Sleeping Beauty divides opinions at Cannes
Julia Leigh’s first feature Sleeping Beauty has premiered in competition at the Cannes Film Festival, with reports indicating some viewers were left “speechless” by the film, and polarising critics’ opinions.
Sleeping Beauty tells the story of a young woman who gets a high-end prostitution job in a chamber where she is put to sleep every night, not remembering what her clients have done to her unconscious body.Total Film‘s Dan Goodswen gave the film a positive review saying that the film’s lead, Emily Browning, “should rightly be in contention for Best Actress”.
“A brave and highly confident debut from director Julia Leigh (herself competing in the Camera D’or competition for best first time filmmaker), Sleeping Beauty is worth a watch, and will pay off for those who stick with it,” wrote Goodswen.
indieWIRE gave the film a B+, and agreed on the award-winning potential of Browning’s performance: “The movie will scare off a lot of audiences and distributors, and Leigh (who has several other projects in the works) has firmly put herself on the map as a director to watch”.
Other reviews haven’t been generous.
“More tiresome than anything […] Leigh’s arty (not to be confused with artistic] treatment of the subject matter derives from her own screenplay, though the film’s frustratingly elliptical style and lack of character insight give it a distinctly first-draft feel,” said Variety‘s Peter Debruge.
At The Hollywood Reporter, David Rooney said that “this psychosexual twaddle will no doubt have its admirers, but it seems a long shot to attract a significant following or herald the arrival of a director to watch […] Such prime placement can be a disservice. Cannes audiences tend to be more forgiving in sections geared to emerging talent, like Un Certain Regard or Directors Fortnight. Outside the glare of competition, even this pretentious exercise might have earned some appreciation for its rigorously cold aesthetic”.
Sometimes you’ve gotta laugh.
Laughed when I read the preposterous logline.
Laughed when I heard a first-time writer/director who hadn’t even made a short nabbed a reoprted $10m for her debut anything.
Laughed when I saw the pretentious, undergraduate film school trailer.
Fingers crossed this has as many laughs as Ana Kokkinos’ ridiculous yet riotous “Book of Revelation”…
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It just goes to show that the proven criteria needed to even enter into a discussion with Screen Australia about developing a project is a a rusty old gate that keeps out the majority but works for those that can manipulate the system with the secret handshake, nod and a cheeky wink. A funding agency that was set up to help support “Filmmakers” now supports “Authors” who would like to “try their hand at Directing”. Simply slaps in the face of all those Directors who have accumulated massive debts through education systems or via trying to fund their own work. Could Screen Australia point out to the many..why this Proven Criteria exists on various applications? Or is it just there as a form of elaborate protectionism for the “in-crowd”. Irrespective of how great the screenplay was..why does a first time Director get past the rusty old gate that stifles innovation and is allowed to direct her first feature? No shorts, No TV air time..just straight into a feature. Even David Michod had made a few shorts before he was given the greenlight for AK.
Still Screen Australia stays mute on A Heartbeat Away and why this turkey was given the nod..no transparency, no debate or discussion..just mute..nothing..the longer you stay mute the longer people become cemented in their opinions. This might be odd in saying this..but Screen Australia..you are accountable to the industry you support, you aren’t some entity that is above and beyond accountability. You have just announced development funding for another feature where this proven criteria doesn’t apply to the Director/Producer..so whats the deal? Transparency please..
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Nobody can say that they are surprised.
When I saw the trailer, I was furious to see that we continue to make films with the now almost trademark filmmaking attitude of ‘F**k the audience, f**k distributors and f**k everyone, this is my vanity project.’
To the producers and people who put money into this, I can only say that they are reaping what they have sewn.
Why anyone would want to put money into a film which has ZERO potential to make any of it’s money back is beyond me. It’s insanity. It’s beyond words. But it will continue to happen. Because that is now what the Australian film industry is known for. A pompous, pretentious bunch of filmmakers who have no idea what an audience wants to see, and so treat it with disdain by making films such as this.
Shame on all involved.
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People, calm down. Wait until you’ve seen the film to unleash the Kraken.
And if I remember correctly, most comments after we posted the trailer on this website were positive, saying how great the film looked and how they couldn’t wait to see it. How quickly the tide turns.
Miguel…I’m not saying the film isn’t any good, I’ll go and see it, I thought the trailer was engaging. My point has always been the unfairness of proven criteria and the lack of accountability and transparency of Screen Australia with regard to how they arrive at these decisions. The shoe fits for those that can wear it, but the majority can’t even get in the door to even try it on. So how do they arrive at this? What was the model they decided upon. Jane Campion as mentor? Great, brilliant, fantastic.. then roll out a mentor based funding program for everybody? That’s innovative. Why just the one film? The trailer has been a huge success on Vimeo and I feel it will find an audience. I applaud innovative filmmaking, but don’t understand why Screen Australia stifles innovation..more often than not. if you look at what I’m saying I’m actually trying to give advice that can improve their image and create the kind of industry that is diverse and innovative. I’ve seen how the system works from the inside Miguel..and I was sickened by it.
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jesus guys – sleeping beauty doesn’t look like my cup of tea, but the fact it got into cannes has got to account for something.
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Again I have no issue with Sleeping Beauty, this film seems to me to be an ambitious non mainstream piece of innovative cinema. I wish Sleeping Beauty all the luck in the world and feel it will polarize audiences locally and find a larger following overseas, innovative cinema should be supported. But does its development follow the proven criteria guidelines set out by SA that apply to 99% of filmmakers in this country? No it doesn’t. How many of us have been thwarted from applying for funding, or simply told “sorry you haven’t ticked that box, you ticked all these, but you didn’t tick this one and until you do, sorry we can’t help you”, I’d say a large percentage of filmmakers have had that discussion with funding bodies at least once in their careers, but does that discussion unfold the same way for everybody, does that box need to be ticked by everybody? Obviously not, so whats the alternative? Maybe a mentor based program needs to be implemented? I think this could be a an ambitious development pathway for many aspiring and emerging filmmakers looking to develop their first feature.
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yeah, something Ned never did…. man, I’d be so ashamed if I made that movie!!
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How many feature films have you made Glenn? Id be ashamed if I wrote that comment and hadnt shot any?
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The truth is that few people in Screen Australia will have liked this script. But they’ll all have gone stupidly gooey because it’s ooh!! Jane!! Now they’ll spin the few positive comments and talk about how they bravely supported an artist with a unique voice.
If this kind of special treatment was done as part of an ordinary government program – like th eeducation revolution- there would be questions in the Senate and it would threaten the jobs of the Ceo and the managers involved.
It should be a scandal.
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Glenn – give me your address and I’ll send you an autographed DVD.
Send it to me here if you don’t want everyone to know it: abe@brilliantfilms.com.au
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