The Sapphires (film)

Last updated

The Sapphires
The Sapphires poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Wayne Blair
Screenplay byKeith Thompson
Tony Briggs
Based on The Sapphires
by Tony Briggs
Produced by Rosemary Blight
Kylie Du Fresne
Starring
Cinematography Warwick Thornton
Edited by Dany Cooper
Music by Cezary Skubiszewski
Production
company
Distributed by Hopscotch Films
Release dates
  • 19 May 2012 (2012-05-19)(Cannes)
  • 9 August 2012 (2012-08-09)(Australia)
  • 22 March 2013 (2013-03-22)(United States)
Running time
103 minutes [1]
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish
Budget$8–10 million [2]
Box office$20.4 million [3]

The Sapphires is a 2012 Australian musical comedy-drama film based on the 2004 stage play The Sapphires by Tony Briggs, which is loosely based on a real-life 1960s girl group that included Briggs' mother and aunt. [4] The film is directed by Wayne Blair and written by Keith Thompson and Briggs.

Contents

The Sapphires is about four Yorta Yorta (Aboriginal Australian) women: Gail (Deborah Mailman), Julie (Jessica Mauboy), Kay (Shari Sebbens), and Cynthia (Miranda Tapsell); who are discovered by a talent scout (Chris O'Dowd), form a music group named The Sapphires, and travel to Vietnam in 1968 to sing for troops during the war.

Production began in 2010, with the casting of the four members of The Sapphires. Filming took place in and around Albury, Australia and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam during August and September 2011. The Sapphires made its world premiere at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival on 19 May 2012 during its out-of-competition screenings, was theatrically released in Australia on 9 August, and received a limited release in the United States on 22 March 2013.

Plot

In 1968 Australia, Gail and Cynthia head into town to sing at a talent contest. Their younger sister Julie is forbidden to go, partly because of her youth and partly because she already has a child, but she bribes a neighbour to take her to the contest. An alcoholic Irish talent scout, Dave Lovelace, is scolded by his boss for being late despite him sleeping in his car that is near work. Despite being the best act in the contest, the girls not only do not win, but are told to leave. Dave recognizes their talent and is told that the troops need singers for Vietnam. After presenting these facts to the skeptical singers, Dave makes a call and tells them they have been granted a spot to audition in Melbourne.

Back at their home, their mother is reluctant, but the girls argue that this might be their once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Dave tells their father that he will protect them with his life. Advised by their grandmother, they meet up with their cousin Kay, who had been living in Melbourne for 10 years after the government took her from her family because she was half-white (as part of the policy now referred to as Stolen Generations). She initially rejects the offer to join them, but soon changes her mind and meets them at their uncle's place. After days of practicing their moves, they are about to audition when Julie gives Cynthia a letter from her fiancé: he's calling off their engagement. Despite that, the audition is a success and Kay comes up with the group's name, The Sapphires, by looking at Cynthia's engagement ring.

The Sapphires are a success with the crowds, but infighting among the women threatens to tear the group apart: Gail acts as the group's overbearing matriarch; Cynthia begins a relationship with a member of their military escort in the aftermath of her break-up; Kay struggles with her multi-ethnic identity while being courted by an Army medic; and Julie has difficulty processing the reality of war. Dave and Gail begin to show feelings for each other, but his reckless behavior and a personal secret push Gail's patience to the limit.

The group travels without military escort to a venue where a renowned U.S. talent scout will be in attendance, primarily to see Julie, the group's one great voice. Angry about these events, Cynthia vamps during the first show, drinking with some of the men, and is told by Gail she will not be allowed to go on again. Before the next show begins, Dave hands Gail her a letter and tells her to open it later; they are about to kiss when the base is attacked. After getting Gail and Cynthia to a helicopter, Dave goes back to find the others, and Gail sees him get shot. Kay and Julie are able to leave on Kay's boyfriend's med-evac, where a dying white soldier makes a racist comment to Kay's boyfriend as he tries to attend to the white soldier's mortal wounds.

