Being Venice Review

Being Venice Review

Cast: Garry McDonald, Alice McConnell, Simon Stone
Director: Miro Bilbrough
Genre: Drama
Running Time: 89 minutes

Synopsis: Venice (Alice McConnell) is having trouble with the men in her life. On the night her ex-hippy dad Arthur (Garry McDonald) arrives in Sydney to stay on the sofa of her tiny apartment for a week, she is dumped by her lover and begins an ill-advised affair with her charismatic best friend Lenny (Simon Stone). Arthur carefully ignores the turmoil swirling around his daughter's life until she confronts him about the childhood that still pains her. Her unwelcome frankness shatters Arthur; and his story dismantles them both.Shot in Western Sydney with a soundtrack by Andrew Lancaster and David McCormack, Being Venice is director Miro Bilbrough's first feature.

Verdict: Much is left unsaid in Being Venice as audiences are left to take the films main messages and implement them into their own life. Venice is a poet who regularly jots short descriptions on post-it-notes to inspire poetry and lives her life making wrong decisions in regards to men.

Beautiful Sydney stars as the backdrop for Being Venice, and as we are introduced to Arthur, Venice's father, the story begins to unfold and answer questions of this intricate relationship. Venice yearns for closeness and direction however Arthur spends his time focusing on food choices whilst the unresolved issues, between the two, deepen.

Deep, thought provoking and compassionate Being Venice is unlike anything else.

Rating: ***

Brooke Hunter

Being Venice screens at the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF), for more information see: www.miff.com.au
Website: www.beingvenice.com.au