What Do The Critics Say?

"Based on the novel by Julia Leigh, "The Hunter" boasts a story that you can't second guess. An unexpectedly moving drama with something of a thriller element, it has the solid spine of a real, actual plot, plus all the other essentials as well. The characters are interesting, the cinematography is stunningly free of visual clichés, and the acting is first class. Some films are heavy-handed, while others tiptoe around proceedings with forced subtlety. "The Hunter" stays on your mind for days." Annette Basile FILMINK "Willem Dafoe is, as always, very effective, and Frances O'Connor and Sam Neill are excellent in support. Young Morgana Davies proves that her stellar performance in THE TREE was no flash in the pan - she's a very talented child star as is Finn Woodluck who plays her uncommunicative brother. But the real star of this quietly gripping film is Tasmania itself, an extraordinary wilderness landscape gloriously photographed for the wide screen by Robert Humphreys. FOUR STARS" David Stratton ABC AT THE MOVIES "Willem Dafoe plays Martin and does a remarkable job throughout the suspenseful movie. He produced a mesmerising and engaging performance that keeps members of the audience who are not camping and nature fans hooked throughout. The cinematography throughout the film was breathtaking and it has been suggested that the Tasmanian wilderness should win a film award for its beauty. Based on Julia Leigh's award winning novel 'The Hunter' and is a film that is definitely worth a look." Lisa Hensley THE NIGHT LIFE

"Dafoe's face is a reflection of this wilderness. He's got that sort of face. But, it's an emotional journey too, because this is a man removed from humanity in a way. A real loner and this contact with the family is the other subtext of the film. I think it's really beautiful. I'm giving it FOUR STARS." Margaret Pomeranz AT THE MOVIES "Filmmaker Daniel Nettheim has infused The Hunter with an almost extraordinarily low-key sensibility that's reflected most keenly in its slow-moving pace, with the continuous emphasis on the protagonist's subdued (and solo) exploits. There's little doubt, however, that Nettheim does manage to sustain the viewer's interest throughout, with the striking scenery and Dafoe's expectedly engaging performance going a long way towards perpetuating the amiable atmosphere. The inclusion of a few last-minute twists: as well as an unexpectedly enthralling action sequence; finally cements The Hunter's place as a perfectly watchable piece of work." David Nusair REEL FILM REVIEWS "Dafoe is a charismatic focus for the story as Martin. He appears in virtually every scene and his performance carries the entire film. He's a man we know very little about and through whose foreign eyes we experience a familiar environment. We learn what kind of man Martin is through his actions and interactions and how these shift over time, and Dafoe's intense performance ensures we always want to know more. O'Connor is also outstanding. The Hunter is a true Tasmanian gothic tale." Tim Martain THE MERCURY

