14. The luck of the draw
On the subject of sapphire rings, I cannot help but recount the following personal anecdote. It ties in with the jewel, with film, as well as with the focusing of the mind and, might I venture to say, the channeling of higher powers, which are associated with the gem.
When I was living in Montreal years ago, I regularly attended the International Film Festival that the city hosted every summer. I would obtain a pass, and for two weeks straight I would immerse myself in the sheer pleasure of watching films from around the world.
One year, Australian filmmaker John Dingwall held a contest for the viewers. He had written and produced a feature film called Buddies, starring Colin Friels, that centered around the sapphire wars in Australia. But Dingwall wasn’t happy with the title, so he was offering the prize of a three-carat sapphire to anyone who could come up with a better name for the 1983 film.
I pride myself on creating good titles and headlines – and I love jewelry! – so I was determined that if anyone was going to win that contest, it would be me. There was a box in which to submit the titles, and over the course of the festival, filmgoers could submit as many suggestions as they desired.
I watched the film intently and made copious notes. I entered about 15 different titles in the hopes of garnering that coveted gem. I was so sure of my success that I told everybody I was going to win.
The day after the festival ended, my phone rang and a male voice at the other end of the line said in a very strong Australian accent, “Hello, Miss Beloff, this is John Dingwall. Did you get your sapphire yet?” With my heart racing, I panted, “No, I didn’t.”
“Well, it’s waiting for you at the Film Festival office,” he said.
Since I had submitted so many titles, I asked him which one he had selected.
As it turns out, there were two titles that he liked – “Down Under” (not one of mine) and “Sapphire Blues.” There was a total of 17 submissions with those titles, so he put the entry forms into a hat and picked one out – my “Sapphire Blues.”
I was doubly elated because not only had it taken creativity to be the winner, but it was also the luck of the draw. Talk about the power of positive thinking!
We spoke a little about the film, and I told the filmmaker that there was one scene that I particularly liked. In the film, the main character (Friels) develops strong feelings for his best friend’s girlfriend, but is too ethical to act on them. His moral dilemma is highlighted in a scene in which he is sitting alone at a campfire, and the girl comes out of her tent and starts to walk toward him. She says, “I just came to say goodnight.” You can feel the attraction between the two and recognize the girl’s obvious attempt to spend some time with him alone.
As he teeters on the horns of his dilemma, he hesitates for a moment and then says bluntly, “Goodnight.” She gets the message, turns on her heels and goes back to her tent.
I told Dingwall how clearly that scene demonstrated what a man of honor the character was.
He was delighted. He said that he had spent a lot of time working on that scene and had written pages of script until he had pared it down to that one brief exchange.
“I’m so glad you got that,” he said. “I’m very happy that the sapphire is going to someone who really understood and appreciated the film.”
And I, too, felt very gratified that I had genuinely deserved to win the prize.
I had the deep-blue, three-carat sapphire made into a beautiful ring, surrounded by diamond chips, which I wear with pride on special occasions.
In the end, it seems that the name of the movie was not changed. At the 1983 Australian Film Institute awards, John Dingwall won the AFI Award for Best Original Screenplay for
Buddies. And the film was nominated in the categories of Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Simon Chivers); Best Actress in a Lead Role (Kris McQuade); Best Original Music Score (Chris Neal); and Best Achievement in Sound.
But be that as it may, in the ongoing film that is my life, that scene of my winning the coveted sapphire will always stand out as one of the most memorable. –