Emblematic of his culture, as the nation’s original inhabitants continue to struggle with the impact of the settling populace, ten-year-old Pete (debutant Cameron Wallaby) is caught between tradition and modernity. His home, an abandoned drive-in in rural Western Australia, emphasizes his intermediate status, a symbol of a brave new world left to fester in the elements. His guardians – his grandfather, Aboriginal elder Jagamarra (David Gulpilil, Australia), and Perth-based mother Lynelle (Rohanna Angus, Stone Bros.) – further typify the divide, with Pete literally stuck in the middle. Only a quest from one to the other can provide direction amidst his uncertainty.
In Satellite Boy, Pete wanders like the restless titular object, orbiting realms he is neither a part of nor separate from. He recoils from Jagamarra’s teachings of life on the land, relishing his fantasy of restoring his home to its working glory, but Lynelle’s absence stalls his plans. When a mining company threatens to take away the outdoor cinema, Pete is driven to act. With his mischievous friend Kalmain (fellow newcomer Joseph Pedley) in tow, he treks from the bush to the city to fight for his dream, but finds his calling in the most unlikely of places.
After more than a decade of success in short films (The Third Note, Road) and television series (RAN: Remote Area Nurse, The Circuit), writer/director Catriona McKenzie’s first film mimics the chasm pondered by its protagonist, straddling the line between wondrous mythology and heartbreaking authenticity. Dreamlike in its evocation of the outback atmosphere amongst the picturesque Kimberley region, yet disquieting in the urgent tension of contemporary life, the feature proves the epitome of magical realism.
Employing the landscape as a dramatic character under the sumptuous guidance of director of photography Geoffrey Simpson (The Sessions), and heightening the spirit of optimism through David Bridie’s (Make Hummus Not War) upbeat score, McKenzie wrings heart and hope out of every moment of the charming screen tale. The subtle incursion of seriousness stems not from social activism or political commentary, but from the knowledge of the reality, with each element tied back to Satellite Boy‘s greater fable of family, faith and culture.
Gulpilil, ever an inimitable presence in Australian cinema, rightly commands attention as the icon of Indigenous custom; however young amateur Wallaby proves a delightful discovery as his youthful counterpart. A sense of richness resonates from their performances, reverberating through the textured film itself, and reaching beyond the familiarity of the seasoned themes and seen-before narrative.
Rating: 3 ½ stars out of 5
Satellite Boy
Director: Catriona McKenzie
Australia, 2012, 90 mins
Release date: 20 June
Distributor: Hopscotch
Rated: PG
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