THE TURNING

Australia, 2013, 180 minutes, Colour.
Rose Byrne, Cate Blanchett, Miranda Otto, Hugo Weaving, Robyn Nevin, Susie Porter, Wayne Blair.
17 different directors for the 17 short stories.
Credits with each story.

The Turning is an ambitious project from producer-director, Robert Connolly. Taking the collection of short stories by celebrated West Australian author, Tim Winton, Connolly sent the stories to a range of writers, directors, cinematographers, producers inviting them to choose a story that they liked. There were no limits on what the film-makers could do, each adapting their story, using the location, choosing their cast, and being allowed to portray characters who ran through many of the stories with different actors.

Movie-watchers may remember that Robert Altman did something similar with short stories by Raymond Carver in his film of 1993, Short Cuts. However, the stories were intertwined within the screenplay rather than presented as separate stories.

The Turning runs for 3 hours, screenings generally having an interval.

The film is introduced by an animation sequence from Marieka Walsh, using her quite distinctive colour wash style, with a text from T. S. Elliott’s Ash Wednesday about turning, not turning, turning and hoping. It is recited by Colin Friels.

The whole film is the equivalent of the short stories, presented visually and aurally.

In the first narrative, directed by Warwick Thornton, the voiceover is by the central character actor in the story,, as well as by Winton himself. It introduces the West Australian location for the stories, themes of adolescence, hopes and ambitions, friendships and frustrations. These scenes pervade many of the other stories.

While about six of the stories a stand-alone, eight of them focus on a character, Vic, who is played by eight different actors, including a young aboriginal actor when the character his first introduced in a small scene of the boy encountering a young girl on the beach and experiencing his first kiss. Many audiences will not pick up the link between the various stories of Vic until it has had time to reflect and discuss, especially with the aboriginal stories. There are three stories about two aboriginal brothers, Frank and Max. Max appears in the story, The Turning, where he is played by a white actor. In another story, Vic’s father is played by an aboriginal actor.

So, Winton and the film-makers invite audiences to look at different facets of the characters.
We see Vic as the young boy, twice as an adolescent, as a young university student, as a middle aged man with his wife and mother, going to visit his father, and finally coming to terms with himself. In the stories about Vic, his wife Gail appears in three and his mother, Carol, in two of them.
In many ways, this would be more than enough for one film. However, the emotional stories of the two aboriginal brothers, one playing an almost-deadly trip on the other in one film, their reconciling while surfing, after the young the younger brother had walked off an Australian rules match at a critical moment.
Of the 17 directors, some of them are first time directors of films, coming from stage or from dance or from the visual arts. There are also the first time films from actors Mia Wasikowska and David Wenham.

The film also has a vast cast, many of them not well known names but who should have successful careers after their performances in this film. Well-known actors include Rose Byrne in one of the best performances in the film, Miranda Otto, Cate Blanchett working with Richard Roxburgh and Robyn Nevin for a short comic sketch which some reviewers thought too slight and light for such a film. However, they bring this short episode to vivid life. Hugo Weaving is very good as Vic’s father. And Susie Porter as Carol cleaning a house in one of the more straightforward stories.

Audiences will pick and choose amongst the 17 films as to what they like best, which films work best.

However, by ranging over a wide number of characters, and the different facets of the same character, Winton and the film writers and directors have explored, however briefly, many aspects of what it is to be Australian, indigenous or later comers to the land. The film shows nature, coast and beaches, mountains, more rugged landscapes. There are stories of both men and women trying to cope with life. There is a spirituality underlying many of the stories, some interestingly explicit themes in the title story, The Turning, directed by Claire Mc Carthy (The Waiting City).

There is good and evil, love and hatred, the friendship and betrayal, hardship and joy, and the experiences of a range of ordinary people.


1. The anthology of short stories? The creative idea of assembling them? Portmanteau? The difference between seeing and hearing the stories and reading them?

2. The work of Tim Winton, his reputation? From Western Australia, the locations, the towns, the coast, the beaches? His characters within contexts? The town of Angelus, homes, school?

3. Robert Connolly, his work as co-ordinator? Invitation to the contributors, the choices and their treatment, writing, locations, photography, direction?

4. The title, its meaning, the quotation from T.S. Eliot and Ash Wednesday?

5. The impact of each story in its own right? As a unit? Its location within the film? Connections or not to other stories?

6. Ash Wednesday:
(narration, Colin Friels, d. Marieka Walsh): introduction to the film, the animation and its style, the wash, the sharks and the swimming, the recitation of Ash Wednesday by Colin Friels, turning and not turning, turning and hoping? The reprise of the theme and the images at the end of the film?