Safely in Saigon, Gail reads Dave's letter and realizes that he wanted to propose to her. The women are asked to perform that evening following the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., with Gail singing lead in the aftermath of her loss. Kay's boyfriend arrives to take Gail to a local hospital where Dave is recovering. The Sapphires return to Australia and Gail and Dave announce to her family that they plan to marry. The Sapphires give a joyous performance for their friends and family in the yard of their home.

Cast

Tanika Lonesborough, Miah Madden, Nioka Brennan and Ava Jean Miller-Porter also play Gail, Julie, Kay and Cynthia as children; and Carlin Briggs plays the childhood Jimmy.

Historical basis

There was an all-female Australian Aboriginal singing group named The Sapphires in the 1960s, although there were three members: Laurel Robinson (mother of screenwriter Tony Briggs), Beverly Briggs, and her sister Naomi Mayers. They performed at hotels, pubs, cabarets, clubs, parties, army barracks and universities around Melbourne. [5] [6]

When they were invited to Vietnam to perform for the troops, Briggs and Mayers declined, as they were against the war, so Robinson enlisted her sister Lois Peeler to join her. [5] In Vietnam, the duo of Robinson and Peeler performed backing vocals for a New Zealand Māori band they had performed with in Melbourne. [4] [7] It was this Māori band who introduced them to soul music; the character of Dave Lovelace, portrayed in the film by Chris O'Dowd, did not exist. [7] Director Wayne Blair, talking about the creation of the Lovelace character, said "That's where we went a bit Argo". [8] Tony Briggs said in an interview in The Age in 2004 that he found it "liberating as a writer to expand the number of characters", as it gave the story "richer dynamics". [4]

Production

Based on Tony Briggs' 2004 play of the same name commissioned by and debuted at Melbourne Theatre Company, the film was first announced in June 2010. [6] The screenplay was co-written by Briggs and Keith Thompson. Filming primarily took place in New South Wales, at Albury, (and its surrounding towns Corowa, Howlong, Culcairn, Henty and Morven), with additional shooting taking place in Windsor, Camden, Summerhill, Newtown, and Canal Road Studios in Leichhardt, between August and September 2011. [9] [10] [11] The rest of the film's production was moved to Ho Chi Minh City and area in Vietnam, for a limited shoot. [11]

Casting

Deborah Mailman, who played Cynthia McCrae in the original 2004 play, stars as Gail McCrae in the film. Deborah Mailman.jpg
Deborah Mailman, who played Cynthia McCrae in the original 2004 play, stars as Gail McCrae in the film.

On 2 June 2010, a press release announced that an open casting call had begun for The Sapphires, and that Goalpost Pictures Australia were searching for "four young Indigenous women, aged 16–28, to play the leading roles of the four members of [the title singing group]". [12] The audition process involved submitting an audition tape to the casting website by 31 July 2010. [12] Australian singer Casey Donovan, who had starred as Cynthia McCrae in the musical's 2010 production, auditioned for that part, but was unsuccessful, with the role instead going to newcomer Miranda Tapsell. [13] Deborah Mailman, who also starred as Cynthia in the original 2004 production of the musical, landed the role of Gail McCrae, and Jessica Mauboy joined the film, being cast as Gail's sister Julie. [14] [15] [16] In August 2011, the roles of all four group members were officially announced, when another newcomer, Shari Sebbens, joined the cast as Kay McCrae. [14] [17] Chris O'Dowd was added to the film, playing the role of Dave, who discovers The Sapphires. [18]

Soundtrack

Mauboy performing "Ngarra Burra Ferra" at the 2013 Mbantua Festival in Alice Springs, Northern Territory with Aboriginal Australian students from Yipirinya State Primary School, of which Mauboy is the official ambassador. Jessica Mauboy at Mbantua Festival.jpg
Mauboy performing "Ngarra Burra Ferra" at the 2013 Mbantua Festival in Alice Springs, Northern Territory with Aboriginal Australian students from Yipirinya State Primary School, of which Mauboy is the official ambassador.

