Opal Dream
Encyclopedia
Opal Dream is a 2006
Australia
n drama
film
, based on the Ben Rice
novella
Pobby and Dingan, directed by Peter Cattaneo
and starring an ensemble cast including Vince Colosimo
, Jacqueline McKenzie
, Christian Byers
and Sapphire Boyce. It was filmed on location around South Australia
, in Adelaide
, Coober Pedy and Woomera
. Opal Dream was released in Australia on 28 September 2006, with eventual release around the world.
The film begins by introducing Kellyanne Williamson, playing with imaginary friends Pobby and Dingan. The family of Rex Williamson—his wife Anne, daughter Kellyanne and son Ashmol—have moved to Coober Pedy, known as the "opal capital of Australia", because Rex believed he could make a fortune in opal mining. So far he's had little success. Ashmol, while he loves his sister, is frequently annoyed when she talks to her imaginary friends, and some of the kids at school tease the siblings because of them.
Rex and Annie decide it is time to wean Kellyanne from her invisible companions. Annie takes Kellyanne to a Christmas party at Annie's friend's house, Rex telling her that he will let Pobby and Dingan come with him to go opal mining. Upon Rex's return, Kellyanne says she can no longer see them and that they have disappeared. She insists on going to the opal mining area to look for them, accompanied by Rex and Ashmol. The family accidentally strays on to a neighbouring miner's patch. The miner, Sid, pulls a shotgun on Rex and calls the police, thinking that Rex was "ratting" on his territory - that is, looking for opals on his turf.
Kellyanne is grief-stricken at the loss of her imaginary friends and takes ill, although doctors can find nothing physically wrong with her. Rex has to leave his opal claim. Annie loses her job at the local supermarket, thanks to the circulating rumours around Rex's arrest. Convinced that Kellyanne is faking her illness, Ashmol nonetheless goes along with her wish that he try to find Pobby and Dingan. He even comes up with the idea of putting posters around town. Ultimately, returning to Rex's mine area, Ashmol finds two lollipop wrappers. Deeper in the tunnel, he finds a large opal which he takes back to Kellyanne. He tells her he has found Pobby and Dingan, and that they are dead.
Kellyanne, whose sickness has been worsening, has to go to hospital. Ashmol sells his opal and pays for a funeral for Pobby and Dingan. He has made friends with a lawyer, who takes Rex's case. Rex wins the trial.
Many people in town begin to feel that their attitude toward Kellyanne and her family may have contributed to her sickness. These people show up at Pobby and Dingan's funeral. Kellyanne, though still sick, is there, and throws lollipops into her imaginary friends' graves. A short time later, Kellyanne herself dies, and is buried between her imaginary friends. Ashmol visits her grave. Rex gets his claim back, and Ashmol is allowed to accompany him on mining trips.
in 2008.
and the 2006 Melbourne International Film Festival
. With 32 reviews, Rotten Tomatoes
rates the film at 69% (22 fresh, 10 rotten), giving an overall "fresh" rating.
The film was commercially released on Amazon
in 2007, and is available as region 1 and 2 DVDs.
2006 in film
- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2006...
Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n drama
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...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, based on the Ben Rice
Ben Rice
Ben Rice , is a prize-winning British author.Rice was born in Tiverton, Devon, educated at Blundell's School and read English literature at Newcastle University and then Wadham College, Oxford, before studying Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia.His novel Pobby and Dingan was awarded...
novella
Novella
A novella is a written, fictional, prose narrative usually longer than a novelette but shorter than a novel. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Nebula Awards for science fiction define the novella as having a word count between 17,500 and 40,000...
Pobby and Dingan, directed by Peter Cattaneo
Peter Cattaneo
Peter Cattaneo was born in 1964 in Twickenham, London. He is a two-time Academy Award-nominated English filmmaker most famous for directing the hit British film The Full Monty. He also directed 2005's Opal Dream.-Filmography:-External links:...
and starring an ensemble cast including Vince Colosimo
Vince Colosimo
Vincenzo Colosimo is an Australian AFI Award winning stage, television and screen actor. He has worked in both Australia and the United States.-Personal life:...
, Jacqueline McKenzie
Jacqueline McKenzie
Jacqueline Susan McKenzie is an Australian actress.McKenzie made her film debut in the 1987 film Wordplay and on stage in Child Dancing for Griffin Theatre Company. She made a strong impression in Romper Stomper , and over the next couple of years came to be regarded as one of Australia's most...
, Christian Byers
Christian Byers
Christian Byers is an Australian actor born on 31 July 1993 in Sydney, Australia. In 2006, he made his film debut in Opal Dream, before featuring in December Boys alongside Daniel Radcliffe. In 2007, Christian portrayed Jacob in Hey, Hey, It's Esther Blueburger. Christian is also the lead vocalist,...
and Sapphire Boyce. It was filmed on location around South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
, in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, Coober Pedy and Woomera
Woomera, South Australia
The town, or village, of Woomera is located in the south east corner of the Woomera Prohibited Area ; colloquially known as the Woomera Rocket Range...