The Inside Story Director Daniel Nettheim was attracted to the idea of turning the Julia Leigh book "The Hunter" into a film because it told an intimate story set against an epic backdrop. He felt it was "a highly focussed narrative with a strong emotional core, exploring the themes of isolation, loneliness, grief, survival and compassion. It is a story about the fragility and vulnerability that occurs when we open ourselves up to the experience of human emotions." He explained, "The Hunter" is a story about lonely people and asks the question "is it possible to find a connection in a harsh and cruel world, is it possible to have another chance in life?" The original novel The Hunter resonated with readers and producer Vincent Sheehan was compelled to make the film because he felt that the book "was a really striking piece of literature that also had a very cinematic world; a powerful journey of a central character. While being distinctly Australian its themes had strong international appeal." Adelaide born Daniel Nettheim (TV'S "Last Man Standing") and Sydney based producer Vincent Sheehan ("Little Fish") first met at Sydney College of the Arts in the 1980's and remained friends. Vincent shared: "both Daniel and I were interested in adapting the book at the same time, and we spoke about it and shared a very similar vision for what it could be. So I optioned the book, with Daniel as the director, and we went from there." It is always a unique transition from page to screen, and the screenplay extracts the intense emotions, relationships and beauty of the original story, heightening the mystery and thriller elements to drive the action forward and build suspense. Daniel Nettheim wrote an initial treatment and then worked with Melbourne based writer Wain Fimeri on early drafts. Sydney based writer Alice Addison took over as the principle writer, developing core elements of the existing script and adding her own unique perspective. The cast were encouraged to read the book to further enhance their understanding of the world; all the same Willem Dafoe revealed he , "didn’t read the book for the longest time because I had my hands full with reading the scripts and seeing what was coming off the script, without having an allegiance to another source. And then once I fell.' It’s faithful in a certain way, but it’s really a different story." 2009 AFI Award Best Lead Actress Award winner Frances O’Connor ("Blessed"), who was cast as Lucy Armstrong, says reading the novel "helps to flesh things out. There are a lot of differences between the novel and the adaptation, but I am glad I read it. There was some nice detail about my character that wasn’t necessarily in the final draft of the script." It’s never easy getting film finance together and as Sheehan readily admits, "The Hunter certainly had its challenges. We initially had a lot of interest from investors based on the book, but it was also a complex film in terms of logistics and shooting so you couldn’t make it on an ultra low budget." A strong cast and script were always going to be the key. By the time a final draft had been developed and a compelling vision for the film realized, one question remained, "Who would play Martin? Who would play 'the foreigner?' "This was key for us making a distinctive and appealing international film and Daniel became the lynchpin in securing Willem," Sheehan claims. Daniel met Willem New York in October 2009 and they immediately connected. With Willem attached there was a new pitch, "Willem Dafoe is The Hunter". So now many of the dots were joined both creatively and in terms of the distribution partners and, as is often the case, "other elements started to fall into place quickly," Sheehan explained. Martin David is in every scene and although this was important to financing the production, it was also essential to ensuring that audiences connected to Martin’s journey towards self-realisation and possible redemption. Nettheim, who in 2009 directed eleven episodes of Network Ten's Awgie and AFI award winning series "Rush", notes: "It is crucial that Martin is much more than merely enigmatic. The audience needs to find him compelling to watch, strong, physically attractive, surprising, intelligent, resourceful, sexy, compassionate, and ultimately Lucy’s saviour and a realistic father figure for Sass and Bike." At the really early stages of development 2007 Flaiano International Prizes Career Award recipient Willem Dafoe was at the top of the list for Martin. Sheehan adds: "It had to be an actor who offered leading man qualities as well as being believably old enough to be facing his ‘last chance of redemption’ while also being profoundly physically fit. There are very few actors who match all of these categories. Willem does, and as one of the most charismatic actors of his generation, he remained high on our list. When Willem got involved, everything about him made us think: 'Yes! We’re on the right track to where we thought Martin wanted to be'; it was the perfect casting." With more than sixty films under his belt Dafoe (2000 Sitges - Catalonian International Film Festival Gran Angular Award winner for "Shadow Of The Vampire") was able to offer a wealth of experience and was extremely generous. Nettheim offered: "I kind of went into the relationship thinking I am going to let this guy help me as much as he can. So I encouraged him to offer up stuff. Not just about his character but about the whole story. And the good thing is that Willem really believes in this project and is committed to it." Dafoe understood Martin’s emotional