Sometimes to fit in you need to stand out Keisha Castle-Hughes Danielle Catanzariti VcY Toni Collette A STUDY GUIDE BY EMILY CHEN http://www.metromagazine.com.au http://www.theeducationshop.com.au www.estherblueburger.com Introduction Film Synopsis Esther is not like other girls; she Hey Hey it’s Esther Blueburger befriends a duck, talks to God is a smart, rueful and dead-on through the toilet and break- portrait of life’s unending dances at her Bat-Mitzvah. quest to fit in … and the girl Her all-girls private school is a who solves it by completely daily torment of mind-numbing breaking out. Esther Blueburger conformity and bell-ringing is seeking something far rituals. Home is a pressure more ambitious, essential and cooker driven by her mother exhilarating – to defy the chaos, Grace’s demand for perfection unfairness and absurdity of the and normality. But life changes world with her irresistible and when Esther meets Sunni and indestructible urge to be herself. her mother Mary. She learns Esther Blueburger’s (Danielle that it’s okay to be different and Catanzariti) quest begins being true to yourself is more when she escapes from her important than fitting in. own Bat-Mitzvah party and is Hey Hey it’s Esther Blueburger befriended by Sunni (Keisha is a Tama Films production, Castle-Hughes), the effortlessly produced by Miriam Stein. The cool girl who is everything film was written and directed by Esther thinks she wants to be. debut filmmaker Cathy Randall. With the help of Sunni, Esther Hey Hey it’s Esther Blueburger is a coming-of-age comedy that explores what it’s like to be an outsider in your own world. SCREEN EDUCATION 2 goes AWOL from her ordinary reject, Esther dives boldly life – secretly busting out of into sexual experimentation. her cold, repressive private Once the angelic daughter, school to clandestinely attend Esther defiantly shakes up her Sunni’s edgy, forbidden public bewildered family. school as a Swedish exchange But when one of Esther’s student. enough role models for teenage two very disparate worlds is girls. I wanted Esther to be Esther also leaves behind her suddenly shattered, she must someone who achieves great blithely malfunctioning nuclear find a way to bring together things but is also fallible and family – her flummoxed mother all the conflicting dualities of makes big mistakes.2 Grace Blueburger (Essie her life – public and private, Davis), her sentimental father real and fantastical, ugly and Cathy Randall was awarded Osmond Blueburger (Russell beautiful, the desire to be cool a scholarship to the Los Dykstra) and her mad genius and the need to be loved – Angeles Film School’s Feature twin brother Jacob Blueburger while finally and fully embracing Development Program based (Christian Byers) – to hang out the wonderful weirdness and on her screenplay Hey Hey it’s with Sunni’s far breezier and ecstatic bliss of being Esther Esther Blueburger. She spent super-hip single mom Mary Blueburger.1 a year developing the project with Hollywood professionals. (Toni Collette). The Production Team The screenplay then received an Esther embraces her mas- Cathy Randall Writer/Director Australian Writer’s Guild AWGIE querade and enthusiastically award nomination for best crosses over into an alternate, I always wanted to make a film un-produced screenplay. Before new world in which everything about a kick-ass chick, a heroine writing films, Cathy worked as a in her life has become for teenagers and people of all journalist in Sydney. reversed. Once bullied, Esther ages. I have always been struck is now in charge. Once the by the fact that there are not SCREEN EDUCATION 3 Miriam Stein Producer and cry, and it was a movie I would pay money to see. It Miriam Stein set up Tama took me back to that time in my Films as an entertainment and own life when I so desperately media company focused on wanted to be seen, understood developing, producing and and accepted. As an adult I still marketing feature films and strongly connect to Esther’s The Cast media content for local and story and those feelings.3 international markets. Hey Hey Danielle Catanzariti (Esther it’s Esther Blueburger is the Miriam is one of Australia’s most Blueburger) company’s first feature film. highly regarded producers, She walked in and it was love at having worked prolifically on Miriam describes how Esther’s first sight. I knew instantly she television commercials, theatre valiant, adventurous struggle was Esther … she possessed productions, for Network to meet the world on her own an utterly iconoclastic mix of Ten, Cation Creative and for oddball terms really hit home. charm, goofiness and honesty advertising agency J. Walter that was a dead match for ‘The script resonated with me Thompson (now known as Esther.4 from the start,’ she recalls:. JWT). She has also produced The title role of Esther in Hey As a Jewish woman whose a number of short films. Miriam Hey it’s Esther Blueburger name used to be Miriam Stein has served as Policy is Danielle Catanzariti’s