. Opal Dream was released in Australia on 28 September 2006, with eventual release around the world.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Vince Colosimo Vince Colosimo Vincenzo Colosimo is an Australian AFI Award winning stage, television and screen actor. He has worked in both Australia and the United States.-Personal life:... |
Rex Williamson |
| Jacqueline McKenzie Jacqueline McKenzie Jacqueline Susan McKenzie is an Australian actress.McKenzie made her film debut in the 1987 film Wordplay and on stage in Child Dancing for Griffin Theatre Company. She made a strong impression in Romper Stomper , and over the next couple of years came to be regarded as one of Australia's most... |
Annie Williamson |
| Christian Byers Christian Byers Christian Byers is an Australian actor born on 31 July 1993 in Sydney, Australia. In 2006, he made his film debut in Opal Dream, before featuring in December Boys alongside Daniel Radcliffe. In 2007, Christian portrayed Jacob in Hey, Hey, It's Esther Blueburger. Christian is also the lead vocalist,... |
Ashmol Williamson |
| Sapphire Boyce | Kellyanne Williamson |
| Peter Callan | Dan Dunkley |
| Andy McPhee | Harris |
| Robert Menzies Robert Menzies Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia.... |
Humph |
| Adam Morgan Adam Morgan Adam Morgan is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the Australian Football League.-Port Adelaide career :... |
Donny |
| Rusty Potter | Lyndon Dunkley |
| Denise Roberts Denise Roberts Denise Roberts is an Australian actor and director who has worked in theatre, film and television since 1980. She gained initial fame when she played Julie Winters in the ABC-TV medical drama G.P. from 1989 to 1996. Denise's mentor was Hayes Gordon, with whom she studied solidly for three years... |
Vera |
Plot
Rex and Annie decide it is time to wean Kellyanne from her invisible companions. Annie takes Kellyanne to a Christmas party at Annie's friend's house, Rex telling her that he will let Pobby and Dingan come with him to go opal mining. Upon Rex's return, Kellyanne says she can no longer see them and that they have disappeared. She insists on going to the opal mining area to look for them, accompanied by Rex and Ashmol. The family accidentally strays on to a neighbouring miner's patch. The miner, Sid, pulls a shotgun on Rex and calls the police, thinking that Rex was "ratting" on his territory - that is, looking for opals on his turf.
Kellyanne is grief-stricken at the loss of her imaginary friends and takes ill, although doctors can find nothing physically wrong with her. Rex has to leave his opal claim. Annie loses her job at the local supermarket, thanks to the circulating rumours around Rex's arrest. Convinced that Kellyanne is faking her illness, Ashmol nonetheless goes along with her wish that he try to find Pobby and Dingan. He even comes up with the idea of putting posters around town. Ultimately, returning to Rex's mine area, Ashmol finds two lollipop wrappers. Deeper in the tunnel, he finds a large opal which he takes back to Kellyanne. He tells her he has found Pobby and Dingan, and that they are dead.
Kellyanne, whose sickness has been worsening, has to go to hospital. Ashmol sells his opal and pays for a funeral for Pobby and Dingan. He has made friends with a lawyer, who takes Rex's case. Rex wins the trial.
Many people in town begin to feel that their attitude toward Kellyanne and her family may have contributed to her sickness. These people show up at Pobby and Dingan's funeral. Kellyanne, though still sick, is there, and throws lollipops into her imaginary friends' graves. A short time later, Kellyanne herself dies, and is buried between her imaginary friends. Ashmol visits her grave. Rex gets his claim back, and Ashmol is allowed to accompany him on mining trips.
Ending
In the original release of the film, the death of Kellyanne was not shown; after Pobby and Dingan's funeral, the screen fades to white, and the film ends. This cut was made against the wishes of the director and crew, but did air uncut and as originally intended when shown on BBC TwoBBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
in 2008.
Reaction
The film has had some early critical success at various international film festivals, including the 2005 Berlin International Film FestivalBerlin International Film Festival
The Berlin International Film Festival , also called the Berlinale, is one of the world's leading film festivals and most reputable media events. It is held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in West Berlin in 1951, the festival has been celebrated annually in February since 1978...
and the 2006 Melbourne International Film Festival
Melbourne International Film Festival
The Melbourne International Film Festival is an acclaimed annual film festival held over three weeks in Melbourne, Australia. It was founded in 1951, making it one of the oldest in the World....
. With 32 reviews, Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
rates the film at 69% (22 fresh, 10 rotten), giving an overall "fresh" rating.
The film was commercially released on Amazon
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
in 2007, and is available as region 1 and 2 DVDs.