Blame is a 2010 Australian thriller drama film starring Damian De Montemas, Sophie Lowe, Kestie Morassi, Ashley Zukerman, Simon Stone and Mark Leonard Winter. It was directed by first time feature film director, Michael Henry.[1][2] The film had a limited release in Australia on 16 June 2011.
| Blame | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Michael Henry |
| Written by | Michael Henry |
| Produced by | Ryan Hodgson Melissa Kelly Michael Robinson |
| Starring | Damian De Montemas Sophie Lowe Kestie Morassi Simon Stone Ashley Zukerman |
| Cinematography | Torstein Dyrting |
| Edited by | Meredith Watson Jeffrey |
| Music by | Tamil Rogeon |
Production companies | 3monkeyfilms Factor 30 Films |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 89 minutes |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
Plot
editA group of young vigilantes seeking revenge for a sexual betrayal fall far from grace. When the truth is out, they find themselves on the dark side of justice.
It becomes a case study in how people handle themselves in a situation that goes awry. It's an essay in the consequences of ill-considered actions and how people manage themselves in a space they're entirely ill-equipped to handle.
— Michael Henry
Music teacher Bernard (Damian De Montemas) is attacked at his home in isolated bushland by five young people masked and dressed in black. The group have just attended the funeral of Cate's (Kestie Morassi) sister Alice (Saskia Hampele), and they've come to kill Bernard, whom they blame for the girl's death as he had an affair with her when she was sixteen, and now, three years later she's taken her own life. Alice's boyfriend, Nick (Simon Stone), is the lead agitator; Alice's best friend, Natalie (Sophie Lowe), has persuaded her boyfriend, Anthony (Ashley Zukerman), to steal sleeping pills from his father's doctors surgery to make it look as though Bernard has committed suicide. It all however goes horribly wrong when their attempt fails and their victim fights for his life.
In the aftermath, questions are raised about the true nature of the events leading up to the botched attack. As lies and secrets are revealed, the dynamic of the once-tight group shifts as the friends begin to question each other's motives. As they move closer to the truth, the weight of their quest for justice drives them to a place of no return.
Cast
edit- Damian De Montemas as Bernard
- Sophie Lowe as Natalie
- Kestie Morassi as Cate
- Ashley Zukerman as Anthony
- Simon Stone as Nick
- Mark Leonard Winter as John
Reception
editOn review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 58% based on 12 reviews, with an average rating of 5.47/10.[3] The film was screened and received accolades at Cannes Cinephiles, Melbourne International Film Festival, the 35th Toronto International Film Festival,[4] the 47th Chicago International Film Festival,[5] the Dublin International Film Festival and Buenos Aires International Film Festival of Independent Cinema.
Accolades
edit| Award | Category | Subject | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASE Award | Best Editing in a Feature Film | Meredith Watson Jeffrey | Nominated |
| Chicago International Film Festival | Honorable Mention - International Film Poster Competition | The Penguin Empire | Won |
| Fancine Film Festival | Best Film Youth Jury | Michael Henry | Won |
| Ryan Hodgson | Won | ||
| Melissa Kelly | Won | ||
| Michael Ormond Robinson | Won | ||
| West Australian Screen Awards | Best Drama Production | Ryan Hodgson | Nominated |
| Melissa Kelly | Nominated | ||
| Michael Ormond Robinson | Nominated | ||
| Best Cinematography | Torstein Dyrting | Won | |
| Best Editing | Meredith Watson Jeffrey | Nominated |
Filming locations
editFilming occurred in the outer southeastern Perth suburb of Roleystone.
References
edit- ^ Paatsch, Leigh (16 June 2011). "Film review: Aussie thriller Blame". news.com.au. Archived from the original on 26 June 2011. Retrieved 29 June 2011.
- ^ Smith, Ian Hayden (2012). International Film Guide 2012. p. 65. ISBN 978-1908215017.
- ^ "Blame (2010)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 10 August 2010. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
- ^ Bannister, Brooke (9 June 2011). "Perth Hills is the setting for new Australian film 'Blame'". 720 ABC Perth. ABC Local Radio. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
- ^ "Perth film Blame premieres following strong international and national response". Ausfilm. 8 June 2011. Archived from the original on 3 July 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2011.