Radiance (Rachel Perkins, 1998) wr. Louis Nowra, play and screenplay, dp Warwick Thornton; Deborah Mailman (Nona), Rachael Maza (Cressy), Trisha Morton-Thomas (Mae); story of reunion between three Aboriginal sisters
Another Louis Nowra play very successfully transferred to the screen.
Garry Gillard:
The screenplay says that Nona is 'making a joke' about making a land claim, but it is fairly clear that the film is not. Returning the mother's ashes to the land, and to land to which she felt an attachment is clearly meant to make us think of the attachment that Indigenous people feel to the land, and after the judgement called Mabo, to see the scattering as symbolic of something like making a native title claim. Australian Screen Education, 29, 2002: 179-182.
Andrew L. Urban:
Louis Nowra’s script is terrific in every way, from the sharply observed and economical dialogue, to the structure that takes us through the revelations which eventually unite the sisters, revelations to demonstrate that ‘truth sets you free’. ... Perkins’ confident direction is filled with cinematic propellants. It is an engrossing film, often highly entertaining as well as thought provoking, and is saturated with humanity. There are no socio-political undertones, just contemporary characters. This is a marvelous debut for Perkins. Urban Cinefile.
As above, plus:
Davin, Louisa, Radiance, in the Oz Film Database.
Garry Gillard | New: 9 November, 2012 | Now: 2 December, 2022