Samson and Delilah (2009 film)
Encyclopedia
Samson and Delilah is a 2009 Australian film and was directed by Warwick Thornton
. It stars Rowan McNamara and Marissa Gibson, both young first time actors. It was filmed in and around Alice Springs. Described as a "survival love story" by the director, the film depicts two indigenous Australian 14 year olds living in a remote Aboriginal community who steal a car and escape their difficult lives by going to Alice Springs. The film competed in the Un Certain Regard
section at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival
, winning the Caméra d'Or
('Gold Camera Award' for best first feature film) at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival
. Screen Australia
announced on 29 September 2009 that the film has been nominated as Australia's official entry in the Academy Awards
best foreign language film
category.
.
Samson and Delilah received five stars from both Margaret Pomeranz
and David Stratton
on At The Movies.
Warwick Thornton
Warwick Thornton is an Australian film director, screenwriter and cinematographer. His debut feature film, Samson and Delilah won the Caméra d'Or at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.-Family:Thornton was born and raised in Alice Springs...
. It stars Rowan McNamara and Marissa Gibson, both young first time actors. It was filmed in and around Alice Springs. Described as a "survival love story" by the director, the film depicts two indigenous Australian 14 year olds living in a remote Aboriginal community who steal a car and escape their difficult lives by going to Alice Springs. The film competed in the Un Certain Regard
Un Certain Regard
Un Certain Regard is a section of the Cannes Film Festival's Official Selection. It is run at the Salle Debussy, parallel to the competition for the Palme d'Or.This section was introduced in 1978 by Gilles Jacob...
section at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival
2009 Cannes Film Festival
The 62nd annual Cannes Film Festival was held from May 13 to May 24, 2009. French actress Isabelle Huppert was the President of the Jury. It was announced on March 19, 2009, that Pixar's film Up would open the festival...
, winning the Caméra d'Or
Caméra d'Or
The Caméra d'Or is an award of the Cannes Film Festival for the best first feature film presented in one of the Cannes' selections ....
('Gold Camera Award' for best first feature film) at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival
2009 Cannes Film Festival
The 62nd annual Cannes Film Festival was held from May 13 to May 24, 2009. French actress Isabelle Huppert was the President of the Jury. It was announced on March 19, 2009, that Pixar's film Up would open the festival...
. Screen Australia
Screen Australia
Screen Australia is the Federal Government’s key funding body for the Australian screen production industry. Its functions are to support and promote the development of a highly creative, innovative and commercially sustainable industry....
announced on 29 September 2009 that the film has been nominated as Australia's official entry in the Academy Awards
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
best foreign language film
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
The Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film is one of the Academy Awards of Merit, popularly known as the Oscars, handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
category.
Plot
Samson and Delilah are two 14-year-olds who live in an Aboriginal community near Alice Springs. Samson sniffs petrol every morning. He lives in a run-down shelter with his brothers band playing reggae music, all day, right outside his bedroom. Samson is interested in Delilah, who lives with her grandmother. He throws a rock at her outside the local convenience store. In spite of mocking encouragement from her grandmother Delilah is initially not interested in him. Samson spends a day following Delilah around. He attempts to move in with Delilah, even though she is clearly uninterested in him. Delilah's grandmother passes away. Samson in a fit of rage, beats his brother with a stick, in order to shut him and his band up. His brother retaliates. The same thing is happening to Delilah; the other old women in the community blame her 'neglect' for her grandmother's death and beat her with sticks. Samson steals a car and takes Delilah with him as she sleeps. When they arrive in Alice Springs, they find a homeless man, Gonzo, living under a bridge. Samson continues to rely on petrol sniffing, and his habit progressively worsens. At one point, he gets so high from the fumes that he does not notice when Delilah is taken by a group of white teenagers in a car. She is raped and bashed, but she eventually comes back to Samson, who is unconscious on the floor due to the petrol sniffing. She also begins sniffing petrol with Samson. Under the same circumstances as her abduction, they are both walking along the street and Delilah is hit by a car. When Samson eventually comes to and realises she has been hit he believes she is dead, and cuts off his hair as a sign of respect. He spends weeks sitting in the same position under the bridge sniffing petrol as a means of getting over Delilah's death. Delilah comes back and rescues Samson, and they are both brought back to their old village. As they arrive one of the community's old women begins to beat Samson with a stick for stealing the community's only car. Delilah decides to take Samson away to a secluded area, as a way of rehabilitating, and getting over his petrol sniffing habit. Eventually Samson stops sniffing petrol, and over time Delilah is able to coax him back to his original state.Cast
- Rowan McNamaraRowan McNamaraRowan McNamara is an indigenous Australian actor, best known for his role in Samson and Delilah.-Career:McNamara's first acting role was in the 2009 Australian film, Samson and Delilah. He had the lead role in this film, playing the title character of Samson...
