Hunger | |
---|---|
Written by | Louis Nowra |
Directed by | Stephen Wallace |
Starring | Brendan Higgins Melita Jurisic |
Music by | Nathan Waks |
Country of origin | Australia |
Original language | English |
Production | |
Producer | Jan Chapman |
Cinematography | Julian Penney |
Editor | William Russo |
Running time | 90 mins |
Production company | ABC |
Original release | |
Network | ABC |
Release | 10 October 1986 |
Hunger is a 1986 Australian TV film about a Romanian refugee who settles in Australia. [1]
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Louis Nowra wrote the film for Jan Chapman following their successful collaboration on Displaced Persons . He says the subject matter was close to Chapman's heart, and the producer thought it would be a romantic story. However, the more research Nowra did, the less romantic he felt the story was and he had a deal of trouble writing it as a love story. He felt swamped with the research and did not like the real-life men on whom the story was based. Nowra was not satisfied with the final script, although he said the director did the best he could. Nowra also plays a support role. [2]
Anna Murdoch of the Age writes "HUNGER, the telemovie written by Louis Nowra, never realises its promise as powerful drama. It should have done so, for the subject is powerful - a young Romanian on a hunger strike to get his wife out to Australia." [3] In the Sydney Morning Herald Chris Purcell says "Hunger is a very good film. Higgins and Jurisic play their roles with plenty of style, working with a strong supporting cast that includes John Bell and Briony Behets." [4] Mark Mordue, also in the Sydney Morning Herald, states "Hunger is another significant triumph in this Jan Chapman-produced series of Australian telemovies." [5] A capsual review in the same masthead gives it two stars (out of 4) calling it "Another quality ABC telemovie." [6]