Unfinished Sky

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Unfinished Sky
Directed by	Peter Duncan
Written by	Peter Duncan Kees van der Hulst
Produced by	Tom Hoffie Robert Kievit San Fu Maltha Hanneke Niens Cathy Rodda Anton Smit Mumtaz Yildirimlar
Starring	William McInnes Monic Hendrickx David Field Bille Brown
Cinematography	Robert Humphries
Edited by	Suresh Ayyar
Music by	Antony Partos
Production company	New Holland Pictures
Distributed by	Palace Films
Release date	2007 (2007)
Running time	94 minutes
Country	Australia
Language	English
Box office	$745,484

Unfinished Sky is a 2007 drama film written and directed by Peter Duncan. William McInnes stars as John Woldring, an Australian farmer living in self-imposed exile over the false accusation regarding the death of his wife who later falls in love with Tahmeena, an Afghani refugee, who is played by Monic Hendrickx. Deliberated by scholars and Peter Duncan as being a film centralised focused on the response to 9/11, Unfinished Sky is described as one intrinsically based in the idea of the post-nation cinema. Academics label the main themes and motives as to those relating to; isolation, the fear of others, and the overcoming of obstacles, whilst more particular critics note notions of the Australian identity and consequences relating to an individual context.

Originally based on a 1998 film, The Polish Bride, Peter Duncan reiterates it as being a reimagined story shifted into an Australian context. Criticised, however, for its arbitrary position in terms of Monic Hendrickx's character, who plays the relevant protagonist in The Polish Bride, with a negative perspective more universally adopted. Hendrickx's casting was catalysed by her respective place in the Polish film, with the producing studio a joint venture of a Dutch and Australian duo labelled as New Holland Pictures, intent on director Peter Duncan trying her for the role. The alternate actor of William McInnes was praised for his more stoic and wounded portrayal of an isolated individual withdrawn from any further involvement in society.

Filmed in Queensland, at Beaudesert and Boonah, cinematographer Robert Humphries deliberately framed the colours and reliability of the camera as a reflection of the familiarity of the central relationship. As such, the first parts of the film are notoriously dull and lacking fluidity, taking advantage of the harsh Australia landscape, with editor Suresh Ayyar furthering this jaded quality, eventually contrasting it with vibrancy in the later parts of the film.

Released early on August the 4th 2007 at the Brisbane Film Festival, later releases being January the 31st and June the 19th 2008 in the Netherlands and Australia respectively, Unfinished Sky grossed just under $750,000 worldwide. It was relatively well received, winning various awards for; best director, best adapted screenplay, best editor and best music during its theatrical release.

Plot[]

John Woldring (William McInnes), a widowed outback Australian farmer, is living a self-imposed life-style of isolation in a small Queensland town until Tahmeena (Monic Hendrickx), a traumatised Afghan refugee, collapses near his sheep station. Halted by an inherent cultural and language barrier, the two reconcile their similarly damaging past over the course of the film with help from communicatory establishments.

Whereas John was previously accused of murdering his wife, Tahmeena's flee to Australia from life under the Taliban was met with the searching of her daughter, who she was separated from, eventually being ‘propertied’ by the relevant local hotel. Having been consequently prostituted, Sergeant Carl Allen rapes and abuses her, catalysing her desperate escape that results in the meeting of the John. The couple initially struggle to communicate, given the language barrier, with various teachings only further developing their requited attraction for each other. Eventually forming a somewhat hesitant romantic relationship, John and Tahmeena are able to reconcile differences and bond over similarities in isolation.

An intense conclusion results in a shoot-out between the corrupt towns folk involved in Tahmeena's past and John lends itself to a bleak ending, with Tahmeena consequently incarcerated due to her status as a refugee. Yet the closing is optimistic, Tahmeena is reunited with her daughter and John states a fulfilled promise of returning her home, which is now Australia, finalising both protagonists arcs as having found a place of belonging.

