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Little fish - Cate Blanchett, Martin Henderson, Rowan Woods

Threat advisory: Severe - Severe risk of entertaining activities

Movie propaganda

The past is right here.

How do you learn to love again when the pain of the past won't let you go? When you're 32 with a troubled history and a doubtful future, it's a question that isn't so easy to answer. And for Tracy Heart (Cate Blanchett) it's a question she can no longer ignore.

After four years of treading water and redeeming herself in the eyes of her family, she has set herself the humble dream of owning her own business.

But the unexpected return of her ex-boyfriend Jonny Nguyen (Dustin Nguyen), the criminal aspirations of her brother Ray (Martin Henderson) and the emotional draw of troubled family friend and ex-footy star Lionel Dawson (Hugo Weaving), creates friction for Tracy. Her dream soon becomes tangled with criminal boss, Bradley "The Jockey" Thompson (Sam Neill) with shattering consequences. As a result, Tracy's bond of trust with her mother Janelle (Noni Hazlehurst) is tested and she has no other option but to confront her fears in order to find happiness.

A story about families. About lies. And about learning to love again.

Theatrical propaganda posters

Target demographic movie keyword propaganda

Film Australia Western Sydney drugs family poverty crime trust love video shop addiction

Persons of interest

Cate Blanchett .... Tracy Heart
Anh Do .... Tran
Noni Hazlehurst .... Janelle Heart
Martin Henderson .... Ray Heart
Lisa McCune .... Laura
Sam Neill .... Brad "The Jockey" Thompson
Dustin Nguyen .... Jonny Nguyen
Susie Porter .... Jenny
Bic Runga .... Lounge Singer
Joel Tobeck .... Steven Moss
Hugo Weaving .... Lionel Dawson
Jacqueline Perske .... Screenwriter
Rowan Woods .... Director

Cinematic intelligence sources

Little fish official movie site
Little fish film production notes
Little fish QuickTime movie trailers
Awards and film festivals:

Australian Cinematographers Society Awards 2005: ACT and NSW: Highly Commended (Danny Ruhlmann)
Australian Film Institute (AFI) 2005: Won: Best lead actor (Hugo Weaving), Best lead actress (Cate Blanchett), Best supporting actress (Noni Hazlehurst), Best editing (Alexandre de Franceschi ASE, John Scott ASE), Best sound (Sam Petty, Peter Grace, Robert Sullivan, Yulia Akerholt); Best film (Vincent Sheehan, Liz Watts, Richard Keddie), Best direction (Rowan Woods)
Cinematic Intelligence Agency Trenchcoat Awards 2005: Won: Best script (Jacqueline Perske), Best film (English language), Best director (Rowan Woods); Nominated: Best actor - Male (Hugo Weaving as Lionel Dawson), Best actor - Female (Cate Blanchett as Tracy Heart), Best Australian film, Best criminal (The Heart family and friends)
Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards 2005: Won: Best Actress In A Lead Role (Cate Blanchett), Best Actress In A Supporting Role (Noni Hazelhurst), Best Actor In A Supporting Role (Hugo Weaving); Nominated: Best Film (Vincent Sheehan, Liz Watts, Richard Keddie), Best Director (Rowan Woods), Best Actor In A Supporting Role (Martin Henderson, Sam Neill), Best Original Screenplay (Jacqueline Perske), Best Cinematography (Danny Ruhlmann), Best Composer (Nathan Larson), Best Editor (Alexander De Franceschi, John Scott)
if Awards 2005: Won: Best Actress (Cate Blanchett), Best Actor (Hugo Weaving), Best Sound (Sam Petty, Peter Grace, Robert Sullivan, Yulia Akerholt), Box Office Achievement; Nominated: Best Feature Film (Rowan Woods), Best Direction (Rowan Woods), Best Script (Jacquelin Perske), Best Editing (Alexandre De Franceschi, John Scott), Best Music (Nathan Larson)
Melbourne International Film Festival 2005: Opening Night
Toronto International Film Festival 2005: Official selection

cf. Big fish
See also The boys, West
Studios and distributors:

Film Finance Corporation Australia (FFC) * Porchlight Films * Icon Entertainment

Intelligence analyst

Special Agent Matti

Theatrical report

It sucks to be a little fish in a big pond. It sucks even more to be a little fish in a little pond. Little fish is about Little Aussie Battlers™ Doing It Tough™ on Struggle Street™, making their way the only way they know how. Rowan Woods brings us a dark vision of those trackie-dack wearing, smoking, spitting, swearing, struggling people whom you avoid on the train. People for whom a ride in a taxi is a world-shattering event. It's good.

Cate Blanchett goes off. Hugo Weaving goes off. Martin Henderson goes off. Sam Neill is good. The supporting cast are good. The locations are good. Everything is good. Little fish is a hard-core Australian drama that pulls no punches. It's dirty, it's gritty, it's good. See it.