. The film charts the events leading up to the Port Arthur Massacre in Tasmania in 1996, in which a lone gunman, Martin Bryant, took the lives of 35 people and left 23 others injured. It was the worst mass shooting in Australian history, and resulted in an almost immediate firearms ban and amnesty that largely prevented single-shooter mass murder events in the years following.
Kurzel’s film has not been without controversy, though, in a country still bearing the scars of the event. The film’s production was swiftly repudiated in the Australian parliament last year, and even Kurzel’s path to Cannes—Australians need special dispensation to leave the country during the pandemic—was in doubt. Yet his film takes a measured and sober approach to documenting the killer’s life in the days leading up to the incident.
In Deadline’s Cannes Studio, Kurzel and screenwriter Shaun Grant explained their attraction—and hesitation—toward telling the story, and the importance of being respectful towards an exceptionally dark chapter in the history of their home country. As well, Kurzel expounds on the lessons he hopes the film will teach Australians still processing the tragedy, as well as those from other countries struggling still with gun violence.
Entertainment Entertainment Latest News, Entertainment Entertainment Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Source: DEADLINE - 🏆 109. / 63 Read more »
Source: THR - 🏆 411. / 53 Read more »
Source: DEADLINE - 🏆 109. / 63 Read more »
Source: Refinery29 - 🏆 26. / 68 Read more »