By Rama Gaind
Film: Samson & Delilah (Madman)
Cast: Rowan McNamara, Marissa Gibson, Mitjili Gibson
Director: Warwick Thornton
Samson & Delilah, the low-budget feature film debut from Australian director-writer-cinematographer, Warwick Thornton, shines as it continues to pick up more awards.
It won seven awards at the AFI Awards this month and was named the Best Feature Film at the third annual Asia Pacific Screen Awards in Queensland last month.
Earlier in the year, it stunned the film world by taking out the Camera d’Or (Golden Camera) at the Cannes International Film Festival.
Since its Australian theatrical release on May 7, Samson & Delilah has become a genuine word-of-mouth sensation.
Far from the biblical story, this one is about two young teenagers in a central desert community. Samson (Rowan McNamara) is a petrol sniffing layabout who wants to play music, if only his brother would let him.
He likes Delilah (Marissa Gibson), a self-reliant woman, who looks after her grandmother and helps her with her artworks. Her real-life grandmother Mitjili Gibson takes on this role.
Following her death, Delilah and Samson escape to live on the fringe of Alice Springs, seeking to get their life together.
This is a tough film about love where dialogue is used sparingly to tell a poignant story. That’s why images deliver an emotional impact.
With a good soundtrack, the film is tastefully made where you can see a noticeable show of restraint.
It’s a sturdy little film, with winning performances by all the cast, especially the two young lead performers.
There are some special features on this DVD worth mentioning including interviews with director Warwick Thornton, theatrical trailer the making of Samson & Delilah by Beck Cole and Thornton’s short films: Nana,Green Bush, Mimi and Payback
