Famed for never repeating himself, de Heer first gained national attention in 1993 with Bad Boy Bubby, then Dancing to My Song and Alexandra's Project. Today he is most widely characterised by his 'accidental trilogy' in partnership with the actor David Gulpilil -- The Tracker, Ten Canoes and the recently acclaimed Charlie's Country. In 16 chapters, film critic Jane Freebury searches for the sources of de Heer's inspiration and finds the secret of his success in an ethic of hard work, flexibility and self-reliance that meets challenges with ingenuity and keeps a steady focus on his vision. His films are recognised by their wry humour, pleasure in the reversal of fortune and the unique landscape of Australia and its inhabitants. His remarkable career as an independent filmmaker has much to teach young producers and directors. Each chapter discusses a single film: its conception and making, actors and creative team, reception and consequences. Such a book is long overdue.
Jane Freebury is a film critic and freelance writer. She has a Masters and Postgraduate Diploma in Film Studies from the University of Westminister, London, and has taught cinema studies in several tertiary institutions. She was lecturer in cinema and cultural studies at the University of Wollongong 199093. A personal interest turned professional in 1987 when, on returning to Australia she was invited to write a column on the Australian film industry by Australian Society magazine, a national affairs monthly of the time. This sparked her interest in the work of Rolf de Heer. From 198893 she was a regular columnist for the magazine. Since then her work has appeared in the journals Metro, Metro Education, Black & White and Filmnews. While living in Indonesia in the mid-1990s she contributed on film and local filmmakers to the English-language newspaper, the Jakarta Post. After settling in Canberra in 1997 she became a full-time writer and has since been employed as a ministerial speechwriter for the Australian Government, while she maintained her freelance role. She has been a regular contributor of interviews, reviews and features on film to the Canberra Times since 1997.
