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Blame

Blame

Michael Henry

  • Country: Australia
  • Year: 2010
  • Language: English
  • Producer: Ryan Hodgson, Melissa Kelly, Michael Robinson
  • Executive Producer: David Lightfoot
  • Screenplay: Michael Henry
  • Runtime: 89
  • Programmes:

A group of young vigilantes seeking revenge for a sexual betrayal fall far from grace. When the truth is out, they find themselves on the dark side of justice.

Australia,  Crime & Thriller,  First Time Feature,  Friendship,  Action

screening times

    • Sunday September 12
    • 7:00:00 PM
    • SCOTIABANK THEATRE 1
    • Friday September 17
    • 2:30:00 PM
    • VARSITY 8
    • Saturday September 18
    • 3:30:00 PM
    • VARSITY 7

Note: indicates Premium Screening.

official description

In a remote area of the Australian outback, a middle-aged piano teacher returns to his isolated and empty house. Suddenly, without warning or provocation, five masked intruders dressed in black grab him, tie him to a chair and force him to swallow a bottle of sleeping pills. They wait for him to lose consciousness and, leaving him for dead, get into their car and drive away. Having left a fake suicide note and erasing all traces of their presence, it seems like the perfect crime.

But, of course, it’s not perfect at all – and when the best-laid plans start to go awry, the already tense proceedings get ratcheted up. Intriguing bits of information start to be revealed which answer the inevitable questions: Who are these marauders? And who, precisely, is their victim? Why are they doing this? And what, in their minds at least, could justify such an extreme act of murder and revenge?

All is revealed, but the ride is an intense, thrilling rollercoaster. Cast with the crème de la crème of young Australian actors, director Michael Henry utilizes this uber attractive talent pool to great effect. The nuances of the group relationship are deftly portrayed and as the execution of their plan falls apart, tensions mount. The group lays blame on each other and argues over how to proceed. Slowly, as their plans crumble we realize their grim motivations.

For a first time filmmaker, Michael Henry shows remarkable restraint and discipline in creating this tense, taut and devastating film. Blame is a study of the disintegration of trust and the motivations of cruelty. As the truth is revealed in the final, nail-biting moments of the film, promises and loyalties disintegrate and the hard permanence of self-interest comes to the fore.

Jane Schoettle

director bio

Michael Henry earned both his undergraduate degree in film and a master’s degree in screenwriting at the Victorian College of the Arts School of Film and Television. He has taught screenwriting at CAE Melbourne and his short films include Without a Sound (99), The Shallow End (00) and En Route (05), all of which screened at numerous international film festivals. Blame (10) is his feature film debut.

full credits

Principal Cast: Damian de Montemas, Sophie Lowe, Kestie Morassi, Simon Stone, Mark Leonard Winter, Ashley Zukerman
Producer: Ryan Hodgson, Melissa Kelly, Michael Robinson
Executive Producer: David Lightfoot
Cinematographer: Torstein Dyrting ACS
Editor: Meredith Watson Jeffery
Sound: Ric Curtin, Glenn Martin, Chris Goodes
Music: Tamil Rogeon
Production Designer: Clayton Jauncey
   
International Sales Agent: High Point Media Group
Production Company: Factor 30 Films/3 Monkey Films
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