Bran Nue Dae (film)

Bran Nue Dae
Company type	Film
Industry	Film industry
Founded	2009
Founder	Rachel Perkins, Reg Cribb, Jimmy Chi (original stage musical creator)
Headquarters	Australia
Products	Musical comedy-drama film

Bran Nue Dae is a 2009 Australian musical comedy-drama film directed by Rachel Perkins, who co-wrote the screenplay with Reg Cribb. This movie is an adaptation of the 1990 stage musical created by Jimmy Chi and portrays the coming-of-age journey of an Aboriginal Australian teenager during a road trip set in the 1960s.

Plot

Set in Broome in 1969, Willie Johnson faces challenges in his relationship with Rosie, who eventually becomes involved with bandleader Lester. His mother, Theresa, sends him back to a boarding school in Perth to study for the priesthood. After getting caught stealing food, Willie confesses but escapes, spending a night on the streets of Perth before encountering 'Uncle' Tadpole, who offers assistance to help him get back home.

Their travels take them to Fremantle, where Tadpole deliberately gets hit by a Kombi van driven by hippies Slippery and Annie. The couple agrees to give them a ride to Broome. Meanwhile, Father Benedictus—the college head and Willie's biological father—starts searching for Willie upon learning of his escape. Along the way, they stop at a roadhouse where Willie meets "Roadhouse Betty." Following Tadpole’s theft of supplies and rising tensions, Slippery abandons the group; Tadpole then curses the hippies, resulting in their van breaking down.

Willie manages to hitch a ride with a football team heading to Port Hedland, where he encounters Roxanne who invites him for an adventurous night that is cut short by her jealous boyfriend. Tadpole intervenes and rescues Willie from the altercation. Later, the group is arrested for marijuana possession; Slippery reveals his true identity as Wolfgang Benedictus, Father Benedictus’s son. After spending a night in jail, they finally arrive in Broome where Willie attempts to win Rosie back but is interrupted by a temperance march.

At a beach gathering, Willie openly declares his love for Rosie. Theresa discloses family secrets: Wolfgang is Father Benedictus’s son, and Tadpole is revealed to be Willie's biological father.

Cast

Rocky McKenzie portrays William "Willie" Johnson, a rebellious youth who escapes from a Catholic Mission in Perth to return home to Broome.
Jessica Mauboy plays Rosie, an aspiring vocalist and Willie's romantic interest; this film marks Mauboy's acting debut following her success on Australian Idol.
Ernie Dingo appears as Stephen "Uncle Tadpole" Johnson, Willie's traveling companion; reprising his role from the original 1989 stage production.
Missy Higgins takes on the role of Annie, Slippery's spiritual partner journeying to Perth; this is Higgins' first acting role.
Geoffrey Rush acts as Father Benedictus, the strict priest pursuing Willie—a role offered by director Perkins.
Tom Budge features as Slippery, a German hippie tourist traveling alongside Annie.
Deborah Mailman plays Roxanne.
Ningali Lawford portrays Theresa, Willie's mother and an original cast member from the 1989 stage version.
Stephen "Baamba" Albert appears as Pastor Flaggon, also reprising his role from the original stage production.
Dan Sultan acts as Lester, the local bandleader and Rosie's love interest.
Magda Szubanski plays Roadhouse Betty, owner of the roadhouse.

Release

Bran Nue Dae had its premiere at the Melbourne International Film Festival closing night on 8 August 2009. It made its international debut at the Toronto International Film Festival on 12 September 2009 and was subsequently shown out-of-competition at the Sundance Film Festival in 2010. The film also screened at the Antipodean Film Festival held in Saint Tropez, France, during October 2010.

The official theatrical premiere took place on 8 December 2009 at Sun Pictures theatre in Broome, Western Australia, featuring a "red dirt" carpet event. Ahead of this premiere, principal cast members Mauboy, Sultan, Higgins, and Dingo performed publicly alongside the Kuckles band in Broome's Chinatown.

Box office

The film premiered in Australian cinemas on 14 January 2010, debuting at number six with an average ticket revenue of $6,977 across 231 screens, generating $1.6 million during its opening weekend. Within a fortnight, it amassed $3.7 million and eventually exceeded $7.5 million in total box office takings. Bran Nue Dae is ranked among the top 50 Australian films based on domestic box office earnings.

Critical reception

Reviews for the film were varied. According to Rotten Tomatoes, 56% of 61 critics gave positive feedback, resulting in an average rating of 5.9 out of 10. The site's summary notes: "While original and spirited, Bran Nue Dae feels inconsistent and occasionally overly kitschy." On Metacritic, it holds a score of 54 out of 100 from 22 critics, reflecting "mixed or average reviews."

Dennis Harvey of Variety characterized the film as possessing a "dated once-almost-hip aesthetic" with "unremarkable stereotypical characters within a clichéd road-trip storyline," pointing out its limited dance sequences, forgettable musical numbers, and a lack of authentic cultural representation. Craig Mathieson from SBS Films emphasized the movie's "zany, vivid energy" featuring brisk pacing and lively songs but remarked that director Perkins was "not visually intuitive," though she embraced moments of farce and musical performances. Mathieson drew favorable comparisons to the 1982 musical Starstruck for its enthusiasm and self-assuredness despite visually cluttered scenes.

Philippa Hawker of The Age commended the ensemble cast, describing Dingo as "excellent portraying Uncle Tadpole," Rush as notable for his "distinctive physicality and flamboyant German accent," while newcomer Jessica Mauboy contributed "charm and assurance" in her role as Rosie.

Accolades

Bran Nue Dae along with its cast garnered multiple industry honors:

Wins

Melbourne International Film Festival
- Audience Award for Best Feature Film

Nominations

2009 Toronto International Film Festival
- People's Choice Award

Award	Category	Nominee	Outcome
AACTA Awards (2010 AFI Awards)	Best Supporting Actress	Deborah Mailman	Template:Won
	Best Original Music Score	Cezary Skubiszewski, Jimmy Chi, Patrick Duttoo Bin Amat, Garry Gower, Michael Manolis Mavromatis, Stephen Pigram	Template:Nominated
	Best Sound	Andrew Neil, Steve Burgess, Peter Mills, Mario Vaccaro, Blair Slater, David Bridie, Scott Montgomery	Template:Nominated
	Best Costume Design	Margot Wilson	Template:Nominated
	Best Adapted Screenplay	Reg Cribb, Rachel Perkins, Jimmy Chi	Template:Nominated
Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards	Best Music Score	Cezary Skubiszewski	Template:Won
	Best Supporting Actress	Deborah Mailman	Template:Nominated
	Best Director	Rachel Perkins	Template:Nominated
	Best Film	Robyn Kershaw, Graeme Isaac	Template:Nominated

Soundtrack

The film’s official soundtrack was launched on 15 January 2010 by Sony Music Australia, encompassing styles such as Rhythm & Blues, Pop music, and Rock and roll. Produced by David Bridie alongside Cezary Skubiszewski, the album has a total runtime of 58 minutes and 25 seconds. It received a nomination for the ARIA Award for Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album at the ARIA Music Awards of 2010.

Charts

Chart (2010)	Highest ranking
Australian ARIA Albums Chart	29

External links

Bran Nue Dae on Oz Movies