''Looking for Alibrandi'' is a 2000 Australian film directed by Kate Woods from a script by

Melina Marchetta Carmelina Marchetta (born 25 March 1965) is an Australian writer and teacher. Marchetta is best known as the author of teen novels, '' Looking for Alibrandi'', ''Saving Francesca'' and '' On the Jellicoe Road''. She has twice been awarded the ...

based on her 1992 novel of the same name. The film is set in 1990s

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mounta ...

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

and features a cast of Australian actors, including

Pia Miranda Pia Miranda (born 15 June 1973) is an Australian actress whose career was launched with her role in the 2000 feature film '' Looking for Alibrandi'', an Australian film based on the novel of the same name by Melina Marchetta. She is also know ...

as Josephine Alibrandi, the film's main character;

Anthony LaPaglia Anthony LaPaglia (, ; born 31 January 1959) is an Australian actor. He is best known for his role as Jack Malone in the television drama ''Without a Trace'' (2002–2009), for which he received a Golden Globe Award in 2004. LaPaglia won a Prim ...

as her father, Michael Andretti, who left her and her mother before her birth; and

Kick Gurry Christopher "Kick" Gurry (born 25 May 1978) is an Australian actor. Gurry was born in Melbourne, Australia. He got his nickname when his brother could not say Christopher so he said "Kicker". When he got into high school, he shortened it to "K ...

as Josie's love interest, Jacob Coote. The film won the

Australian Film Institute Award The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards, known as the AACTA Awards, are presented annually by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA). The awards recognise excellence in the film and television industry ...

for

Best Film This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...

in 2000.

Plot

''Looking for Alibrandi'' begins light-heartedly, and conveys Josie's character through her interactions with friends and family. However, the optimism initially associated with Josie fades as she struggles to cope with her final year of school, including the racist attitude of one girl in particular, Carly Bishop ( Leeanna Walsman), the suicide of her crush, John Barton ( Matthew Newton), and the meeting with Michael Andretti (

), her absent father, who has only just learned of her existence upon returning to Sydney for work. She is also in continual conflict with her grandmother, Katia Alibrandi (

Elena Cotta Elena Cotta (born 19 August 1931) is an Italian stage, film and television actress. Life and career Born in Milan, at a young age Cotta won a scholarship to attend the Accademia Nazionale di Arte Drammatica Silvio D'Amico; after just one year ...

). However, these complications are seemingly resolved quickly, in keeping with Josie's brusque and forthright outlook on life. For example, in response to Carly's frequent snide remarks, she breaks her tormentor's nose with a history textbook. It is this drastic act that brings her father back into her life. Another complication—the suicide of her close friend, John Barton—tests her resilience. Struggling with her grief, she finds some comfort from Jacob Coote. An apparent 'bad boy', he turns out to be a sincere and caring person. The most significant complication and challenge for Josie, is her rocky relationship with her Nonna. When they finally get to know each other, and recognise themselves in each other, their rift heals, and she can confide in her.

Production

The world premiere of the play ''Looking for Alibrandi'', based on the novel, was created and performed by the

PACT Youth Theatre The PACT Centre for Emerging Artists (short for "Producers Artists Curators Technicians Centre for Emerging Artists"), formerly Producers Authors Composers and Talent and PACT Youth Theatre, is an Australian performing arts organisation and theat ...

in 1995. It sold out for three seasons, leading to the making of a film adaptation. The film was produced by

Robyn Kershaw Robyn Kershaw is an Australian independent film and television producer, best known for her work on feature drama, '' Looking for Alibrandi'' (2000), musical-comedy, ''Bran Nue Dae'' (2009), the hit TV series ''Kath & Kim'' (original run: 2002– ...

. The entire film was filmed in

, including such locations as

Glebe Glebe (; also known as church furlong, rectory manor or parson's close(s))McGurk 1970, p. 17 is an area of land within an ecclesiastical parish used to support a parish priest. The land may be owned by the church, or its profits may be reserved ...

(Alibrandi's house),

Bondi Beach Bondi Beach is a popular beach and the name of the surrounding suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Bondi Beach is located east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Waverley Council, in the Easter ...

, Sydney Central Station on Eddy Avenue, the Concert Hall Northern Foyer, and entrance of

Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive buildings and a masterpiece of 20th-century architec ...

(the Have your Say Day scene), George Street/ Anzac Bridge (the scene where Jacob Coote sent Josephine Alibrandi home with his motorcycle), the Scots College and

Kincoppal School , motto_translation = One Heart , established = , type = Independent early learning, primary and secondary day and boarding school , denomination = Roman Catholic , religious_affiliat ...

were also used throughout the film, the main quadrangle of

University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD), also known as Sydney University, or informally Sydney Uni, is a public research university located in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and is one of the country's si ...

(the John Barton and Josephine Alibrandi scene),

Village Cinema Village Cinema is a television movie network, owned by local diversified investment holding company, Demco Group, under brand license from Village Roadshow. It debuted in Greece on June, 11th 2012 exclusively on Cosmote TV via Conn-x (IPTV ser ...

(Jacob and Josie's date) and

Oporto Porto or Oporto () is the second-largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto District, and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropo ...

(where Josie works part-time).

Critical acclaim

The film, while not well known in international markets, has received critical acclaim for its insights into both the second-generation-migrant experience and the universal human condition. ''Looking for Alibrandi'' was

Kate Woods Kate Woods is an Australian film and television director who has directed and produced mini series, television shows, pilots and feature films. Career Woods made her feature film directorial debut with the film '' Looking for Alibrandi'' ( ...

' directorial debut in film; Woods was acclaimed for "giving

he film's He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' in ...

multicultural terrain the true respect and depth it deserves."

Awards

''Looking for Alibrandi'' won five awards at the 2000 AFI Awards: *Best Film–presented to producer

*Best Lead Actress–

*Best Supporting Actress–

Greta Scacchi Greta Scacchi, OMRI (; born 18 February 1960) is an Italian-Australian actress. She holds dual Italian and Australian citizenship. She is best known for her roles in the films '' White Mischief'' (1987), '' Presumed Innocent'' (1990), '' The Pl ...

*Best Adapted Screenplay–

(adapted from her own novel) *Best Film Editing–Martin Connor

Box office

''Looking for Alibrandi'' grossed $8,300,000 at the box office in Australia.

References

External links

*
''Looking for Alibrandi''
o
australianscreen onlineLooking for Alibrandi
at Oz Movies
Looking for Alibrandi at the National Film and Sound Archive
{{AACTA Award Best Film 2000 films 2000s coming-of-age drama films Australian coming-of-age drama films Films based on Australian novels Films shot in Sydney Films set in Sydney Italian-Australian culture Films scored by Alan John 2000 directorial debut films 2000 drama films