journey and said, "basically I feel he’s a man that goes from unfeeling and a certain kind of cut off-ness to someone that realises new possibilities in his life. One of the beauties of being a central, main character like this, and having a transforming journey that happens, is that you are working every day and you get very little distance from things. And for me in particular, it’s a luxury of having a slow reveal in this way, so I just sort of play the scenes and have the story work on me." New Zealand actor Sam Neill DCNZM, OBE, plays Jack Mindy. Neill has worked three times with Dafoe ("Victory" 1995, "Daybreakers" 2009) and was intrigued by the script straight away, "The first thing I look for in a script is that I want to turn the page and see what happens next, and this was one of those where I wanted to know what happens." Sheehan and Neill spoke about the role of Jack, an unusual role for Sam. "Even Sam said this is not what he usually gets cast for, and I think that’s always a good thing, especially with characters that are less of the central role. I think Sam has given us an amazing Jack Mindy just because of the ambiguity of where Jack sits in relation to all the characters, it is more profound, intriguing and more mysterious. 'Who is Jack and where does he sit?' That is played very beautifully and that’s what Sam’s given us, which was beyond what was on the page." In The Hunter, it is Lucy Armstrong and her spirited children that transform Martin to reveal the vulnerable man underneath. Nettheim explained: "The role of Lucy presents an interesting challenge for an actress, as she has to redeem herself from the dark place: that of a self-medicating, semi-comatose, neglectful mother. Once emerged from her cocoon, she will need to display an enormous amount of vitality, warmth, beauty and love to win the respect of both Martin and the audience." Casting an actress who naturally possessed these qualities would be critical. 1997 Montréal World Film Festival Best Actress winner Frances O’Connor ("Kiss Or Kill"), who received huge critical acclaim for her role as Lucy Burns in the HBO original movie "Iron Jawed Angels", opposite Oscar winners Hillary Swank, Angelica Houston and EMMY winner Julia Ormond, found Lucy an interesting character. "Lucy is a free spirit. She’s somebody who really enjoys life, but when we meet her she’s broken; her husband is missing and she is addicted to sleeping pills and painkillers. Through the course of the film she kind of wakes up and is saved in many ways, by Martin’s character, and then we see who she really is, who she was before." As Lucy, Frances (a graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts) plays the mother of two children, Sass and Bike who in many ways are the catalyst for Martin’s personal journey. Until Lucy’s emergence from her drug-induced apathy, the children carry the bulk of the joy, humour and lightness of the film. The filmmakers thought the kids were a real find. Morgana Davies, who plays Sass, had just been seen with 2009 Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Charlotte Gainsbourg ("Antichrist") and 2007 AFI Award winner Marton Csokas in Julie Bertuccelli's "The Tree" (2010), which closed the Cannes Film Festival in 2010. There was something about her personality that was inherently in sync with Sass the character. Nettheim notes, "she’s a real tomboy, kind of boisterous, energetic and very confident around adults and that embodies the Sass character." Finn was sitting waiting for his big sister to finish her audition for Sass when he was discovered. There was something about Finn’s great doughy eyes and soulful face that really worked for the character. "Bike is mute, but Finn likes to talk, a lot! And that’s what he told me. He said the only difference between me and Bike is that I really like to chat! So between takes he did, but it was amazing once we called action how still and composed he could be, " Nettheim recalls. It was very important and challenging for Dafoe not to get too taken in by the kids. For the sake of the development of Martin’s character, Dafoe had to try to remain reserved. "I had to always watch myself. Because you can enjoy playing with them, but then you get sweet and kind of paternal with them. But Martin is a very detached character, so I always had to find my reasons for keeping a distance," Dafoe (cast with Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek & Johnny Depp in Robert Rodriguez's "Once Upon A Time In Mexico") laments. New Zealand born Callan Mulvey was cast as the Rival Hunter. Mulvey moved to Sydney when he was eight years old and attended Balgowlah High School. He was injured in a serious car accident in 2003 in a head-on collision at 100 km/h and is lucky to be alive, but after extensive surgery to his face, he re-entered the spotlight when he was cast as Sam in Thunderstruck (2004). His credits include: "Heart Break High" as Bogdan Drazic (1996 to'99), "Home and Away" as Johnny Cooper (2006 to 2008), McLeod's Daughters as Mitch Wahlberg (2007) and, the hit Australian drama "Underbelly" as Mark Moran (2008). He is currently starring as Sgt Brendan 'Josh' Joshua in the critically acclaimed Network Ten, award winning police series, "Rush". "The Hunter", was developed and produced by Sydney based production company Porchlight Films ("Walking on Water", "The Home Song Stories " & "Animal Kingdom") formed in 1996 by producers, Vincent Sheehan, Liz Watts and Anita Sheehan, who share a commitment to producing distinctive and engaging cinema and television. What's It All About?

