Jack’s pleased stars returning
AUSTRALIAN acting legend Jack Thompson is delighted to see the country’s Hollywood exports returning to work in Australia, saying it’s their “cultural responsibility” as actors.
Thompson was in Brisbane in his role as president of the Asia Pacific Screen Awards last week. He has just wrapped up filming the frontier western High Ground with Simon Baker in the Northern Territory.
Baker, who also released his Australian film Breath this year, is one of a number of Hollywood stars to work on Australian projects in recent years, along with Nicole Kidman in Lion and Top of the Lake, and Melissa George and Daniel MacPherson in Channel 9’ s Bad Mothers.
“It is very exciting to see that happen, and a delight,” Thompson said.
“That’s what I’ve always felt was our responsibility as Australian filmmakers, to bring what we learn, what we achieve – and it’s a craft, so the more you do it, the more you know; you never know all of it – back here and feed it back into this world of filmmakers.
“In a sense, it’s our cultural responsibility, and Simon has done that with Breath, and now with our film High Ground, which I hope will be right here ( at APSA) next year.”
Set in 1930s Australia and inspired by true events, High Ground was filmed at Kakadu National Park and also stars fellow Hollywood export Callan Mulvey.
It follows a string of successful Australian films including Sweet Country and The Nightingale, which both received top awards at the Venice International Film Festival, and a record six Australian features selected to screen at the Sundance Film week.
“I think this is a revitalisation of an interest in who we are and what it means to be who we are as Australians,” Thompson said.
“When we first had what was recognised as a renaissance of Australian filmmaking in the 1970s, we made a lot of films in that vein, and they were internationally recognised, and once again we are looking to that understanding of ourselves.
“( High Ground) certainly is a really interesting story … and it’s a part of Australia that’s seldom been seen on film.”
Thompson also appears in SBS drama On the Ropes and says that at 78, he feels as passionate as ever about film.
“I intend to be doing this until someone says, ‘ Jack, the doctor has just pronounced you dead. You can’t go back on set’,” he laughed. Festival last