7. Big World:
(James Fraser, Henri Phillips, narration: James Fraser, Tim Winton, d. Warwick Thornton): the narrative, using Tim Winton’s words, the world of Lenny, his age, at high school, his ambitions, the exams, his not doing well? His friendship with Big? Big’s appearance in size, slow-witted? Exam results? The work in the abattoir? The hard work? The flashbacks, Lenny and his friendship with Big? As young boys, Big and his following Lenny? Lenny and his not having girlfriends because of Big? Big following along the road? Taking the van, driving, picking up the girl, speculation about Big and the girl, her being slow, liking Big? The phone call home, angry parents? The van collapsing? The aftermath and Big’s death?

8. Abbreviation:
(Joseph Pedley, Cheyanne Pearce, d. Jub Clerc): the introduction to Vic, as a young boy, on the beach, by himself, the encounter with the girl, her approach, fingernails painted, the missing finger? The attraction, the kiss, the effect? The aboriginal boy playing Vic? The symbolism of the fishing hook and Vic's holding it?

9. Aquifer:
(Callan Mulvey, d. Robert Connolly): the teacher, hearing the news, the deaths of the children, his getting the car, travelling, going to the river, seriously introspective about his memories, himself as a boy, the other boys, the bullying? The dismantling of the car? The top, the boy floating, falling into the water, disappearing? The little boy doing nothing? Whether he could have done something? His motives for letting the boy drown? The importance of the memories, accepting them? Coming to terms with them?

10. Damaged Goods:
(Dougie Baldwin, Taylor Ferguson, d. Anthony Lucas): Vic and his wife, going through the box, the photos of Allison? Vic as introspective at school, Alison and her birthmark, the nickname, Strawberry? Playing basketball, with the other girls? Vic watching? The request for poems for the magazine, her poem, the publication, Vic praising it, her reaction, his later praising it again, her apology? Allison in herself, the mark, getting on well with the girls, the victory of basketball? The effect on each? Later seeing her play tennis? The information about her death?

11. Small Mercies:
(Oscar Redding, Mirah Foulkes, Carol Burns, d. Rhys Graham): Peter, the death of his wife, his grief, with his son, travelling, meeting the former girlfriend’s parents, their supporting him, their information about their daughter? His taking his son fishing, the bonding between the two? The girl arriving, talk, her drinking, the sexual advance, calling it a mercy? His rejection of her? Her being hurt? Coping and his future?

12. On Her Knees:
(Susie Porter, Harrison Gilbertson, d. Ashlee Page): mum, Vic, cleaning and the house, mum doing it for some years, her being accused of stealing the earrings, her cleaning the house on principle, not taking the money? Vic and his work, attitude towards his mother, his university studies? Urging her to take the money? Finding the earrings, putting them in the kitty litter? His change of heart, taking them out, putting them on the table with the money, not taking anything? Seeing his mother take the flower?

13. Cockleshell:
(Brenna Harding, Toby Wallace, d. Tony Ayres): the adjacent houses, the area, the water? Interconnected lives? Brakey, his age, with his mother, lifestyle, watching Agnes, spearing the fish, following her, the connection between the two? His attraction, love, the shower scene and masturbation? Agnes, her fishing, quiet, going home, their ordinary lives, the town, her attitude towards Brakey? Her father, reactions, hearing but not seen? The burning of the house, Brakey and his anxiety, wanting to going to save Agnes? Her appearing? Who had lit the fire?

14. The Turning:
(Rose Byrne, Miranda Otto, Matt Nable, Myles Pollard, d. Claire Mc Carthy): the connections with the other stories of Max, Rae and her marriage to Max, living in the caravan, the park, her daughters, his violence, her facial disfigurement? His being quiet, watching the television, the meal, pulling the chicken apart? Rae and her love for Max, yet her loneliness, her going to the darts nights at the pub, her being on the outer? Doing the laundry, the encounter with Sherry, friendly, talking? About the violence? Her visiting their home, the introduction to Dan, the bible on the table and her reaction, the comment about no alcohol, Dan being a reformed alcoholic, the couple as born-again Christians? The effect on Rae? Going to the religious session? The fair and buying the globe with Jesus and the snow? Rae and her fascination with Jesus? Asking Sherry how the religious experience felt, the fire inside, the nature of belief? Max and his accusing her of being a slut, hurt? Her thinking of Jesus? Seeing Jesus walking on the water? Her future? The religious dimension in an Australian story?

