Night 2007

Lawrence Johnston's Night is a symphony of music and images celebrating nothing less than life and the world between dusk and dawn. Arrestingly shot in gorgeous, layered depth by Laurie McInnes, the film discovers poetry in Australian cityscapes that surprisingly few films, apart from Johnston's own Eternity, have ever divulged. There's plenty of wilderness photography too, glorying in the starry desert sky or a cloud-crunching electrical storm. The film is short, but it feels grand, thanks in no small measure to Cezary Skubiszewski's soaring orchestral score. Though this grandeur is counterpointed with brief interviews, recollections of ordinary nighttime experiences, it's the extraordinary that prevails. Expat Australians may shed homesick tears - while patriotic Kiwis should prepare to meet that inner Australian you always knew was lurking inside. — BG