Rolf de Heer’s Charlie’s Country has been selected as the Australian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards®.
The entry is a tribute to the creative team and more broadly for the Australian film industry. If the film is nominated it would be the first official Australian entry to do so.
De Heer said, “David [Gulpilil] and I are delighted that Charlie’s Country is Australia’s nomination. For me, it’s a privilege; for David, it’s the crowning achievement in an extraordinary 44-year acting career.”
Charlie’s Country was developed, written, produced and directed by de Heer, and co-developed by Gulpilil. The story centres on the character of Charlie (played by David Gulpilil) who decides to make a stand following the new invasion of his Aboriginal community… and finds he still has a long way to fall.
Following the international premiere at the Cannes Film Festival Gulpilil received the coveted Un Certain Regard Best Actor Award. It has screened to great acclaim at 13 festivals including the Toronto International Film Festival, and is invited to screen at 21 more.
This is the third in de Heer’s unofficial trilogy and long collaboration with Gulpilil, which began with The Tracker in 2002 and was followed by Ten Canoes in 2006.
Charlie’s Country is a co-production between Vertigo Productions and Bula’bula Arts Aboriginal Corporation, produced by Nils Erik Nielsen, Peter Djigirr and Rolf de Heer with executive producers Domenico Procacci, Bryce Menzies, Sue Murray, Troy Lum and Peter McMahon. The film is presented by Screen Australia and Domenico Procacci and produced in association with the South Australian Film Corporation, Larrakia Nation Aboriginal Corporation and the Adelaide Film Festival.
Distributed in Australia by Entertainment One, it grossed $728,000. International sales rep Visit Films recently sold UK rights to Studiocanal.
To be eligible for consideration for the Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award®, a film must be defined by predominantly non-English dialogue and have been released in the country of origin for at least seven days. Each country can submit one film for nomination consideration. The Rocket was Australia’s official entry in 2013 and Lore in 2012.
The 87th Academy Award® nominations will be announced on January 15, with the awards presented on February 22 US time.