Director: Rolf de Heer
Writers: Heather Rose, Frederick Stahl, Rolf de Heer
Cinematographer: Tony Clark
Julia: Heather Rose
Madelaine: Joey Kennedy
Eddie: John Brumpton
Rix: Rena Owen |
Rolf de Heer is a writer/director who seems to delight in taking on difficult and potentially unpopular subject matter. It was his 1993 film "Bad Boy Bobby", about a child man who escapes from his cellar into the "real" world, which first brought him critical and popular attention. In 1996 "The Quiet Room" offered a child's eye-view of a disintegrating marriage. His latest film, "Dance Me To My Song", is a love triangle in which one of the major characters suffers from severe cerebral palsy.
Heather Rose made her first screen appearance as an extra in "Bad Boy Bobby" and admits to being immediately "hooked" on the movie making process. She was born with severe cerebral palsy, is unable to care for herself and uses a voice synthesiser and computer to speak. She chose to create a dramatic love triangle between a character not unlike herself, a "carer" from hell, and a man whom both women desire.
"Dance Me To My Song" was in Official Competition at Cannes this year and has just received two AFI nominations, one for best performance by an actress in a supporting role - Rena Owen - and one for best original screenplay - Heather Rose, Frederich Stahl and Rolf de Heer.
From the opening scenes we are made very aware of the harsh realities of life for someone who is totally dependent on others. The camera cuts between scenes of Madelaine (Joey Kennedy) getting ready for the day and Julia (Heather Rose) lying helplessly on her bed, waiting anxiously for her carer to come and take her to the bathroom. As usual, Madelaine is late.
Madelaine alternately fusses over Julia and grows impatient with her. Her power games go as far as punishing Julia by keeping her voice synthesiser from her and locking her wheelchair so she cannot move around. But she has underestimated Julia who has a lively mind, a wicked sense of humour, and a determination to be treated as an intelligent, adult person.
The strength of Rose's performance is that you really come to care for her as a person, laughing with her, crying with her and dancing with her. There is a wonderful scene where Rose in her wheelchair tows Rix (Rena Owen), who is sitting on the wheeled toilet seat, around the roundabout outside her house, much to the consternation of a watching motorist.
Whilst I did find Madelaine's character a little over the top, "Dance Me To My Song" is a film that is full of energy, humour and love of life and relationship. A film that may well help many of us to see past the exterior to the inner person. It is disturbing but ultimately uplifting and life-affirming.
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