Sweet As

I'll start with the positives, shot well with beautiful Aussie landscapes and some refreshing Aboriginal music - Thats it. It's simply about a bunch of teens who are (apparently) troubled who get to go on a how to take photos tour bus in the middle of the Aussie outback and they are supposed to learn that photos are about stories and then they can find themselves. What I watched was a bunch of teens who had NO real trauma at all, just a bunch of winging teens. No stakes, no danger, no climax, absolutely nothing. This is the most underdeveloped story Screen Australia has ever made. If this was developed by you and funded - you actually thought, it was ready? A bunch of teems take photos and they just walk around, take photos, talk, have an argument, talk, take photos, something almost happens but then doesn't. No character arcs, no story arcs - actually there is no story here, your filming life at slow motion. I am a BIG advocator of Indigenous films, especially because I am of color. This was NOT a film, just a bunch of scenes. You as an agency have no idea what you are doing, ticking the diversity boxes again. Bad story, bad direction, bad script. And the actors were shocking apart from Mark Coles Smith. Don't waste your time, it's the slowest most boring film you'll ever watch and it's hard to sit through.

If you are looking for an excellent, must-see movie, head to the cinema to see Sweet As. It tells the story of Murra, an Indigenous Australian teen who discovers her love for photography at a youth camp in Western Australia. Jub Clerc directs this captivating film that mixes coming-of-age and road trip genres, resulting in a lively and compelling plot. The film boasts a brilliant cast of actors, especially Shantae Barnes-Cowan, who plays Murra with realism and nuance.

Sweet As is deeply influenced by the Indigenous Australian idea of country - the bond between people, land, and culture. The film shows how Murra's connection to her country influences her identity and sense of belonging. For instance, we see how Murra learns from her elders about her heritage and customs, connects with the land through photography, and bonds with her campmates over their common experiences.

Sweet As also displays the beautiful scenery of Western Australia, with stunning cinematography that enriches the story's tone and setting. It contrasts the urban and rural environments, the variety of natural landscapes, and the symbolic use of light and colour. The film's music is another strength, featuring original songs that express the film's feelings and themes. Songs mirror Murra's inner conflict, the joy of exploration, and sense of confidence.

The movie addresses relevant topics such as identity, belonging, and family with delicacy and elegance. Sweet As will make you laugh, cry, and think as it takes you on a journey with unforgettable characters and a powerful message. The film is a tribute to Indigenous Australian culture's diversity and its filmmakers' skills. Don't miss it!

"Sweet As" is a thinly-disguised tourism advertisement, that reminds the serious traveller not to waste time on the cities but to get out to where you'll be sure, but only just, that you can find your way back to the road.

The main character is Western Australia. That's where you can lose your trivial self. But don't get lost for real, because roads are only few and they're quite far between. It's all millions of years old; and tens of thousands of years of habitation by the ABCs (the Australians Before Cook) did about as much damage to the environment as a couple of hours of ferocious activity by extractive industries in our unapologetic capitalism.

Some young people, who are learning about photography, have been inserted, as a flimsy excuse for taking pictures of this Main Character. I can't remember what happens in their story - the cop is a good guy, and the rough elements are suitably rough. Some of the young people are supposed to be dysfunctional. No-one gets killed, and no-one gets pregnant - or not that I noticed.

Civilisation, in this portrayal of WA, consists mainly of big silos and big stacks of minerals waiting to be loaded onto ships - the cinematographer does good work here, contrasting this coastal fringe of frenetic activity with the Big Land, which looks on silently and is not much impressed by what it sees.

Shantae Barnes-Cowan, as well as being easy on the eye, can do that actor's thing: replace half a page of dialogue with a "look" - and if that half-page was going to be mainly cliche, that look will do just fine. As Murra, she adds nifty titles to nifty snap-shots. To Murra, this is her land; to the average Australian it's just real estate and marketable resources.

So the land cries out: See me, don't sell me; feel my pulse, don't flog me off. Viewers of this movie might find themselves wishing that the humans on the screen would hurry up and finish whatever it is they're doing, so that the camera can get back to connecting this heartland to our hearts.

Well it had potential - this could have gone off in the comedy direction or tackled some big issues but instead went nowhere fast. A few kids go on a road trip with a couple of counsellors for some reason. How were they chosen? How are there only four kids and two adults supervisors? Seems unlikely but never mind. All the kids have issues that are explored very superficially, they eventually form a friendship and then return to civilisation where every problem they previously had is mysteriously solved without any real explanation. I was really expecting some plotline or humour or something but it never eventuated. The main character spends her time being 'enigmatic' by saying virtually nothing. A wasted opportunity - but the scenery was nice at least.

