Radiance

It's a curious thing that a death in a family brings out in the survivors a need to tell the truth about the deceased and each other. Family history is re-written and relationships re-adjusted (or laid waste). The worst peril of a funeral is not the emotional upheaval but the thought that the way you feel about your family might never be the same. Why confess, when we're all much better off believing in the lone stranger, or "black prince" as here? Well, there is a reason, according to this film. If you can survive the shock of finding out the truth, you will come out of it the stronger, and so will your most important relationships. Party girl Nona returns to her Queensland coastal home to find her mother has just died. Her famous opera singing sister Cressy arrives also. Their stay at home sister Mae is pretty morose but it takes a while to find out why. After the funeral, attended only by the sisters, the story starts to emerge. There is a night of booze and catharsis. The next day the sisters find themselves both bonded and liberated.

"Radiance" originated as a stage play, and it shows. Against that the director, Rachel Perkins has made full use of the Hervey Bay, Queensland, coastal landscape. The three sisters are aboriginal Australians, but this is almost incidental. As Nona, the party girl, Deborah Mailman is full of vigour and fresh sexuality. Rachel Maza plays the worldly opera singer Cressy with a complementary languidness. Stay at home Mae radiates resentment, yet in the end it is she who is the agent of liberation for them all.

A fine drama beautifully realised.

I saw this film at the Bermuda Independent Film Festival in 2002. And, I keep waiting for it to come out on video so I can buy it.

This movie starts out a bit slow, but before you know it, you're so captivated by the characters and story. It will make you laugh, it will make you angry and it will make you cry. Once it gets going, mostly it will make you laugh.

Three sisters go home for their mother's funeral. Sounds like a "girl's movie" but it's not. Each one has a strong personality and has her own issues with herself and each of her sisters - not to mention her deceased mother, who has passed away before the movie begins.

I don't want to give too much of the plot away - but this is a movie worth seeing several times, and sharing with friends.

Rachel Perkins took on Radiance with a great deal of care, intelligence and humour. The three main roles of the ensemble cast shine through Rachel's direction which allows the actors to explore their characters through the range of emotions of experience. Deborah Mailman who, nominated for an AFI award for her performance, is outstanding as Nona the young kid both lost and assured of who she is and what she wants. Still both Rachael Mazza (Chressy) and Trisha Morton-Thomas (Mae) are oustanding as well, Nona's humour guarantees her as the audience favourite. What outstounds me about Radiance is that it is an Australian film - one which doesn't go pastiche with quirkiness (say Welcome to Woop Woop) or the propaganda rallying call of Ostrailya. Radiance, like Head On, exists as a film about characters and a story. Three Aboriginal women who react and change in each others presence without delivering any Certified Political Message (TM)... it "informs the characters" Rachel says in JJJ interview. Alcholism isn't an issue it's an experience; the Stolen Generation isn't an epitaph but a reality for the characters. In short I was quite taken by this film because of its intelligence, strength and humour and it most definitely deserves both an Australian and International audience.

Tells the story of three estranged Indigenous sisters who reunite to grieve at their mother's funeral in Northern Australia.

Bringing different backgrounds together, the sisters experience trying to understand their differences, tears for each other, celebrating their lives, prejudices faced in the world, adventure and unveiling family secrets.

Eldest sister Cressy, an opera singer, doesn't particularly want to be there for certain reasons; middle sister, Mae, feels she has done enough and is bitter about life; and the youngest sister, Nona, is the free spirit who wants to have fun.

Fine story and Nona is a delight to watch on screen. Actor Deborah Mailman won the 1998 Australian Film Industry (AFI) Award for Best Actress for Radiance, with the film also being nominated for Best Film, Best Achievement in Direction, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Original Music Score and Best Production Design.

Good movie to watch with your sisters.

I was enchanted and romanced by three lovable wicked sisters. I love the one liners. I love the crude remarks. I love the clashes and I love the final outcome. You could say I enjoyed this film. The Luis Nowra play transported nicely onto the screen with the help of an observing eye from Rachel. Please throw more money her way, I can see this filmmaker maturing with every work she may create.