If you're a film maker from one of the most isolated cities on the planet you'd better be prepared to shout very loud.
Soul Films' production of 'Wait 'Til Your Father Gets Home' does just that.
Martin Wilson and Angie Smith - the director / producer team behind Soul Films - are at the vanguard of a new wave of Australian film makers that are making a name for themselves on the International scene.
Being based in the Western Australian capital of Perth is about as far away from the 'Oz scene' - and world scene for that matter - as you can be whilst still on the same continent.
But for Soul, this 'tyranny of distance' has given them the time and space to perfect their craft.
And the result ?
A 'sharp as razor' production team that have come up with a little 'gem' of a film.
When young Seth Selwyn's father passes away, Seth sets out to see if hope really does spring eternal and whether a dose of old fashioned religion and his father's favourite lawn mower battery can stem the flow of his mother's tears.
It seems the only thing that will make her happy, and stop Uncle Frank from committing Seth 'to the nut-house' is, as Seth pleads, a resurrection "like you did for Mr Lazarus".
Tamblyn Lord is simply outstanding as the main character, Seth. His mesmerizing performance lends a touching sensitivity to the narrative. The luminous, Deborah Kennedy gives a rich, multilayer-ed performance as his repressed Mother.
It would be easy in a dark comedy such as this to go for 'over the top' but as the director, Martin Wilson masterly draws out just the right amount of slapstick and emotional warmth.
Wilson is an actor's director, displaying all the classic sensibilities found in the best of his craft.
His attention to the detail of each and every character is the making of this film. He has also made a very handsome film, filled with striking, vivid images that grace the screen to purely serve the story.
"I think they've done a stunning job, Martin has a classic Hollywood style, he shows genuine skill and vision," says the Australian Film Commission's project manager for the film Cristina Pozzan.
In fact she's not alone in her praise, as one of Australia's premier film commentators Phillip Adams called it "exemplary In every department" and "of the highest professional standard... beautifully crafted."
By coupling the gorgeous cinematography of Torstein Dyrting with a compelling and haunting score by James Ledger as well as superb performances from the rest of the cast and a brilliant, highly original screenplay by Brendon Guthrie, Martin Wilson has achieved a wonder - a charming little film, rich in humanity, it leaves you with that warm, happy feeling in the pit of your stomach.
It's the first time the ( Australian ) film industry has really heard the names of Martin Wilson, Angie Smith or Soul Films for that matter but if "Wait 'Til Your Father Gets Home" is their calling card then it'll merely be the first of many when the cinema world, popcorn in hand, settles into their seats to watch a Soul Film .
Rob McGlynn If Magazine
