Closed for Winter
Encyclopedia
Closed for Winter is a 2009 Australian drama film
starring Natalie Imbruglia
.
It is based on Georgia Blain
's critically acclaimed novel of the same title. The film was produced by Goalpost Pictures.
As she attempts to piece together the mystery of her sister's disappearance at the beach, 20 years before when both were children, Elise must face dark family secrets that have remained unspoken. As the past is revealed, she at last finds the courage to begin to live.
, Sydney
, Perth
and Noosa.
reviewer praised Imbruglia's "impressive" performance and continued to state that "The beach and the missing child are both motifs which have a powerful place in Australian culture as well as having a particularly local resonance."
The Australian
described the film as "compelling" and praised the performances of Imbruglia and Green. The cinematography of Kim Batterham was also praised. The reviewer expressed that the screenplay should have broadened its emotional range.
ABC Australia gave the film three stars and praised Imbruglia's and Green's performances. The reviewer was also enthusiastic about Batterham's cinematography but expressed regret at some of the casting.
The Sydney Morning Herald
also gave the film three stars. The reviewer remarked on Imbruglia's "impressive" performance.
Variety
agreed with several previous reviewers, praising Imbruglia's performance—"Believably expressing what it must be like to live with ungovernable sorrow, the actress proves to have much more than just a face the camera adores"—as well as that of other cast members: "Younger cast members also impress." The reviewer, however, craved greater dialogue and did not feel that Elise (Imbruglia) and co-worker Martin (Frederiksen) were a believable couple. The reviewer concluded with exemplary comments on the technical aspects of the film, describing it as "first class", and going on to say, "Kim Batterham's striking widescreen imagery casts a warm glow over the youthful summer flashbacks, with tighter, cooler framing for Elise's troubled present. Rita Zanchetta's outstanding production design features Dorothy's house as a time-frozen mausoleum of anguish that creaks and groans with what seems to be its own shallow breath."
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
starring Natalie Imbruglia
Natalie Imbruglia
Natalie Jane Imbruglia is an Australian singer-songwriter, model and actress. In the early 1990s, Imbruglia was known to audiences as Beth Brennan in the popular Australian soap Neighbours. Three years after leaving the programme, Imbruglia launched a singing career with the international hit,...
.
It is based on Georgia Blain
Georgia Blain
Georgia Blain is a contemporary Australian novelist, journalist and biographer.She is the daughter of journalist Anne Deveson. Her first novel was Closed for Winter. Her most recent work is Births, Deaths and Marriages, a memoir of her childhood which has been short-listed for the Nita Kibble...
's critically acclaimed novel of the same title. The film was produced by Goalpost Pictures.
Synopsis
The film depicts the emotional and poetic story of a beautiful young woman, Elise, who is haunted by a tragic event in her youth.As she attempts to piece together the mystery of her sister's disappearance at the beach, 20 years before when both were children, Elise must face dark family secrets that have remained unspoken. As the past is revealed, she at last finds the courage to begin to live.
Release
The film premiered at the Adelaide International Film Festival on 27 February 2009. On 23 April 2009, it received a theatrical release selected cinemas in MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
and Noosa.
Reception
The film has garnered a generally positive critical reception. The Adelaide Film FestivalAdelaide Film Festival
The Adelaide Film Festival is a biennial and non-competitive film festival held over two weeks in late February, in Adelaide, South Australia....
reviewer praised Imbruglia's "impressive" performance and continued to state that "The beach and the missing child are both motifs which have a powerful place in Australian culture as well as having a particularly local resonance."
The Australian
The Australian
The Australian is a broadsheet newspaper published in Australia from Monday to Saturday each week since 14 July 1964. The editor in chief is Chris Mitchell, the editor is Clive Mathieson and the 'editor-at-large' is Paul Kelly....
described the film as "compelling" and praised the performances of Imbruglia and Green. The cinematography of Kim Batterham was also praised. The reviewer expressed that the screenplay should have broadened its emotional range.
ABC Australia gave the film three stars and praised Imbruglia's and Green's performances. The reviewer was also enthusiastic about Batterham's cinematography but expressed regret at some of the casting.
The Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald is a daily broadsheet newspaper published by Fairfax Media in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1831 as the Sydney Herald, the SMH is the oldest continuously published newspaper in Australia. The newspaper is published six days a week. The newspaper's Sunday counterpart, The...
also gave the film three stars. The reviewer remarked on Imbruglia's "impressive" performance.
Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
agreed with several previous reviewers, praising Imbruglia's performance—"Believably expressing what it must be like to live with ungovernable sorrow, the actress proves to have much more than just a face the camera adores"—as well as that of other cast members: "Younger cast members also impress." The reviewer, however, craved greater dialogue and did not feel that Elise (Imbruglia) and co-worker Martin (Frederiksen) were a believable couple. The reviewer concluded with exemplary comments on the technical aspects of the film, describing it as "first class", and going on to say, "Kim Batterham's striking widescreen imagery casts a warm glow over the youthful summer flashbacks, with tighter, cooler framing for Elise's troubled present. Rita Zanchetta's outstanding production design features Dorothy's house as a time-frozen mausoleum of anguish that creaks and groans with what seems to be its own shallow breath."