The original soundtrack was released on 27 July 2012 by Sony Music. [19] It features the vocals of Jessica Mauboy, Jade MacRae, Lou Bennett, Juanita Tippins and Darren Percival, with Mauboy singing in ten of the sixteen songs. [20] An original track called "Gotcha", co-written by Mauboy, Ilan Kidron, and Louis Schoorl, was released as a single on 13 July. [21] [22] [23] Two weeks after its chart debut, The Sapphires soundtrack hit number one on the ARIA Album Chart and the ARIA Australian Albums Chart.

Release

The film had its world premiere on 19 May at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival, at the midnight out-of-competition screening. [24] Following the premiere, the audience in attendance gave the cast and crew a ten-minute standing ovation. [25] [26] [27] It premiered in Australia at the Melbourne International Film Festival on 2 August, with its cinematic release on 9 August, distributed by Hopscotch Films. [28] [29] Entertainment One handled distribution in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Canada, while Lusomundo, Diaphana, and Lev Films released the film in Portugal, France, and Israel, respectively. [30] The Weinstein Company bought the rights to distribute the film in the United States and other countries. [31]

Home media

The US release of the DVD attracted controversy as the result of the design for the DVD's cover. The artwork placed actor Chris O'Dowd prominently in the foreground, with the four female stars appearing in the background and coloured with a blue wash. The decision was described as both sexist and racist, with O'Dowd describing the decision as "ill-judged, insensitive and everything the film wasn't". [32] [33] [34] [35] Anchor Bay expressed regret for any "unintentional upset caused" and said different artwork was being considered for future orders. [36]

Reception

Box office

In Australia, the film was the highest-earning Australian film on its opening weekend, grossing $2,320,000 from 275 cinemas. [2] News.com.au said it was the strongest first weekend for an Australian-made film since Tomorrow, When the War Began , which earned $3,860,000 upon its 2010 release. [37] As of 31 October 2012, the film had grossed AU$14,215,596 at the Australian box office. [38]

The film was far less successful in international markets than in its Australian release, with roughly $5 million from all international releases combined versus over $14 million in its Australian release alone. [3]

In France, the film opened at #13 with just 35,786 admissions from 162 screens over its first week (25,847 over five days). [39] It was dubbed "Le Flop" by French box office website Le Box Office Pour Les Nuls. [40] In its first major English-language opening outside of Australia, the UK, the film opened at #7 and to a little under 25% of the box office it earned in its Australian opening weekend, on a roughly similar number of screens (279 vs. 233). The film exited UK cinemas after just 5 weeks in release with a final box office take of £680,643, equivalent to around AU$1m. The UK final box office takings were less than 1/14 of the film's Australian final box office takings. [41] In its United States release, where the film only appeared in the top 20 for one weekend (at #19, 5–7 April 2013), the film completed its run with just under $2.5m, and releases in Germany and the Netherlands yielded under $100,000 each. [42]

Critical response

The Sapphires received positive reviews from Cannes, dubbed as the Australian version of Dreamgirls (2006), another film based on a play about a '60s girl group. [43] [44] Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 91% based on reviews from 131 critics; their average rating was calculated as 6.9/10. [45] Metacritic gives the film a "generally positive" rating of 67% based on reviews from 30 critics. [46]

Guy Lodge from Variety said Chris O'Dowd's " dorky-dirty and manic performance energy... keeps the proceedings bouncy even when the script loses its own fizz." [47] Mark Adams of Screen International called O'Dowd an "increasingly charismatic screen presence" who "helps give the film an edginess, spontaneity and some real laugh-out-loud moments." [48] Eric Kohn from IndieWire gave it a C−, believing that it "belongs on Broadway more than the big screen". [49]

Henry Barnes of The Guardian gave the film three stars out of five, calling it "a sweet 'n' dumb feelgood bopper." [50] Brad Brevet of Rope of Silicon gave it a B−, summing it up as, "good music, good performances and good fun and should play well across several demographic quadrants." [51] Robbie Collin of The Daily Telegraph gave the "workaday Australian comedy" three stars, calling it "uncomplicated" but praising Chris O'Dowd for elevating every scene he is in. [52] Ross Miller of Thoughts on Film gave the film three stars, saying that it "may not break any especially new ground or end up in a place you're not expecting but along the way it's a genuinely pleasant watch." [53]

