''Return Home'' is a 1990 Australian drama film directed by

Ray Argall Raymond Charles Argall (born 31 May 1957) is an Australian cinematographer, director, and editor. His feature film '' Return Home'' (1990) is regarded by many critics as an Australian cinema classic. Argall served on the board of the Austral ...

. Argall won the

AFI 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 Director in 1990 and Frankie J. Holden was nominated for Best Actor in a Lead Role.

Plot

Noel McKenzie is a successful but divorced insurance broker in Melbourne. He returns briefly to hometown Adelaide where his brother Steve operates a traditional service station and workshop. Steve has a happy family life but is struggling to compete with more modern gas stations with convenience stores and self-service bowsers. Over time the brothers reconcile to each other’s life choices and recognise value in the family life they had in the suburb they grew up in.

Cast

*Dennis Coard as Noel * Frankie J. Holden as Steve *

Ben Mendelsohn Paul Benjamin Mendelsohn (born 3 April 1969) is an Australian actor. He first rose to prominence in Australia for his break-out role in '' The Year My Voice Broke'' (1987). He gained international attention for his starring role in the crime d ...

as Gary *Mickey Camilleri as Judy *Rachel Rains as Wendy *Gypsy Lukewood as Clare *Ryan Rawlings as Wally *Paul Nestor as Brian * Alan Fletcher as Barry

Joe Camilleri Joseph Vincent Camilleri, (born 21 May 1948) pseudonym, aka Jo Jo Zep, is a Maltese Australian singer-songwriter and musician. Camilleri has recorded as a solo artist and as a member of Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons and The Black Sorrows. Jo Jo Zep & ...

appears as a busking friend of Noel.

Production

The film was funded by the

Australian Film Commission The Australian Film Commission (AFC) was an Australian government agency was founded in 1975 with a mandate to promote the creation and distribution of films in Australia as well as to preserve the country's film history. It also had a product ...

and

Film Victoria VicScreen, formerly known as Film Victoria, is the Victoria State Government's creative and economic screen development agency. It supports screen industry professionals, infrastructure, projects and events, promoting the state of Victoria as ...

with no private investment. It was shot in

Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...

over six weeks in February–March 1989 on 16mm but the AFC agreed to blow it up to 35mm. Argall and the cast rehearsed for four weeks prior to filming. He said he worked on the script for seven years prior to the shoot.

Box office

''Return Home'' grossed $236,252 at the box office in Australia.''Film Victoria - Australian Films at the Australian Box Office''
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References

External links

* *''Return Home'' at th
Australian screen''Return Home''
at Oz Movies
DVD review
1990 films Films shot in Adelaide Australian drama films Films shot in Melbourne 1990 drama films 1990s English-language films 1990s Australian films {{1990s-drama-film-stub