Martin, is a mercenary, sent from Europe by an anonymous biotech company to the Tasmanian wilderness on a hunt for the last Tasmanian Tiger. Local guide, Jack provides Martin with a base camp at the ramshackle home of spirited children Sass and Bike and their despondent mother Lucy, whose husband, a zoologist, has been missing in the wilderness for months. Keeping his mission to find the Tiger a secret from the family and the local townspeople, Martin’s suspicions are raised when his traps and equipment are sabotaged and he is followed during his solitary expeditions into the harsh country. As he is drawn into the search for the elusive Tiger, Martin’s empathy for the family deepens and his unexpected connection to them and majestic wilderness around him, forces him to confront the reality of his work and personal morality, which has dramatic consequences for all of them.

The Verdict "If you are one of the many who have continually lamented the fact that there is a lack of quality Australian productions of late, help is at hand. Hot on the heels of the smash hit "Red Dog" comes this quality production "The Hunter". Based on the Betty Trask (UK) and Prix de L’Astrolabe Etonnants Voyageurs (Fr) awards winning novel by Sydney author Julia Leigh ("Disquiet") the film features a more than good cast, an engrossing story-line and a setting to die for: the glorious Tasmanian Wilderness in all its isolated grandeur and stunning beauty. The cast boasts three international stars: Willem Dafoe, Frances O'Connor and Sam Neill, all main players in what can best be described as, a disquiet thriller. Martin (who Dafoe describes as "a man that goes from unfeeling and a certain kind of cut off-ness to someone that realises new possibilities in his life), is the make or break character upon which the success of "The Hunter" hangs. Dafoe's solid performance in the role shows he was certainly up to the task. Taking on the role was no easy task as Dafoe had to learn how to make decents, set snares, read Wallaby trails and learn how various animals behave when they're active. Typical of Tasmania, the weather put the whole production crew on their toes. Nettheim recalls: "There were a great variety of landscapes and weather, literally within an hour. Blizzards, rain, snow!" But there's more to "The Hunter" than just Dafoe. Morgana Davies and Finn Woodlock are great as Lucy's children. Sam Neill will have audiences second guessing as to whose side his character really is on. The iconic New Zealand actor who was born Nigel John Dermot Neill in Northern Ireland in 1947 to parents Dermott (New Zealand) and Priscilla (UK), had to overcome a bad stutter as a child. If audiences get behind "The Hunter" (like they have for "Red Dog") word of mouth will drive it to success. Fascinating tale! Highly recommended. 4 STARS." Who Is Playing Who?

Willem Dafoe Frances O'Connor Morgana Davies Finn Woodlock Sam Neill Sullivan Stapleton Callan Mulvey Dan Wyllie Jacek Koman Callan Mulvey Jamie Timony Maia Thomas John Brumpton Dan Spielman

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Martin Lucy Sass Bike Jack Mindy Doug Rival Hunter Pool Player Middleman Publican Free Shakti Publican Simon

The Production Team Directed by Daniel Nettheim Screenplay by Alice Addison From the novel by Julia Leigh Original adaptation by Wain Fimeri Produced by Vincent Sheehan Executive Producers Liz Watts & Paul Wiegard Original Music by Andrew Lancaster/Michael Lira/Matteo Zingales Cinematography by Robert Humphreys Film Editing by Roland Gallois Casting by Jane Norris Production Design by Steven Jones-Evans Art Direction by Amanda Selling Set Decoration by Christopher Bruce Costume Design by Emily Seresin Hair Designer Chiara Tripodi Makeup Designer Chiara Tripodi Production Manager Ann Folland Run Time 102 minutes Rated M [AUST] Copyright ©2011 - Madman Films - All Rights Reserved Enduring © - The Movie Pages & Impact Internet Services - All Rights Reserved. Protected by Australian & International Copyright, Trademark Laws & Intellectual Property Rights.