"Sweet As"

 “Sweet As”

*****

2022 * Not Rated * 1h 27m

This is a sweet, coming of age film that tells the story of a young girl discovering herself and the beauty of the world around her. It’s also a landmark film, because it’s the first Australian film directed by an indigenous person. Jud Clerc directed and co-wrote it along with Steve Rodgers. Sweet As” is a semi-biographical movie based on Clerc’s participation in a photography camp when she was a teenager back in the 1980s. It proved to be a life-changing experience for her and ultimately led to her passion for the visual arts. This beautiful movie is an updated retelling of her fascinating story.

Murra, played by Shantae Barnes-Cowan (“The Redemption” “Wyrmwood Apocalypse”), is a young Aboriginal girl living with her single mother Grace (Ngaire Pigram). One evening Murra comes home to a wild, drug- and alcohol- fueled party. Things start to get out of hand when one of Grace’s friends chases after Murra and tries to break into her bedroom. She calls her uncle Ian (Mark Coles Smith), a policeman who breaks up the party and takes Murra home with him. She has a room at his house and it’s clear by the way it’s decorated, she’s stayed here before.

Ian does his best to look out for Murra. As an alternative to putting her in the Protective Services system, he signs Murra up for a photography camp. It’s an innovative program that gets at-risk kids out into the country and introduces them to the world of photography. A handful of teens have been chosen to venture into the remote Pilbara region of Western Australia. It’s a wild and visually stunning part of the country. At first, Murra is reluctant to join the group, but she resigns herself to the fact that it beats the alternative.

The group is clearly in safe hands. The driver and leader of the expedition is steadfast and no-nonsense Mitch ((Tasma Walton). Like Murra, she’s also of Aboriginal descent. Nando (Carlos Sanson Jr.), a handsome, gentle Latin-American refugee is the photography expert, and he’s just bubbling with enthusiasm at the opportunity to introduce these teens to photography and share his knowledge with them.

Murra is introduced to the rest of the group. There’s the other girl Kylie (Mikayla Levy) who’s the free-spirited rebel of the pack. When the teens are forced to turn in their phones in exchange for a camera at the beginning of the trip, Kylie secretly hides a second phone so she can keep in constant contact with her much older and controlling boyfriend. Sean (Andrew Wallace) is an intelligent, quiet boy who’s there because of his numerous suicide attempts. Rounding out the group is Elvis (Pedrea Jackson), a super-friendly, likable sort who gets along with everyone. It isn’t till much later in the film when we learn his tragic background.As one would expect when throwing a bunch of disparate teens together, there’s a bit of friction at first between the kids. The tension is particularly strong between Murra and Kylie—they’re both headstrong and determined young women. Eventually they resolve their differences and become chums.

The adventure the group embarks on is truly eye-opening. They head into a desolate and stunning part of the country. It’s a region held sacred by the indigenous people who have great respect for the land, its flora and fauna, and especially its people. Nando teaches the teens the importance of really looking at the world and having the photographs they take speak from their hearts. A good deal of the story focuses on Murra and her interpretation of what she visualizes. Whenever she takes a photo, the frame freezes for a few seconds and the title she gives it appears on the screen. It’s a clever device that works well to explain how she views her surroundings.

In addition to the excellent acting, a couple of other factors help contribute to making this such a powerful film. I especially enjoyed the soundtrack. It’s a wide variety of indigenous music which ranges from upbeat reggae style tunes, to quiet, thoughtful folk numbers. I doubt it’s available to purchase, but I’d be the first in line to buy it if it was. Then there’s the brilliant camerawork of cinematographer Katie Milwright. She not only uses closeups of the kids to help convey what they’re experiencing, she paints a beautiful cinematic portrait of the landscape. It’s a part of the country that’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. The rich, red ochre mountains almost look fake, they’re that colorful. We’re treated to one surprising scene after another.

This is one of those films where I can totally empathize with the main character. Sure, she’s an Aboriginal teenage girl living with an alcoholic, drug abusing mother in Western Australia, participating in a photography camp. And I’m, well...just about the opposite. When I was a freshman in high school, I was a bit of a drifter and struggled to fit in. Then I took a photography class with an inspiring teacher who not only taught me how to take photos and use the darkroom, he changed the way I looked at the world. He almost single-handedly turned my life around. A little bit like Murra’s story.I can’t recommend this movie highly enough. I’m not surprised it’s received numerous awards at various film festivals including TIFF and the Berlin International Film Festival. It’s one I think the whole family will enjoy.

Note to parents: The film is not rated but I’d probably rate it PG-13. There’s a little bit of swearing and some underage drinking. But I think overall, the subject matter is appropriate for teens.

Currently streaming for free on Hoopla with your library card. And to rent on Apple TV and Amazon.