Waverley Film Society Volume 5 June 2018 Issue 5 June Meeting Waverley Film Society will meet at St John’s Uniting Church, 37 Virginia Street, Mt Waverley on Wednesday, 13th of June. Apologies can be left with Brett on 9807 3426. Visitors are welcome. Bring your friends. This month’s film is The Sapphires. (see page 2 for more information). Next Month Wednesday, July11th: “Tracks” (2013) Tracks chronicles an epic modern ad- venture. Robyn Davidson’s sole trek Posters advertising this through the remote Australian desert screening are available. to the Indian Ocean with her dog Dig- Please post them in com- gity, four camels, and a National Geo- munity spaces. graphic photographer. Last Month’s Film Twenty-eight people attended, including four visitors and two family members. There were six apologies. Mrs Henderson Presents re- corded a rating of 4.4 stars. All raffle books were returned on schedule. Thanks everyone! Classic Cream, Beautiful Black Many members enjoyed Anne Dixon’s A Taste of Blue costume display last year. You may like to visit the Wonthaggi Town Hall for her latest exhibition. June 19 to July 3, 11-4 daily, free entry (the town hall is at 14 Ballieu St East) The Sapphires (2013) (Reference: www.imdb.com) Director Wayne Blair Cast includes: Writing Keith Thompson Chris O’Dowd Dave Lovelace Miranda Tapsell Cynthia Tony Briggs (stage play) Deborah Mailman Gail Music Cezary Skubiszewski Jessica Mauboy Julie Cinematography Warwick Thornton Shari Sebbens Kay Trivia The film premiered at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival where it received a 10 minute standing ova- tion. There really was an Australian girl group in the 60s called The Sapphires but they only had three members not four. When they were invited to tour for the troops in Vietnam, two of the group declined due to their anti-war stance, so the remaining Sapphire drafted in her sister to help her out. The song that the girls sing as children, and that is repeated throughout the film, was originally a gospel hymn about Moses that has been translated into the Yorta Yorta language. The movie's co-writer and associate producer Tony Briggs is the son of Laurel Robinson, a member of the real-life The Sapphires group. Anachronisms The movie is set in 1968, but The Sapphires sing The Staple Singers' "I'll Take You There" (released in 1972) and Merle Haggard's "Today I Started Loving You Again" (released in 1970). It also fea- tures "Run Through the Jungle" (released in 1970) in the opening scene. The opening scene shows a girl running through a field of canola in 1958. The first canola in Aus- tralia was planted in 1968, but was not grown commercially until the 1990s. At the Tupperware party set in 1968, someone is seen holding a Tupperware product from the 1980s, the Harvest Gold Microwave Steamer. Review: “Sensational” (based on a review by mouldfield22 July 2012) I've just seen a screening of The Sapphires and have to say that it's one of the best mainstream films I've seen in a long time. It was exhilarating: making me cry, laugh and want to dance. Over the years, there have been some amazing films of and about Aboriginal Australia. One of the very best be- ing Warwick Thornton's heart breaking Sampson And Delilah. Some people will belittle The Sapphires for not being similarly heavy but this film is not that film. This film, with it's Aboriginal writer and director (and cast, cinematographer (the wonderfully talented Warwick Thornton) and choreographer) is another film. It is a celebration of spiritedness and strength, lovingly made and deftly told. It left me with vivid impressions of the lives of the characters and of Aus- tralia at that time. Tremendous chemistry between Chris O'Dowd and Deborah Mailman and the rest of the cast drew me in and up, as did the spine tinglingly good soul singing from Jessica Mauboy. Newcomers Shari Seb- bens and Miranda Tapsell were great too. I can't believe that this was Wayne Blair's first feature. Good on you Goalpost Pictures for bringing an important script to (hopefully) a wide audience and doing it with such flair. .