Somersault (2004)
Somersault (2004) 8/10
Australian Film Institute (2004)
Best Actor in a Leading Role: Sam Worthington
Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Erik Thomson
Best Actress in a Leading Role: Abbie Cornish
Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Lynette Curran
Best Cinematography
Best Costume Design
Best Direction
Best Editing
Best Film
Best Original Music Score
Best Production Design
Best Screenplay, Original
Best Sound
There are very few female directors who are famous, and even fewer are at the top of the league. However, Cate Shortland who directed Somersault, displays remarkable talent in this impressive Australian Indie film. Along with LANTANA and THE PROPOSITION, Somersault is one of the best Australian films i’ve seem. In fact, its probably the best Australian film ever made. This article gives you an idea of how big a deal Somersault was in 2004. Somersault was nominated for 15 awards by the Australian Film Institute (Australia’s equivalent of the Oscars), and won 13 awards in the end. The only 2 awards that it didn’t win was for Best Supporting Actress and Best Supporting Actor and that was because it had received 2 Best Supporting Actress and Best Supporting Actor nominations each. Therefore, it was prevented from winning all 15 awards by impossibility, and swept every single award it could could possibly win.
I could talk about the beautiful cinematography, the excellent script, the nuanced direction or the uniformly excellent cast. But the film is about Abbie Cornish, who plays the main character with aching vulnerability and beguiling innocence. Like a force of nature, she steals every scene she is in and puts in one of the best leading performances ever. It is a performance that is worthy of an Oscar statuette, if only the Oscars were more discerning about their nominations. The characters have depth and while not necessarily good, are beautiful in their flawed imperfections.
One of the best films i have ever watched.
“Cate Shortland’s “Somersault,” which won the Australian Film Institute Award for best picture and actress, eerily evokes the marooned feeling between childhood and adulthood. Dreamy and creepy, tender and terrifying, “Somersault” is a frank and visceral film that at the same time exudes an unexpected innocence.”- LA Times
“In short, Somersault is an enjoyable, impressively directed debut that’s worth seeing for Abbie Cornish’s stunning performance. Indeed, this could well end up as one of the best films of the year.”- Turner