Fiona Williams of SBS awarded the film three-and-a-half stars out of five, commenting that "There's much to love, lots to like... and enough roof-lifting musical numbers to make up for the dodgy bits." [54]

Academic Bruno Starrs makes the argument that the film's Aboriginal protagonists undergo a journey in which they learn the importance of choosing the protest songs of black soul over the white coloniser's "whining" country and western songs. Their song choices are an assertion of Indigenous sovereignty and Starrs argues that the Aboriginal Australian "Welcome to Country" is twice subverted to reinforce this theme, firstly in the Cummeragunja pub and secondly in war-torn Vietnam." [55]

Awards and nominations

CeremonyCategoryRecipientResult
45th AWGIE Awards [56] Best Feature Film (screenplay) – AdaptationKeith Thompson
Tony Briggs 		Won
Most Outstanding Script of 2012 Won
26th ARIA Music Awards [57] Best Original Soundtrack/Cast/Show Album Nominated
48th Chicago International Film Festival Gold Hugo for Best Feature Wayne Blair Nominated
35th Denver Film Festival [58] People's Choice Award for Best Narrative FeatureWon
AACTA Awards [59]
(2nd)		 Best Film Rosemary Blight, Kylie du FresneWon
Best Direction Wayne BlairWon
Best Adapted Screenplay Keith ThompsonWon
Tony BriggsWon
Best Lead Actor Chris O'Dowd Won
Best Lead Actress Deborah Mailman Won
Best Supporting Actress Jessica Mauboy Won
Best Cinematography Warwick Thornton Won
Best Editing Dany Cooper Won
Best Sound Andrew PlainWon
Bry JonesWon
Pete SmithWon
Ben OsmoWon
John SimpsonWon
Best Production Design Melinda DoringWon
Best Costume Design Tess SchofieldWon
Best Visual Effects James RogersNominated
Deadly Awards 2013 [60] Film of the YearWon

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris O'Dowd</span> Irish actor and comedian (born 1979)

Christopher O'Dowd is an Irish actor and comedian. He received wide attention as Roy Trenneman, one of the lead characters in the Channel 4 comedy The IT Crowd, which ran for four series between 2006 and 2010. He has also starred in several films, including Gulliver's Travels (2010), Bridesmaids, Friends with Kids, Cuban Fury (2014), Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2016) and The Cloverfield Paradox (2018). He created and starred in the Sky 1 television series Moone Boy, which aired between 2012 and 2015 and brought him Irish Film and Television Award nominations in acting, writing and directing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jessica Mauboy</span> Australian singer

Jessica Hilda Mauboy is an Australian singer. Born and raised in Darwin, Northern Territory, she rose to fame in 2006 on the fourth season of Australian Idol, where she was runner-up and subsequently signed a recording contract with Sony Music Australia. After releasing a live album of her Idol performances and briefly being a member of the girl group Young Divas in 2007, Mauboy released her debut studio album, Been Waiting, the following year. It included her first number-one single, "Burn", and became the second highest-selling Australian album of 2009, certified double platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA).

<i>Bran Nue Dae</i> 1990 Australian stage musical

Bran Nue Dae is a 1990 musical set in Broome, Western Australia, that tells stories and of issues relating to Indigenous Australians. It was written by Jimmy Chi and his band Kuckles and friends, and was the first Aboriginal Australian musical. The name is a phonetic representation of "Brand New Day".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burn (Jessica Mauboy song)</span> 2008 single by Jessica Mauboy

"Burn" is a song by Australian recording artist Jessica Mauboy. It was written by Taj Jackson, Jonas Jeberg, and Mich Hansen and was produced by Jeberg and Cutfather. "Burn" was released digitally on 17 November 2008 as the second single from Mauboy's debut studio album, Been Waiting (2008). Musically, "Burn" is an R&B-dance track that incorporates electronica influences. The song became Mauboy's first number-one on the ARIA Singles Chart and was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association for selling over 70,000 copies. "Burn" also became Mauboy's first charting single internationally, reaching number 92 on the Japan Hot 100.