Cast[]

• William McInnes as John Woldring
• Monic Hendrickx as Tahmeena
• Billie Brown as Bob Potter
• Christopher Sommers as Mike Potter
• David Field as Sergeant Carl Allen
• Sam Cotton as Angus
• Kristina Andersen as Supermarket Shopper
• Renai Caruso as Kate
• Zulaikha Deen as Shahla (6-year-old)
• Hannah Cocker as Shahla (11-year-old)
• Scott McRae as Policemen
• Roy Billing as Royce
• Mercia Deane-Johns as Barbara
• Philippa Coutlhard as Rose

Themes[]

Unfinished Sky is presented as a rebuttal to the contextual feelings regarding global influences, reflecting on the growing connection between regions such as Asia and the Middle East, with the underlying central political and social themes lending the film as an 'example of post-national cinema.^[1] With Tahmeena being an Afghani refugee, and having escaped from a brothel, the exploitation of humans through the sex trade or trafficking is centralised.^[2] This allows the film to reiterate the current issues regarding Australian immigration policy, with Peter Duncan commenting on how, "people have become more fearful of each other," in a post 9/11 world.^[3][4]

Fear of Others[]

Discussed amongst scholars in its more blatant representation and innate didactic portrayal, given Duncan's desire for it to be centralised,^[5][6] the fear of others and/or of difference is a contextually relevant issue at the post 9/11 time of release.^[7][8] Revealed in the starting of the text, John, upon meeting Tahmeena, asks, "Are you Muslim? Islam? Taliban?,", in which Khoo comments on the avoidance of these more politically divisive character traits, yet the inclusion questions the preordained perspectives that relate.^[9] Lambert further interrogates the underlining depiction relating to public perception of the ‘other’, citing John's change in point of view relating to Tahmeena as a "call for changes to the tone of official policy and action."^[10] However, McCarthy argues against this reframing of the protagonist, reconfirming the instant attraction relates to the matching appearance to that of his late wife.^[11][12] Continuing, McCarthy questions the importance of this specific theme, labelling "Tahmeena’s cultural specificity" as being ‘erased’ when in Australia, rendering the background of being Afghani as "entirely arbitrary".^[13] With this is mind, the framing of the fear of difference, and Duncan's didactic intention achieved through the reimagining of The Polish Bride seemingly falters, given a mere appropriation of culture, situating alternate identities as almost inferior to that of white culture.^[14] Khoo develops this idea, clinically classifying Hendrickx's portrayal as comparable to Downey Jnr's blackface in Tropic Thunder with respect to the power dynamics at play.^[15] Unfinished Sky's arguably most intrinsic theme seemingly erects what it attempts to dismantle, Khoo concludingly stating the notion as, "leaving one always on one side of the fence or the other."^[16]

Isolation[]

One of the principal filming locations, Boonah, Queensland

John's voluntary and borderline exile in the harsh Australian landscape makes way for an entrapped isolation as framed by Duncan in his interview with McFarlane, in which the film narrates the individual appendages that separates and detaches both John and Tahmeena.^[17] The title also ties in, that being a reference to John's unfinished puzzle, narrating a clear character flaw, the incomplete puzzle symbolising a man broken over the accusation of involvement in his wife's death.^[18] Duncan comments on this particular aspect, alluding to a universal aspect on life, metaphorically saying that, "we never have that last piece of the puzzle to put in - or if we do that's when we die.^[19] The titular motif also doubles in that it retrospectively reflects the relationship between the two,^[20] the various attempts at finalising its completion ineffective given the couple’s fit is not yet plausible. However, upon the completion of the puzzle, a task the two later engage in, a metaphorical recovery is situated, along with the ability to communicate about issues often left unsaid.^[21][22]

Contextual Consequences[]

Framed as a text in response to the growing concerns of increasing disregard and trepidation for the unfamiliar, Duncan more so frames this as a political and authorial undertone about the growing distrust.^[23] More specifically, this focuses on the well voiced governmental reiteration relating to asylum seekers, with Lambert commenting on how the film can, "explore … the limits of a seemingly new Australian sensitivity to others and to the environment."^[24] The ending of the film, in which Tahmeena stays, something that McCarthy notes as unrealistic contextually with respect to Australia's strict border protection policy,^[25] acts as both a catalyst reflection on reality and a hopeful, more ‘open’ Australia.^[26]

Overcoming Fears[]

Lambert argues that Tahmeena's character lends itself to the softening of those who should be distrusted, citing Tascon in that the ‘love’ between John and Tahmeena "makes the welcome of the stranger possible in the deepest and riskiest manner."^[27] Here, Lambert allows for John to be reframed as a contextual Australian struck with sympathy, the completion puzzle simultaneously symbolising John's acceptance of Tahmeena in order to ‘solve’ his problems, as reiterated by Khoo.^[28] Once again, McCarthy offers a differing perspective, presenting the acceptance of the ‘other’ as that done so with an understood power imbalance, citing Tahmeena as a character plagued by childlike representations.^[29] Duncan's approach of not subtitling Tahmeena's language when speaking in Arabic is particular relevant, disputed as to whether this leaves her voiceless or reinforces the difference and need for John to overcome this, critics opinions differ.^[30]