as Samson - Marissa GibsonMarissa GibsonMarissa Gibson is an Australian actress. She played the central role of Delilah in the 2009 film Samson and Delilah. The film won the Caméra d'Or award at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival and Best Film at the 2009 AFI Awards...
as Delilah - Mitjili Napanangka Gibson as Nana
- Scott Thornton as Gonzo
- Matthew Gibson as Samson's Brother
- Steven Brown as Drummer
- Gregwyn Gibson as Bass Player
- Noreen Robertson Nampijinpa as Fighting Woman
- Kenrick Martin as Wheelchair Boy
- Peter Bartlett as Storekeeper
Reception
Based on 34 reviews, the film holds a 97% Fresh rating on the film review aggregator Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
.
Samson and Delilah received five stars from both Margaret Pomeranz
Margaret Pomeranz
Margaret Pomeranz AM is an Australian film critic and television personality.-Early life:Pomeranz was born in 1944 in Waverley, a suburb of Sydney, and was educated at the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney in Croydon, the then newly opened Macquarie University, and the Playwright's Studio at...
and David Stratton
David Stratton
David James Stratton is an English- Australian film critic and television personality.-Life and career:Born in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England in 1939, Stratton was sent to Hampshire to see out the war years with his grandmother, an avid filmgoer, where he was taken to the local cinemas regularly...
on At The Movies.
Awards
- 2009: Australian Film Critics AssociationAustralian Film Critics AssociationThe Australian Film Critics Association or AFCA is an Australian film critic organisation.-History:Formed in 1996, AFCA began as the Melbourne Film Critics’ Forum, expanding to a national organisation in 2004...
: Best Australian Film - Commended - 2009: 82nd Academy Awards82nd Academy AwardsThe 82nd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences , honored the best films of 2009 and took place March 7, 2010, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST. The ceremony was scheduled well after...
: Best Foreign Language Film (AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
)- Shortlisted - 2009: Adelaide Film FestivalAdelaide Film FestivalThe Adelaide Film Festival is a biennial and non-competitive film festival held over two weeks in late February, in Adelaide, South Australia....
: Audience AwardAudience awardAn audience award is typically an award at a film festival which is selected by the audience attending the festival, rather than by the festival jury or a group of critics.- Examples :...
- Won - 2009: Cannes Film FestivalCannes Film FestivalThe Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
: Caméra d'OrCaméra d'OrThe Caméra d'Or is an award of the Cannes Film Festival for the best first feature film presented in one of the Cannes' selections ....
- Won - 2009: Australian Writers' GuildAustralian Writers' GuildThe Australian Writers' Guild is the professional association for all performance writers, that is, writers for film, television, radio, theatre, video and new media. The AWG was established in 1962 and is recognised throughout the industry in Australia as being the voice of performance writers...
Award: Feature Film Screenplay (Original) - Warwick ThorntonWarwick ThorntonWarwick Thornton is an Australian film director, screenwriter and cinematographer. His debut feature film, Samson and Delilah won the Caméra d'Or at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.-Family:Thornton was born and raised in Alice Springs...
- Won - 2009: Australian Writers' GuildAustralian Writers' GuildThe Australian Writers' Guild is the professional association for all performance writers, that is, writers for film, television, radio, theatre, video and new media. The AWG was established in 1962 and is recognised throughout the industry in Australia as being the voice of performance writers...
Award: Major AWGIE Award - Won - 2009: Deadly Awards: Female Actor of the Year - Marissa GibsonMarissa GibsonMarissa Gibson is an Australian actress. She played the central role of Delilah in the 2009 film Samson and Delilah. The film won the Caméra d'Or award at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival and Best Film at the 2009 AFI Awards...
