What's it about, Miss?

Look Both Ways is an Australian film directed by Sarah Watt. It is a good Australian film. It is beautifully crafted. We are going to learn a lot about film technique, particularly the use of animation and photomontage. As for the characters - they're just the way I like them - quirky, interesting and vulnerable.

The film is set in suburban Adelaide. The action takes place over a weekend. All the characters are joined together by an accident in which a young man, Rob, has been fatally hit by a train. First, we meet Meryl, a single illustrator who has just been to her father's funeral. Her fears are shown through animation. Julia (pictured) is Rob's partner. Nick is a photojournalist who has just been diagnosed with cancer. Andy is a journalist. He works with Nick at the Southern Mail. He is a single father with weekend access and is doing a story on suicide. Anna is a paediatric nurse who is pregnant to Andy. Phil is Nick and Andy's editor who is immersed in his job to the detriment of his family. The other characters are the train driver involved in Rob's accident and his son as well as Nick's parents, Joan and Jim.

This film looks at death - accidental, natural, suicidal and as the result of illness. Yet as the title suggests we are encouraged to "look both ways". This film is also about life, love, fear and the role of the media in perpetuating those fears, honesty and my favourite idea in the film - the idea of people's lives all being interconnected.

So we begin. Let me know your first reactions to this film.

P.S. Remember, we are going to ACMI on Thursday. I can't wait!