15. Sand:
(Jakory Blanco, Jarli- Russell Blanco, d. Stephen Page): the two averaging boys, their fathers, on the beach, going fishing, the boys playing, Max needing the hole, frank going in, next jumping on the sand, it’s falling, the possibility for burying frank, his finally getting out and appearing, Max is reaction?

16. Family:
(Wayne Blair, Meyne Wyatt, d. Shaun Gladwell): a story of Max and frank? Frank, playing Australian rules, the use of the authentic footage, the finale, his being urged to keep the goal, his stopping, walking away, reflected in the shower? Max and his questioning why this happened? Effect on frank, wanting a new life? Going to the beach, the two going out into the waves, surfing, coming in, Max getting into triple guy, the blood, the danger of sharks, frank saving his brother?

17. Long, Clear View:
(Matthew Shanley, Di Adams, narrator, Julie Rigg, d. Mia Wasikowska): the young Vic, his introspection, with his mother, her talking in the car and his tuning her out? Looking at himself in the mirror, his image? His father’s rifle, aiming it at the people passing by the window? The work of the director, young, the stylistic differences from straightforward storytelling?

18. Reunion:
(Cate Blanchett, Richard Roxburgh, Robyn Nevin, d. Simon Stone): a story of middle age, with Gail, at home, the preparation of the Christmas dinner, Vic’s relationship with his mother, her not getting on well with Gail? Gail, cooking, tasting things, reflective? Carol’s arrival, all noise and bustle, the gifts, the tea for Gail? Asking about going out to the relations? The pressure on Vic? Her searching for the house, no one home, going to the pool, Carol falling in, Gail jumping in, swimming, laughter? Vic in the house, the photos, the wrong house? Going home, changing, the good spirits, Gail and Carol and their enjoying the adventure?

19. The Commission:
(Hugo Weaving, Josh Mc Conville, d. David Wenham): Vic in middle age, traveling along the dusty roads, finding his father’s house, his father welcoming him, the embrace? 15 years, the father not having had a drink, Vic bringing news of his mother’s illness, going to do the delivery job with his father, staying the night, waking, questions for his father? Asking about the past, his father reminiscing, Speculations about the past and the pressure on his father?

20. Fog:
(Dean Daley- Jones, Eva Lazzaro, d. Jonathan auf der Heide): the story of Bob, and played by an aboriginal actor, his work and the police force, and the countryside, the lost walker, the search, finding the dead girl, the journalist as a cadet, accompanying Bob, taking the photo, the vigil with that the body, Bob and his explanations, the pressure in the police force, the corruption and the flashback, his leaving the police force, drinking?

21. Bonar Mc Pharlin and his Moll:
(d. Justin Kurzel): the town, the men and their interactions, the women, the owner and his reputation, relationships? Bonar and everybody talking about him, but not really knowing him? Myths and whispers? Story isolated from the other stories?

22. Immunity:
(Yaron Lifschitz): ballet and modern dance, the chairs representing the seats in a train, and the men sitting, the young woman entering, the wanting to sit near Vic? The other women? The choreography of the dance? Illustrating the theme?

23. Defender:
(Dan Wylie, Kate Mulvaney, d. Ian Meadows): Gail and Vic visiting the couple, her statement about the affair, his seeming non-reaction? The vitality of the couple, friendship? On the beach, the shooting? Vic not wanting to shoot? The decision to shoot the targets, getting the gun, his being a crack shot every time? Stopping? A symbol of some kind of healing?

24. The linking of the stories about Vic and Gail? Vic as a young boy with the girl on the beach, his introspective self and looking in the mirror and pointing the rifle, the encounter with Strawberry Allison, cleaning the house with his mother during his study years, in middle age, the Christmas story with his wife and mother, the train ballet sequence, his visiting his father and trying to find out the story of his father, the final story and his shooting the rifle?

25. The stories of Gail: going through Vic’s box and worrying about Alison, the jokey reunion story, the last story and her affair, trying to get through to Vic?

26. The stories of Carol: with her introspective son at home and in the car after her husband left, cleaning the house and her principles, the jokey reunion at Christmas?

27. The stories of Bob: his leaving, Vic coming to find him after 15 years, his memories of his life with the police and dealing with the police corruption?

28. Stories of Max and Frank: the sand episode on the beach, Frank leaving the football field and Max’s puzzlement, the surfing and the rescue? Max’s story with Rae?

29. The cumulative effect of watching these stories, enjoying them in themselves, making the links for reflection?