first Grunberg, then at fourteen years Officer for The Australian feature film role. Casting changed to Stein, and who went Screen Directors Association, directors were quick to to three different schools often Screen Producers Association see Danielle’s talent and feeling like an outsider, there of Australia and The SPAA/ immediately cast her in her was no way I was not making ASDA Documentary Council. next film, Elise (James Bogle, this film. More than any script 2008) starring opposite Natalie I had read, it made me laugh Imbruglia. Danielle is now being touted as one of Australia’s hottest young ‘up and coming’ film actors. SCREEN EDUCATION 4 Following the completion of Keisha is a beautiful soul and Hey Hey it’s Esther Blueburger, a joy to work with. She’s an Danielle was cast in the instinctive actress and she prestigious Sydney Theatre was an inspiration to the Company production of other, less experienced kids. Blackbird. Danielle was hand Her Sunni becomes a kind of picked by Cate Blanchett, who every-man voice. When Sunni Actress), About A Boy (Chris is director of the play. judges Esther, so too does the Weitz & Paul Weitz, 2002) audience …5 (nominated for a BAFTA), Keisha Castle-Hughes (Sunni) Changing Lanes (Roger Toni Collette (Mary) Keisha Castle-Hughes made Michell, 2002), Dirty Deeds her film debut as ‘Paikea’ in Niki I fell in love with Esther’s plight (Barry Caesar, 2002), The Caro’s Whale Rider (2002). Her and her story and her quirks and Hours (Stephen Daldry, 2002), portrayal of Paikea earned her I just found it all very emotional. Japanese Story (Sue Brooks, international acclaim and a Best I am often drawn to themes 2003) (AFI Award for Best Actress Oscar® nomination in where people have to find Actress), Connie and Carla 2003. She won Broadcast Film themselves, where they start (Michael Lembeck, 2004), In Her Critics, Chicago Film Critics, NZ off slightly off kilter and learn Shoes (Curtis Hanson, 2005), Film & TV, Online Film Critics that they can well and truly be Like Minds (Gregory J. Read, and the Young Artist awards themselves.6 for Whale Rider. Keisha Castle- Renowned for the range and Hughes was ‘Queen Naboo’ depth of her performances, Toni in George Lucas’ Star Wars: Collette is a highly respected Episode III – Revenge of the Australian actor. For her Sith (2005) and portrayed Mary poignant performance in The Nativity Story (Catherine in Muriel’s Wedding (P.J. Hardwicke, 2006). Hogan, 1994) she received Randall was thrilled at the an Australian Film Institute chance to work with Keisha, Award (AFI) and a Golden especially in a role that could Globe nomination for Best really use her unusual maturity Actress. She has shone in and gritty strength to full myriad feature films such advantage, as Sunni goes as The Sixth Sense (M. from being an idol to being Night Shyamalan, 1999), Shaft heartbroken, and, in a twist of (John Singleton, 2000), For fate, ultimately ends up in the The Boys (Mark Rydell, 1991) last place she expected: (AFI Award as Best Supporting SCREEN EDUCATION 5 2006), Little Miss Sunshine Actress) The Girl with the Pearl (Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Earring (Peter Webber, 2003), Faris, 2006) (Boston Critics Charlotte’s Web (Gary Winick, Award for Best Supporting 2006), Isolation (Billy O’Brien, Actress, BAFTA and Golden 2005), The Matrix Reloaded Globe nominations), The Night (Andy and Larry Wachowski, Listener (Patrick Stettner, 2006), 2003), The Matrix Revolutions Critics’ Matilda Award and a Dead Girl (Karen Moncrieff, (Andy and Larry Wachowski, Victorian Green Room Award 2006), Evening (Lajos Koltai, 2003), Meeting Misty Rain nomination for Best Actor). 2007) and most recently The (Justin Kurzel, 2000), The Sound His recent television credits Black Balloon (Elissa Down, of One Hand Clapping (Richard include BlackJack, Loot, All 2008). She has also starred in Flanagan, 1998) and Code Saints and White Collar Blue. and won numerous awards for 46 (Michael Winterbottom, Russell Dykstra has had feature her roles on Broadway. 2003). Her television credits film roles in Soft Fruit (Christina include Kings in Grass Castles, Andreef, 1999) (AFI Award for Essie Davis (Grace Blueburger) The Ripper, The Silence and Best Actor and was nominated Essie Davis has starred in A Sweeney Todd. for a Film Critics’ Circle of Streetcar Named Desire, at the Australia Award), Romulus, Russell Dykstra (Osmond Royal National Theatre, (Olivier My Father (Richard Roxburgh, Blueburger) Award for Best Supporting 2007), Clubland (Cherie Actress) and Jumpers, for Russell Dyskstra’s stage Nowlan, 2007), Lantana (Ray the Royal National Theatre credits include Stuff Happens Lawrence, 2001), Garage Days in London and later on (Helpmann Award for best (Alex Proyas, 2002), Ned Kelly Broadway, (Olivier Award and supporting actor), Ray’s (Gregor Jordan, 2003), and The a Tony nomination for Best Tempest, The Underpants, Wannabes (Nick Giannopoulos, Performance by a Featured The Laramie Project, The 2003).