s a man family-oriented country, so and the couple’s six kids. how difficult it was going to aren’t films I’d ever want to among men. He brought so there was just so much for

MHSE01Z01MA - V1 HERALDSUN.COM.AU SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2014 MOVIES 87 ANGELINA JOLIE’S LATEST FILM FINDS HER CONSUMED WITH THE LIFE OF A WAR GREAT, AND AUSTRALIA, WRITES TIFFANY BAKKER

ODYSSEY FOR AN ALBUM KATHY MCCABE

BERNARD Fanning’s Spanish needs some work, but his next album seems to be coming along quite nicely. The former Powderfinger frontman has been living in Madrid since June with his wife Andrea and their children Gabriella and Freddy. He wants them to pick up his wife’s native language while they are young and refresh his own bilingual skills — in between writing his third record. Two decades worth of success courtesy of his band Powderfinger and then his No. 1 solo records Tea & Sympathy (more than five times platinum) and last year’s Departures (gold) buys Fanning the luxury of time to work on his next project. While Departures saw Fanning venture back into rock territory, he suggests his next record may be more acoustic-driven. “I’ve gone back to writing on my acoustic guitar and my piano,” he says. It was the simple melodic beauty and heartfelt lyrics of Tea & Sympathy that struck a resounding chord with his Australian fans back in 2005. Fanning jokes that album’s songwriting was governed by his “s--- guitar playing”. “No seriously, ask anyone I have played in a band with,” he says. “But because of that, I have always really liked open tunings. It’s fun to play with those kind of tunings and somehow create some elaborate idea I can actually play guitar better than I do.” The family has spent much of the last four years travelling and living in Europe and the US. When they come home to Australia in January, Fanning plans to test his new tunes at a couple of intimate shows in addition to twilight concerts at Taronga and Melbourne zoos and a Leeuwin Estate Winery show. He calculates it has been about 15 years since he had the opportunity to road-test fresh material with an audience before recording. “I am slightly terrified,” he says. “I think the last time that happened was around Odyssey Number Five and that’s almost a generation ago. Powderfinger tours were structured around the records so this is a rare chance to play new material to an audience which is hopefully open to it.” BERNARD FANNING, MELBOURNE ZOO, JANUARY 31. BOOK IT: ZOO TWILIGHTS ZOO.ORG.AU

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