Tassie film set to star at Venice Film Festival

THE biggest names in film will feast their eyes on Tasmania at one of the most prestigious and longest running film festivals in the world.

Aisling Franciosi as Irish convict Clare in The Nightingale. Picture: KASIA LADCZUK/NIGHTINGALE PICTURES

THE biggest names in film will feast their eyes on Tasmania at one of the most prestigious and longest running film festivals in the world.

Jennifer Kent’s The Nightingale, filmed in Tasmania and set in 1828 convict Van Diemen’s Land, has been invited to premiere at the Venice Film Festival in September.

The period thriller follows the story of Irish convict Clare (played by Irish-Italian actor Aisling Franciosi), who seeks revenge on a British officer for violent acts he committed against her family.

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Kent - the film’s Australian writer and director - said she was shocked to hear the good news.

“You hope for these moments but never expect them and it’s a big deal as a film maker,” she said.

Kent said she “would not have dreamt” of making the film anywhere but Tasmania.

“Tasmania is incredible to film. We can all thank Tassie for our hyperthermia, but apart from the difficulty, the landscape in some [scenes] had never been filmed before.

“I think Hobart is probably the most interesting city in Australia at the moment.

The Nightingale being filmed on High St in Oatlands.

Kent said she hoped to take associate producer and cultural adviser, Tasmanian Aboriginal elder Jim Everett, to Venice for the premiere.

She said Mr Everett had input into the script and was involved in the creative process from the first draft through to post production.

“We want to get him along [to the festival] and share this achievement with him because he was so instrumental.”

Mr Everett said he was “chuffed” to be invited.

“I am really excited that the film has finally reached this stage,” he said.

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“The role brought me plenty of work liaising between the film makers and my own community and dealing with the actors brought in from the Northern Territory.”

Mr Everett said the film exposed Tasmania’s “hidden histories”.

“Of all of the films I have seen about the Tasmanian Aboriginal experience and colonial experience, this is one of the best in terms of the integrity of the story and how it is told.”

Kent said she was “enormously proud” of the Aboriginal story told within the film.

“I wouldn’t have made the film without the permission to tell that shared story and there was a period where I thought it was not going to happen.”

Aisling Franciosi as Irish convict Clare in The Nightingale. Picture: KASIA LADCZUK/NIGHTINGALE PICTURE

Kent said the story is a fiction based on the real events of Tasmania’s “dark history”.

“We are dealing with Aboriginal history and female convict history, so you can’t make things up, they have to be based in reality.

“Unfortunately, all of the things that you see in this film happened at some point or another.”

“Like every other history story that is told, whether it is about aboriginal people or anybody, there needs to be an accuracy and honesty in telling the story and I know that is what has been put into this film,” Mr Everett said.

Kent said the film was relatively unknown internationally.

“I think it could be the dark horse,” she said.

“All the attention I’m getting at the moment is about being the only woman in the festival, but I think they may be surprised when they see the film and I think it will have an impact.”

The film’s initial success comes off the back of the triumphant release of her award-winning directorial debut, The Babadook, which premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.

Kent said The Nightingale “is a different beast” to The babadook.

“I’m really proud of the difference but I love my strange babies equally.”

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