Undertow (2018 film)

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Undertow
Directed byMiranda Nation
Written byMiranda Nation
Produced byLyn Norfor
Starring Olivia DeJonge
Josh Helman
Laura Gordon
Rob Collins
Cinematography Bonnie Elliott
Edited byJulie-Anne De Ruvo
Nick Meyers
Music byLisa Gerrard
James Orr
Raul Sanchez
Release date
Melbourne International Film Festival in 2018 [1]
Running time
96 minutes
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish

Undertow is a 2018 Australian psychological thriller film written and directed by Miranda Nation. The film premiered in August 2018 at the Melbourne International Film Festival, and in June 2019 at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. [2] [3] It was released in Australian cinemas in February 2020. [4]

Contents

Plot

Claire, who is grieving the loss of her baby, suspects her husband may be cheating.

Cast

Production

Undertow is Nation's first feature film. It was shot in Geelong in 2017. [5] The production had a high proportion of female crew members. [6]

Awards

Reception

Undertow has a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. [8] Luke Buckmaster of The Guardian gave it four stars and called it “an intensely gripping female-led Australian drama”. [9] Sarah Ward of Screen Daily said “Making a moody, confident feature debut, actor turned writer/director Miranda Nation takes the drama of mourning and impending motherhood, and spins it into psychological thriller territory with an added dose of topicality.” [10] Vicky Roach of the Daily Telegraph gave it 3 stars, calling it "An impressive showcase for some extraordinary Australian talent." [11] Writing in the Canberra Times, Jane Freebury gave it 3 stars, concluding "Undertow is in many ways an impressive achievement, and it augurs well for director Nation's next project." [6] David Stratton gave it 3 stars in The Australian. He states "The plotting is convoluted and the motivations not always clear, but the film gets by on the strength of some solid performances and the attractive photography by Bonnie Elliott." [12] The Sun Herald's Sandra Hall gave it 3 1/2 stars, finishing her review "It's an intelligent film, but it's relentless." [13]

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References

  1. Keast, Jacky (5 March 2020), "Miranda Nation explores female relationships in 'Undertow'", IF
  2. "MIFF Archive:". MIFF 2024. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  3. Undertow | #edfilmfest 2019 . Retrieved 14 May 2024 via www.youtube.com.
  4. "National Cinema Release for Alumna Miranda Nation's Debut Feature". Australian Film Television and Radio School. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  5. Hayward, Tess (14 March 2020), "Strong female lead", Geelong Today
  6. 1 2 Freebury, Jane (6 March 2020), "Undertow is an atmospheric Australian psychodrama about football culture and obsession", The Canberra Times
  7. 1 2 Gilbertson, Matt (31 October 2020), "South Aussie made shows in the spotlight at AACTA awards", Sunday Mail
  8. "Undertow (2018) | Where to watch streaming and online in Australia | Flicks". Flicks.com.au. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  9. Buckmaster, Luke (9 August 2018). "Undertow review – intensely gripping female-led Australian drama". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  10. Ward2018-08-10T09:38:00+01:00, Sarah. "'Undertow': Melbourne Review". Screen. Retrieved 14 May 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  11. Roach, Vicky (8 March 2020), "Character shines in gripping showcase of Aussie talent", The Daily Telegraph
  12. Stratton, David (7 March 2020), "Performances anchor tangled plot", The Australian
  13. Hall, Sandra (26 February 2020), "Gloomy pall hovers over smart Australian thriller Undertow", The Sydney Morning Herald