The Turning (2013)

Cate Blanchett as: Gail Lang

Directed by: Simon Stone (Segment: Reunion)
Selected Cast: Richard Roxburgh, Robyn Nevin, Hugo Weaving, Miranda Otto, Rose Byrne, Susie Porter, Mirrah Foulkes, Harrison Gilbertson
Written by: Andrew Upton (Segment: Reunion) (Based on Tim Winton’s collection of short stories)
Release Year: 2013
Genre: Drama
MPAA Rating: PG-13

 

 

IMDb | Photos | Videos | Official Site

A kaleidoscopic compilation of short films based on stories by Tim Winton, exploring the impact of the past on the present, and how seemingly random incidents can drastically shape us. The linking and overlapping stories explore extraordinary turning points in ordinary people’s lives in a portrait of a small coastal community.

Reunion
Vic Lang, his mother Carol, and his wife Gail are celebrating a hot Christmas day together. After lunch, Carol surprises Vic and Gail with the news that Vic’s uncle and aunt, Ernie and Cleo, have invited them over; Vic’s grandmother will be there, too. Vic is shocked, but agrees to go, if only briefly. As the three of them drive through an upscale suburb to the address of Ernie and Cleo’s new house, Gail reflects on her relationship with Carol, which is marked by a sense of distance.

Related Images

View more images at the gallery.

Still; Featurette
Related Videos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDiG7dyAz5Q

Quotes from Others

  • Simon Stone:
    — “I suppose the philosophy of story is one I agree with very strongly. You can’t control when fate will give you a helping hand. It’s kind of like surfing – there’s nothing you can do about when the wave will come, but you have to be ready to catch it.”

Trivia & Facts

  • Filmed in Australia.
  • The segment, Reunion, is produced by Dirty Films, the production company that Cate Blanchett and her husband Andrew Upton founded.
  • Cate Blanchett was due to direct, Simon Stone stepped in when she decided instead to take a role in her story.
  • The film premiered Melbourne International Film Festival on 3 August 2013 and screened at the 64th Berlin International Film Festival as part of Berlinale Special Galas section.
  • Cate Blanchett and Richard Roxburgh have worked together in film and theatre — Thank God He Met Lizzie (1997), Oscar and Lucinda (1997) and The Turning (Segment: Reunion, 2013); Hamlet (1994-95), The Seagull (1997), Uncle Vanya (2010-12), and The Present (2015-17).
  • Cate Blanchett guest starred in the TV series, Rake (2014), as the lesbian version of Richard Roxburgh’s character.