The Sapphires is an Australian play written by Tony Briggs and directed by Wesley Enoch. It is set in 1968 and it tells the story of The Sapphires, a singing group of four Yorta Yorta women who tour Vietnam during the war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jessica Mauboy discography</span>

Australian singer and songwriter Jessica Mauboy has released five studio albums, one live album, three soundtrack albums, two extended plays, and forty-three singles. Mauboy was the runner-up on the fourth season of Australian Idol in 2006, and subsequently signed a contract with Sony Music Australia. She released her debut live album The Journey in February 2007, which features songs she performed as part of the top twelve on Australian Idol. The album debuted at number four on the ARIA Albums Chart and was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), denoting shipments of 35,000 copies. Mauboy briefly became a member of the Australian pop girl group Young Divas later that year, before resuming her solo career early in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Get 'Em Girls (song)</span> 2010 single by Jessica Mauboy featuring Snoop Dogg

"Get 'Em Girls" is a song by Australian R&B recording artist Jessica Mauboy. The song features American rapper Snoop Dogg, who co-wrote the song with David Buchanan and producer Bangladesh for her second studio album of the same name. It was released as the album's lead single on 17 September 2010. The concept of the song is about shoes and showcases a more urban, hip hop flavoured sound than Mauboy's previous singles. "Get 'Em Girls" received negative reviews from critics, and peaked at number 19 on the ARIA Singles Chart. An accompanying music video was directed by Hype Williams and received a mixed reaction from fans.

<i>Friends with Kids</i> 2011 American film

Friends with Kids is a 2011 American romantic comedy film written, produced, and directed by Jennifer Westfeldt, who also stars in the film. Adam Scott, Jon Hamm, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Chris O'Dowd, Megan Fox, and Edward Burns also star in the film.

Rosemary Blight is an Australian film producer, credited with films such as The Sapphires, The Tree, and Clubland. Her television work includes the Lockie Leonard series. She has been principal partner and company director with Goalpost Pictures since 1992, and a board member of Screen Australia since 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Briggs</span> Australian actor

Tony Briggs is an Aboriginal Australian actor. He is best known for creating the stage play The Sapphires, which tells the true story of an Aboriginal singing girl group who toured Vietnam during the war. Briggs is also a former track and field athlete.

<i>Shield of Straw</i> 2013 Japanese thriller film

Shield of Straw is a 2013 Japanese spy thriller film directed by Takashi Miike. It was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival and it was released on 26 April 2013.

<i>The Sapphires: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack</i> 2012 soundtrack album by Various Artists

The Sapphires: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is a soundtrack album for the film The Sapphires (2012), released on 27 July 2012 by Sony Music Australia. It features the vocals of Jessica Mauboy, Jade MacRae, Lou Bennett, Juanita Tippens and Darren Percival, with Mauboy singing in ten of the sixteen songs. Produced by Bry Jones, the soundtrack contains songs from the 1960s, including: "Land of a Thousand Dances", "I Can't Help Myself ", "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" and "What a Man". The track "Ngarra Burra Ferra" is a song based on the traditional Aboriginal hymn "Bura Fera" in the Yorta Yorta language of Victoria, Australia, the language spoken by the indigenous Yorta Yorta people of the Goulburn Valley and Murray River valley centred on modern-day Echuca.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gotcha (song)</span> 2012 single by Jessica Mauboy

"Gotcha" is a song recorded by Australian singer and songwriter Jessica Mauboy for the soundtrack album The Sapphires to the 2012 musical film of the same name, in which Mauboy stars as Julie McCrae. The song was written by Mauboy, Louis Schoorl and Ilan Kidron, and produced by The Schoolkids. It was released as the lead single from the soundtrack album on 13 July 2012. Musically, "Gotcha" is an upbeat pop and swing dance song, which incorporates influences of motown and elements of 1960s music.

