Buoyancy
Theatrical release poster
Directed byRodd Rathjen
Written byRodd Rathjen
Produced byKristina Ceyton
Samantha Jennings
Rita Walsh
StarringSarm Heng
CinematographyMichael Latham
Edited byGraeme Pereira
Music byLawrence English
Production
company
Causeway Films
Release date
  • 8 February 2019 (2019-02-08) (Berlin)
Running time
93 minutes
CountryAustralia
LanguagesKhmer
Thai
Isan

Buoyancy is a 2019 Australian drama film directed by Rodd Rathjen. It was selected as the Australian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 92nd Academy Awards, but it was not nominated.[1]

Plot

Inspired by actual events, a 14-year-old Cambodian boy becomes a victim of human trafficking when he is enslaved on a Thai fishing trawler.

Cast

Release

The film's premiere took place at the 2019 Berlin International Film Festival.[2]

Critic Paul O'Callaghan assessed the film as a "terse minimalist thriller" about slavery in southeast Asia.[3] Screen Daily's Sarah Ward credited Heng with "a captivating lead" with "a rawness to his performance".[4]

Awards

Award Date of Ceremony Category Recipients Result Ref.
Berlin International Film Festival 17 February 2019 Prize of the Ecumenical Jury – Panorama Buoyancy Won [5]
Amnesty International Film Prize Nominated
Best First Feature Nominated
Panorama Audience Award Third place
Melbourne International Film Festival 18 August 2019 People's Choice Award for Best Feature Fifth place [6]
Asia Pacific Screen Awards 21 November 2019 Best Youth Feature Film Won [7]
AACTA Awards 4 December 2019 Best Indie Film Won [8][9]

See also

References

  1. ^ Frater, Patrick (25 September 2019). "Australia Floats Buoyancy as Its Oscars Contender". Variety. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  2. ^ Roxborough, Scott (21 January 2019). "Berlin Film Festival Completes Panorama Lineup". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  3. ^ O'Callaghan, Paul (13 February 2019). "Berlinale first look: Buoyancy is a harrowing thriller about modern slavery". BFI. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  4. ^ Ward, Sarah (8 February 2019). "'Buoyancy': Berlin Review". Screen Daily. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  5. ^ Groves, Don (18 February 2019). "Rodd Rathjen's 'Buoyancy' wins Berlin prize". If Magazine. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  6. ^ "Audience Awards". Melbourne International Film Festival. Archived from the original on 3 December 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  7. ^ Frater, Patrick (15 October 2019). "Wang Xiaoshuai's 'So Long, My Son' Earns Six APSA Nominations". Variety. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  8. ^ Walker, Winsome (3 December 2019). "AACTA Awards 2019 Winners: The Complete List". E! Online. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  9. ^ "Winners & Nominees, 2019". AACTA. Retrieved 26 February 2024.

External links

Australian submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
Categories