- Nominated - 2009: Deadly Awards: Male Actor of the Year - Rowan McNamaraRowan McNamaraRowan McNamara is an indigenous Australian actor, best known for his role in Samson and Delilah.-Career:McNamara's first acting role was in the 2009 Australian film, Samson and Delilah. He had the lead role in this film, playing the title character of Samson...
- Nominated - 2009: Deadly Awards: Outstanding Achievement in Film - Warwick ThorntonWarwick ThorntonWarwick Thornton is an Australian film director, screenwriter and cinematographer. His debut feature film, Samson and Delilah won the Caméra d'Or at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.-Family:Thornton was born and raised in Alice Springs...
- Won - 2009: IF Awards: Best Feature Film - Won
- 2009: IF Awards: Best Actor - Rowan McNamarra - Won
- 2009: IF Awards: Best Actress - Marissa Gibson - Won
- 2009: IF Awards: Best Director - Warwick Thornton - Won
- 2009: IF Awards: Best Script - Won
- 2009: IF Awards: Best Music - Nominated
- 2009: IF Awards: Best Cimematography - Nominated
- 2009: Asia Pacific Screen AwardsAsia Pacific Screen AwardsThe Asia Pacific Screen Awards is an international cultural initiative of the State Government of Queensland, Australia, through Events Queensland, to honour and promote the films, actors, directors, and cultures of Asia-Pacific to a global audience and to realise the objectives of UNESCO to...
: Best Feature Film - Won - 2009: AFI AwardsAustralian Film Institute AwardsThe Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award, known as the AACTA Award , is an accolade presented annually by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts . The awards recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry and television industry, including directors,...
: Best Film - Won - 2009: AFI AwardsAustralian Film Institute AwardsThe Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award, known as the AACTA Award , is an accolade presented annually by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts . The awards recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry and television industry, including directors,...
: Best Director - Warwick Thornton - Won - 2009: AFI AwardsAustralian Film Institute AwardsThe Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award, known as the AACTA Award , is an accolade presented annually by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts . The awards recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry and television industry, including directors,...
: Best Lead Actor - Rowan McNamarra - Nominated - 2009: AFI AwardsAustralian Film Institute AwardsThe Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award, known as the AACTA Award , is an accolade presented annually by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts . The awards recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry and television industry, including directors,...
: Best Lead Actress - Marissa Gibson - Nominated - 2009: AFI AwardsAustralian Film Institute AwardsThe Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award, known as the AACTA Award , is an accolade presented annually by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts . The awards recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry and television industry, including directors,...
: Best Supporting Actress - Mitjili Gibson - Nominated - 2009: AFI AwardsAustralian Film Institute AwardsThe Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award, known as the AACTA Award , is an accolade presented annually by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts . The awards recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry and television industry, including directors,...
: Young Actor Award - Rowan McNamarra - Joint winner - 2009: AFI AwardsAustralian Film Institute AwardsThe Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award, known as the AACTA Award , is an accolade presented annually by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts . The awards recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry and television industry, including directors,...
: Young Actor Award - Marissa Gibson - Joint winner - 2009: AFI AwardsAustralian Film Institute AwardsThe Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award, known as the AACTA Award , is an accolade presented annually by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts . The awards recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry and television industry, including directors,...
: Best Original Screenplay - Won - 2009: AFI AwardsAustralian Film Institute AwardsThe Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award, known as the AACTA Award , is an accolade presented annually by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts . The awards recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry and television industry, including directors,...
: Best Cimematography - Won - 2009: AFI AwardsAustralian Film Institute AwardsThe Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award, known as the AACTA Award , is an accolade presented annually by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts . The awards recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry and television industry, including directors,...
: Best Editing - Nominated - 2009: AFI AwardsAustralian Film Institute AwardsThe Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award, known as the AACTA Award , is an accolade presented annually by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts . The awards recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry and television industry, including directors,...
: Best Sound - Won - 2009: AFI AwardsAustralian Film Institute AwardsThe Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award, known as the AACTA Award , is an accolade presented annually by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts . The awards recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry and television industry, including directors,...
: Best Music Score - Nominated - 2010: Dublin International Film Festival, Dublin Film Critics Circle: Best Film Won
- 2010: Palm Springs International Film FestivalPalm Springs International Film FestivalPalm Springs International Film Festival is a film festival held in Palm Springs, California. It was started in 1989 and is held annually in January...
: John Schlesinger Award - Warwick Thornton Won