The 2nd Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards are a series of awards which includes the 2nd AACTA Awards Luncheon, the 2nd AACTA Awards ceremony and the 2nd AACTA International Awards. The former two events were held at the Star Event Centre, in Sydney, New South Wales on 28 January and 30 January 2013, respectively. Presented by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA), the awards celebrated the best in Australian feature film, television, documentary and short film productions of 2012. The AACTA Awards ceremony was televised on Network Ten. Actor Russell Crowe hosted the show. These awards are a continuum of the Australian Film Institute Awards, established in 1958 and presented until 2010, which was rebranded the AACTA Awards when the Australian Film Institute (AFI) established AACTA in 2011.

Shari Sebbens is an Aboriginal Australian actress and stage director, known for her debut film role in The Sapphires (2012), as well as many stage and television performances. After a two-year stint as resident director of the Sydney Theatre Company (STC), in 2023 she will be directing productions by STC and Griffin in Sydney, as well as Melbourne Theatre Company and Malthouse Theatre in Melbourne. She is on the board of Back to Back Theatre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">To the End of the Earth</span> 2013 song by Jessica Mauboy

"To the End of the Earth" is a song recorded by Australian singer Jessica Mauboy. The song was digitally released on 17 July 2013, as the lead single from Mauboy's third studio album Beautiful. It was written by Mauboy, Jaden Michaels, Ben Berger and Ryan McMahon, and produced by the latter two. The uptempo dance-pop song received positive reviews from critics, who commended the production. "To the End of the Earth" peaked at number 21 on the ARIA Singles Chart and was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association for selling over 35,000 copies. The track was promoted by performances at the 2013 State of Origin decider, on Sunrise and at Westfield Knox and Westfield Hurstville. The accompanying music video was directed by Emma Tomelty and filmed in Alice Springs. The video received a positive reception from critics, particularly for its presentation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">To the End of the Earth Tour</span> 2013–14 concert tour by Jessica Mauboy

To the End of the Earth Tour is the second concert tour by Australian recording artist Jessica Mauboy, but her first solo headlining national tour. There are 27 shows in metropolitan and regional Australia, running from November 2013 to January 2014. Launched to support the release of her third studio album, Beautiful (2013), the tour began on 7 November 2013 in Adelaide, South Australia. A diverse set of songs from the studio albums Been Waiting, Get 'Em Girls and Beautiful, along with covers and songs from The Sapphires are part of the tour.

Louis Schoorl is a Dutch-born Australian songwriter, composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jessica Mauboy videography</span>

Australian singer and actress Jessica Mauboy has released one video album and appeared in thirty music videos, two films, and many television programs and commercials. After she became the runner-up on the fourth season of Australian Idol in 2006, Mauboy signed a recording contract with Sony Music Australia. In 2008, she released her debut studio album Been Waiting and six music videos for its singles were shot. Mauboy's first music video was for the album's lead single "Running Back" featuring American rapper Flo Rida. It was directed by Fin Edquist and portrayed a fictional relationship between Mauboy and Flo Rida. At the 2009 MTV Australia Awards, the video was nominated for Best Collaboration. Keir McFarlane directed the music videos for the following singles, "Burn" and the title track "Been Waiting". The music video for the fifth single "Up/Down" was directed by Sequoia and shot in Los Angeles.

