SURVIVING GEORGIA

Australia, 2011, 85 minutes. Colour.
Pia Miranda, Holly Valance, Shane Jacobson, Caroline O’ Connor, Spencer Mc Laren, Toby Wallace, Alyssa Mc Clelland.
Directed by Sandra Sciberras and Kate Whitbread.

No, not a drama about the southern states of the USA. Rather, this is a small Australian film about families and relationships. It is set, rather beautifully, in the Victorian town of Warburton at the foot of the ranges.

Georgia is the mother of two daughters whom she abandoned when they were young, and disappeared. She is the over-extraverted type with a penchant for tangling with men. One of the daughters, Heidi, is very reserved and works at a glass factory in Melbourne. The other daughter, Rose, seems to be on a path similar to that of her mother. She has a young son.

Suddenly, they find that their mother is in Warburton but terminally ill. Grudgingly, they go to the town and begin to make a life there. Rose meets up with the local policeman who was sweet on her in the past. He also gets on very well with her son. It actually gets a bit more complicated because of their mother’s partner who has persuaded them to come back. And then they encounter their mother.

It is mainly a drama about relationships, of regrets on the part of the daughters and of the mother, and the two younger women finding their true selves.

The daughters are played by Pia Miranda as Heidi and Holly Vallance as Rose. Theatre singer and dancer, Caroline O’ Connor, is Georgia. A pleasing presence is Shane Jacobson as Johnnie, the rather large but affable policeman.

Modest and modestly entertaining.

1. A family story? Australian story? A women’s story?

2. The Australian tone of the film, dialogue, accents, phrases, humour and offhand irony? Sentiment?

3. The use of Warburton settings, the town, the mountains, streets, cafes, homes, school? The 1980s? Later? The feel of the town?

4. The musical score, the songs, the lyrics?

5. Heidi’s voice-over, her point of view, her commentary on herself, her sister, her mother?

6. The introduction to Georgia, Heidi describing her, her look, clothes, loud, the men in her life, the images of the men, her relationships, the children, not knowing the father? Frank and his friendship, playing with the children, supporting Georgia? The girls, adoring their mother, the glamorous life? Her success, her failure, her leaving, abandoning the girls?

7. Rose and Heidi, the passing of twelve years, Rose, having her son at age sixteen, her devotion to Albie? Heidi and her work, her sense of responsibility? The two surviving the departure of their mother? Living their separate lives? The contacts?

8. Rose’s phone call, living in the hotel, her needs? Both of them receiving the pink envelopes? Not reading them? The arguing about reading them, the visit, the tension, Albie offering to read the letters? Their finally reading them?

9. Going to the hotel, meeting with Frank, his story about Georgia’s cancer? The decision to return back to Warburton, the limits of time? The inheriting of the milk bar? Heidi and her disappointment not to be able to talk with her mother and find out the truth? Travelling to Warburton, the shop, cleaning it up, the possibilities?

10. Heidi’s job in the glass factory? Her work? James and his attention? Conversations with her friend? The design of the ballerinas? Talking with James, his visit, inviting her to his archery?

11. Warburton, Johnnie as the policeman, his back-story, with the two girls? His attraction to Rose? Pulling her over, giving her a ticket, genial, her dropping it, his picking it up and giving it to her? Johnnie and his talking to Heidi? The meetings with Rose, the banter, the uniform? His bond with Albie? The basketball? The school and the threats? His helping Albie with the bullies? His hold over the bullies? Taking Albie fly-fishing? Rose enjoying the outing? His genial character?

12. Rose and her character, personality, resembling her mother, love for her son, protective of him? The mirror-image of her mother yet refusing to talk with her?

13. Frank, the true story, the reaction of the girls? To their mother being alive? And Frank and his story of dying?

14. Heidi, the cautious visit, the drive with her mother, the attempt at apology? The visit to the café, Rose going under the table, their mother sent off by Frank, Frank telling the final truth?

15. Frank as loving Georgia all his life? Georgia giving her life for him? Helping Frank? The truth, her packing, weeping, their talking things over, her staying?

16. The fact that she had written the letters, kept them, giving them to the girls? The girls reading them, changing their attitude?

17. Rose and her decision to leave, Albie on the roof, Johnnie and his climb up, their talking, Rose and her return, deciding to stay?

18. Sandy, the past, welcoming Heidi, the prospect of the wedding, the shopping, the wedding gown, the ceremony itself, Heidi and Rose going, Sandy and her talking plainly to Heidi? Getting the ballerinas – and James taking the order?

19. James, his visit, the extra pay for Heidi, the issue of the ballerinas, Sandy and her request? His talk by the river with Heidi? The bond between them? His return? Heidi and her illness, the hole in the heart, her challenging her mother about her illness when she was young? The operation? Her return to James, their relationship?

20. Rose and Johnnie, at the wedding, her punching Johnnie, the kiss? The happy ending?

21. The positive tone of the film, reconciliation and healing with some effort?