The Independent is an independent

Independent film

An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...

 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 mockumentary

Mockumentary

A mockumentary , is a type of film or television show in which fictitious events are presented in documentary format. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on current events and issues by using a fictitious setting, or to parody the documentary form itself...

 film released in 2007, produced by Apocalypse Films. It chronicles the story of Marty Browning (Lee Mason

Lee Mason (actor)

Lee Mason is an Australian film, television and stage actor from Melbourne. He is probably best known for his lead role in The Independent as naive independent politician Marty Browning...

), a man who runs for state parliament

Parliament of Victoria

The Parliament of Victoria is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of Victoria. It follows a Westminster-derived parliamentary system and consists of The Queen, represented by the Governor of Victoria; the Legislative Council ; and the Legislative Assembly...

 in a Victorian

Victoria (Australia)

Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....

 by-election

By-election

A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....

 to save his family farm, backed by a shady businessman (Tony Nikolakopoulos

Tony Nikolakopoulos

Tony Nikolakopoulos is a Greek Australian film, television and theatre actor. He is best known for his work in the films of Nick Giannopoulos, The Wog Boy and The Wannabes, and for his role as Attilio in the television series Scooter: Secret Agent...

). He runs as an independent, but under the banner of "The Independent Party"; his plan is to form policies by asking members of the public for their opinions, thereby providing a direct public voice in parliament. (A similar purpose is held by the real-life Australian party Senator On-Line

Senator On-Line

Senator Online is a registered Australian political party that contested the 2007 Federal election. In the five states the party contested, it received on average 0.06% of the vote with the greatest success in Victoria where it received 0.09% of the vote Senator Online (Internet Voting...

.)

The film was shot in 2006, and released to a small number of cinemas on November 8, 2007 in the lead up to the 2007 Australian federal election. A national cinema launch is planned for April/May 2008.

Critical response

Critical reception to the film was positive, with good reviews from many high-profile Australian film critics and an average rating of around three stars. A frequent criticism was that the film seems uncertain of its tone, wavering between comedy and drama, but overall the film was considered successfully endearing, with some reviewers praising the filmmakers' decision not to merely go for laughs. Margaret Pomeranz

Margaret Pomeranz

Margaret Pomeranz AM is an Australian film critic and television personality.-Early life:Pomeranz was born in 1944 in Waverley, a suburb of Sydney, and was educated at the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney in Croydon, the then newly opened Macquarie University, and the Playwright's Studio at...

 found the ending "problematic", but along with most other reviewers singled out Mason for his "outstanding" performance; James Brown of FILMINK Magazine

FILMINK Magazine

FILMINK is an Australian film magazine published monthly by FKP International Exports. It was founded by current publisher Dov Kornits and Colin Fraser in July 1997, in Sydney...

 described Marty as "the most charming protagonist since Kenny".