References

  1. ↑ "THE SAPPHIRES (PG)". British Board of Film Classification . 7 August 2012. Archived from the original on 27 March 2018. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
  2. 1 2 Maddox, Gary (13 August 2012). "Sapphires proves an Aussie box office gem". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 16 August 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  3. 1 2 "The Sapphires (2013) - International Box Office Results". Box Office Mojo . Amazon.com. Archived from the original on 15 October 2019. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 Usher, Robin (15 November 2004), "Sparkle, in any colour", The Age . Archived from the original on 22 March 2013.
  5. 1 2 Nunn, Gary (5 September 2012). "The Sapphires: where are they now?". Australian Geographic . Archived from the original on 27 September 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  6. 1 2 Paul Chai (2 June 2010). "'Sapphires' to shine on the bigscreen". Variety. Archived from the original on 27 March 2023. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  7. 1 2 Maori-Mentored, Soul-Singing Mom Inspired 'The Sapphires'.opb.org. 23 March 2013. Archived from the original on 24 March 2013.
  8. ↑ Caro, Mark (6 April 2013)Australian film 'The Sapphires' finds its American soul. Chicago Tribune . Archived from the original on 6 April 2013.
  9. ↑ "The Sapphires". Parliament of New South Wales . Government of New South Wales. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  10. ↑ JMo; Elle (11 September 2011). "Jessica Mauboy's role in The Sapphires is a real gem". The Daily Telegraph . News Corporation. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  11. 1 2 "The Sapphires". Goalpost Pictures . Goalpost Pictures Australia Pty Ltd. 27 September 2011. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  12. 1 2 "New film is searching for the Sapphires". Inside Film. 2 June 2010. Archived from the original on 23 February 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  13. ↑ "Casey Donovan's omission from a film version of show The Sapphires". The Daily Telegraph . News Corporation. 30 July 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  14. 1 2 "The Sapphires (Wayne Blair)". Creative Spirits. (Jens Korff). Archived from the original on 29 November 2020. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  15. ↑ Peter H. Kemp (28 November 2004). "The Sapphires (Variety review)". Variety. Archived from the original on 27 March 2023. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  16. ↑ Moran, Jonathon (19 June 2011). "Mauboy's new tilt at movies". Northern Territory News . News Limited. Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  17. ↑ Moran, Jonathon (17 July 2011). "Sapphires dazzle". Northern Territory News . News Limited. Archived from the original on 6 September 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  18. ↑ "Chris O'Dowd joins the cast of The Sapphires". Goalpost Pictures. Goalpost Pictures Australia Pty Ltd. 15 August 2011. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  19. ↑ "Sapphires, The – Ost". JB Hi-Fi . Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  20. ↑ "Jessica Mauboy has gotcha call". The Advertiser . News Limited (News Corporation). 8 July 2012. Archived from the original on 6 June 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  21. ↑ Bub, Adam (12 July 2012). "Watch: Jessica Mauboy gets sexy on the set of new clip 'Gotcha'". Ninemsn . Nine Entertainment Co. (Microsoft). Archived from the original on 14 September 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  22. ↑ "'The Sapphires' Soundtrack To Release July 27". Filmink . 3 July 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2012.[ permanent dead link ]
  23. ↑ "'Gotcha' – Single – Jessica Mauboy". iTunes Store. Apple Inc. 13 July 2012. Archived from the original on 6 September 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  24. ↑ Sandy George (1 May 2012). "The Sapphires gets gala midnight screening at Cannes". Inside Film. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  25. ↑ Buchanan, Matt; Ellis, Scott (21 May 2012). "A big night for ... Sapphires to sparkle". The Sydney Morning Herald . Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 24 May 2012. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
  26. ↑ Bodey, Michael (21 May 2012). "Sapphires proves a gem as it steals the show at Cannes". The Australian. News Limited (News Corporation). Archived from the original on 23 May 2012. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
  27. ↑ Roger Friedman (19 May 2012). "Cannes: 'The Sapphires' Gets a Huge Standing O, Diana Ross May Attend Tomorrow's Screening". Forbes. Archived from the original on 20 May 2012. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