Australian Identity[]

Unfinished Sky, an introspective text, is discussed as being a revaluation of the Australian identity, from the director, Peter Duncan, to critics, such as Khoo and McCarthy. Whilst originating as an adaptation to The Polish Bride, Unfinished Sky represents a "changing era of globalised Australian cinema," according to Khoo, with the post-national and regional aspects making way for an identity of multiculturalist appreciation to be plausible.^[31] McCarthy specifically questions this notion, quoting disproportionate favouring of White Australians in this portrayal, succinctly commenting on the resulting attempts at a reimagination in, "The result is a contextualisation of multiculturalism as a form of national heritage within an overarching commitment to the idea."^[32] Unfinished Sky remains a multicultural text with its effectiveness in doing so heavily questioned, however, the individualised perception of the world from John calls for a broadening of spectrums, with the omission of subtitles subtlety highlighting one dimensional approaches.^[33]

Production[]

Development[]

Monic Hendrickx (Tahmeena)

The involvement and investment of New Holland Pictures, a combination of the Dutch company responsible for the production The Polish Bride and an Australian pair, Cathy and Mark Overett, was vital in the creation of Unfinished Sky.^[34] Given that Unfinished Sky is loosely based on the 1998 Dutch film (The Polish Bride), the joint venture production company urged the consideration of Monic Hendrickx,^[35] who played the relevant counterpart to Tahmeena in The Polish Bride.^[36] This catalysed the casting of Monic Hendrickx, with Peter Duncan (director), although originally sceptical, ultimately impressed, recasting her in his culturally appropriated reimagining.^[37]

Peter Duncan originated the idea as a contextual adaptation in response to the impact of 9/11, whilst reconceptualising the story in an Australian setting,^[38] with it being shot mainly in Beaudesert, Queensland in the South of Brisbane.^[39] In an interview with Matthew Pejkovic, Duncan describes the film as one, ‘about overcoming those fears,’ in relation to his earlier comment of, ‘how people have become more fearful of each other,’ highlighting the central message of overcoming the distrust associated with difference.^[40]

Cinematography[]

The cinematography of the film, headed by Robert Humphries, attempts to mimic the characterisation and interaction of the two protagonists.^[41] Distinctly split into two parts, the opening half of the film is distinguished by a more tonally grey image, a result of a slight crushing of colour, reflecting the coarseness of interaction between the protagonists. In union with a primary use of hand-held camera, the first half of the film acts as an internal reflection of the more ‘abrasive’ relationship between Tahmeena and John.^[42] However, once the romantic subplot further develops, the camera movements increase in fluidity, courtesy of the increased use of the dolly, whilst the once dull colour spectrum becomes more saturated and richer.^[43]

Camera work is also used to metaphorically represent internal perceptions of the world as viewed by the characters that inhabit it, most notably with respect to the presentation of the landscape.^[44] Duncan touches on this in an interview with Brian McFarlane, tying the portrayal of setting as that from the perspective of John, stating, "He’s so lost his sense of place that he doesn’t notice the beauty around him."^[45] Fulfilling this in that the later sections of the film, much like the tonality, are dominated by more vivid presentations of the countryside. Similar, for Tahmeena, the country house is not fully revealed for a major section of the film, with the first full shot of the estate tactfully withheld given that, according to Duncan, "she is totally disorientated and can’t get a full picture of it."^[46]

Release[]

The film was release globally on 19 June 2008 to a number of domestic film festivals, international screenings including Toronto and Dubai, with an earlier release of January 31 that year in the Netherlands.^[47] It grossed $151,695 from opening at 29 theatres, staying in cinemas for 28 weeks at a total of 40 theatres and grossing $748,376 worldwide, with the vast majority of revenue coming from the Australian release ($745,484).^[48]

Reception[]

The film was nominated for 10 Australian Film Institute Awards at its 2008 ceremony. It won three, including Best Screenplay, Best Actress (Monic Hendrickx) and Best Actor (William McInnes).^[49] The film received positive reviews and was generally well received by audiences.^[50] Its theatrical release also garnered many awards, namely; Duncan's win for Best Director, the Macquarie AFI Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Editor (Suresh Ayyer), Best Screenplay and Best Music (Antony Partos) from Film Critics Circle of Australia and Best Director and Best Editing from IF Awards.^[51] Unfinished Sky was screened at the opening night of the 2008 Dungog Film Festival.^{[citation needed]}

See also[]

• Cinema of Australia

References[]

External links[]

• Unfinished Sky at IMDb