This is a sweet, coming of age film that tells the story of a young girl discovering herself and the beauty of the world around her. It's also a landmark film, because it's the first Australian film directed by an indigenous person. Jud Clerc directed and co-wrote it along with Steve Rodgers. Sweet As" is a semi-biographical movie based on Clerc's participation in a photography camp when she was a teenager back in the 1980s. It proved to be a life-changing experience for her and ultimately led to her passion for the visual arts. This beautiful movie is an updated retelling of her fascinating story.

Murra, played by Shantae Barnes-Cowan ("The Redemption" "Wyrmwood Apocalypse"), is a young Aboriginal girl living with her single mother Grace (Ngaire Pigram). One evening Murra comes home to a wild, drug- and alcohol- fueled party. Things start to get out of hand when one of Grace's friends chases after Murra and tries to break into her bedroom. She calls her uncle Ian (Mark Coles Smith), a policeman who breaks up the party and takes Murra home with him. She has a room at his house and it's clear by the way it's decorated, she's stayed here before.

Ian does his best to look out for Murra. As an alternative to putting her in the Protective Services system, he signs Murra up for a photography camp. It's an innovative program that gets at-risk kids out into the country and introduces them to the world of photography. A handful of teens have been chosen to venture into the remote Pilbara region of Western Australia. It's a wild and visually stunning part of the country. At first, Murra is reluctant to join the group, but she resigns herself to the fact that it beats the alternative.

The group is clearly in safe hands. The driver and leader of the expedition is steadfast and no-nonsense Mitch ((Tasma Walton). Like Murra, she's also of Aboriginal descent. Nando (Carlos Sanson Jr.), a handsome, gentle Latin-American refugee is the photography expert, and he's just bubbling with enthusiasm at the opportunity to introduce these teens to photography and share his knowledge with them.

Murra is introduced to the rest of the group. There's the other girl Kylie (Mikayla Levy) who's the free-spirited rebel of the pack. When the teens are forced to turn in their phones in exchange for a camera at the beginning of the trip, Kylie secretly hides a second phone so she can keep in constant contact with her much older and controlling boyfriend. Sean (Andrew Wallace) is an intelligent, quiet boy who's there because of his numerous suicide attempts. Rounding out the group is Elvis (Pedrea Jackson), a super-friendly, likable sort who gets along with everyone. It isn't till much later in the film when we learn his tragic background.

As one would expect when throwing a bunch of disparate teens together, there's a bit of friction at first between the kids. The tension is particularly strong between Murra and Kylie-they're both headstrong and determined young women. Eventually they resolve their differences and become chums.

The adventure the group embarks on is truly eye-opening. They head into a desolate and stunning part of the country. It's a region held sacred by the indigenous people who have great respect for the land, its flora and fauna, and especially its people. Nando teaches the teens the importance of really looking at the world and having the photographs they take speak from their hearts. A good deal of the story focuses on Murra and her interpretation of what she visualizes. Whenever she takes a photo, the frame freezes for a few seconds and the title she gives it appears on the screen. It's a clever device that works well to explain how she views her surroundings.

In addition to the excellent acting, a couple of other factors help contribute to making this such a powerful film. I especially enjoyed the soundtrack. It's a wide variety of indigenous music which ranges from upbeat reggae style tunes, to quiet, thoughtful folk numbers. I doubt it's available to purchase, but I'd be the first in line to buy it if it was. Then there's the brilliant camerawork of cinematographer Katie Milwright. She not only uses closeups of the kids to help convey what they're experiencing, she paints a beautiful cinematic portrait of the landscape. It's a part of the country that's unlike anything I've ever seen before. The rich, red ochre mountains almost look fake, they're that colorful. We're treated to one surprising scene after another.

This is one of those films where I can totally empathize with the main character. Sure, she's an Aboriginal teenage girl living with an alcoholic, drug abusing mother in Western Australia, participating in a photography camp. And I'm, well...just about the opposite. When I was a freshman in high school, I was a bit of a drifter and struggled to fit in. Then I took a photography class with an inspiring teacher who not only taught me how to take photos and use the darkroom, he changed the way I looked at the world. He almost single-handedly turned my life around. A little bit like Murra's story.

I can't recommend this movie highly enough. I'm not surprised it's received numerous awards at various film festivals including TIFF and the Berlin International Film Festival. It's one I think the whole family will enjoy.