  28. ↑ "The Sapphires to screen in Official Selection at Cannes" (PDF). Screen Australia . Australian Government. 30 April 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 May 2012. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  29. ↑ Bodey, Michael (16 May 2012). "Sapphires to adorn international settings". The Australian . News Limited (News Corporation). Archived from the original on 22 May 2012. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  30. ↑ Brendan Swift (17 February 2012). "The Sapphires, starring Chris O'Dowd and Jessica Mauboy, sold to Canada, France". Inside Film. Archived from the original on 17 April 2012. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  31. ↑ Johnson, Neala (16 May 2012). "Australian film The Sapphires backed by The Weinstein Company ahead of Cannes Film Festival premiere". Herald Sun . Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  32. ↑ "chris o'dowd on Twitter: "@billwhatonair it's ridiculous, it's misleading, it's ill-judged, insensitive and everything the film wasn't."". Twitter. Archived from the original on 17 March 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  33. ↑ "Sapphires DVD complaint over O'Dowd image prompts apology". BBC News . 6 August 2013. Archived from the original on 11 September 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  34. ↑ Douglas, Tim. (2 August 2013). "The Sapphires US DVD cover 'vile', says Chris O'Dowd". The Australian . Archived from the original on 3 August 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
  35. ↑ Lu, Ann (3 August 2013). "U.S. DVD Cover of Aussie Film 'The Sapphires' Called 'Sexist' And 'Racist'". International Business Times . Archived from the original on 6 March 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
  36. ↑ Rao, Mallika (5 August 2013). "Is This DVD Cover Racist?". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on 27 March 2017. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  37. ↑ Johnson, Neala (13 August 2012). "The Sapphires a box office smash hit on opening weekend". News.com.au . News Limited (News Corporation). Archived from the original on 14 August 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  38. ↑ "Box Office". Urban Cinefile. Archived from the original on 8 February 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  39. ↑ "Box Office Cinéma France - AlloCiné". Allocine.fr. Archived from the original on 30 August 2012. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  40. ↑ "LUNDI 13 AOUT 2012 : LES CHIFFRES CLES DU BOX-OFFICE". Le box-office pour les nuls. Archived from the original on 3 December 2017. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  41. ↑ "United Kingdom Box Office". Box Office Mojo. 19 December 2012. Archived from the original on 3 December 2017. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  42. ↑ "The Sapphires". Archived from the original on 13 May 2013. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  43. ↑ O'Shea, Kerry (24 May 2012). "Cannes unveils an unexpected gem (+trailer)". The New Zealand Herald . APN News & Media. Archived from the original on 24 May 2012. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
  44. ↑ Coyle, Jake (21 May 2012). "Chris O'Dowd's 'The Sapphires' receives rave reviews at Cannes Film Festival – VIDEO". IrishCentral. Archived from the original on 27 March 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
  45. ↑ "The Sapphires Movie Reviews, Pictures". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 23 September 2012. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  46. ↑ "The Sapphires Reviews". Metacritic. 19 March 2013. Archived from the original on 9 July 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  47. ↑ Guy Lodge (20 May 2012). "Variety Reviews – The Sapphires". Variety. Archived from the original on 9 July 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  48. ↑ Adams, Mark (21 May 2012). "The Sapphires – Review". Screen International . Archived from the original on 4 January 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  49. ↑ Kohn, Eric (21 May 2012). "CANNES REVIEW: Why Cannes Breakout 'The Sapphires' Belongs on Broadway More Than the Big Screen". IndieWire . Archived from the original on 23 May 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  50. ↑ Barnes, Henry (21 May 2012). "Cannes 2012: The Sapphires – review". The Guardian . London. Archived from the original on 14 April 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
  51. ↑ Brevet, Brad (21 May 2012). "'The Sapphires' Movie Review – 2012 Cannes Film Festival". Rope of Silicon. Archived from the original on 13 April 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
  52. ↑ Collin, Robbie (21 May 2012). "Cannes 2012: The Hunt/ Beyond The Hills / The Sapphires, review". The Daily Telegraph . London. Archived from the original on 24 June 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  53. ↑ Miller, Ross (30 October 2012). "Movie Review: The Sapphires". Thoughts on Film. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2012.
  54. ↑ Williams, Fiona. "The Sapphires (review)". SBS. Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
  55. ↑ Starrs, D. B. (June 2014). "Sovereignty, song and 'The Sapphires' (Wayne Blair 2012)". Journal of Australian Indigenous Issues. 17 (2): 43–55. Archived from the original on 23 December 2015. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  56. ↑ Soegito, Anthony (27 August 2012). "The Sapphires and Not Suitable For Children top AWGIE Awards". Inside Film. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  57. ↑ "2012 ARIA Awards Winners By Year". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 9 February 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  58. ↑ Cangialosi, Jason. "35th Starz Denver Film Festival Award Winners". Mile High Cinema. Archived from the original on 13 April 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  59. ↑ "Winners & Nominees". AACTA. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  60. ↑ Aboriginal magistrate Pat O'Shane, Archie Roach honoured at Deadly Awards Archived 14 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine , ABC News, 11 September 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.