CarnivalAskew

Look Both Ways is certainly a boost for the morale of the Australian film industry; emotional, thought-provoking and honest it explores the eternal questions of life, death and our perceptions of reality. A debut feature from writer and director Sarah Watt this film will take you on a journey that is both light and dark; tragic and funny.

Look Both Ways opens with Meryl (played by Justine Clarke) an artist who is returning home from her father's funeral and has begun seeing death and tragedy everywhere. On her way home from the train station she sees a man hit by a train and consequently meets Nick (William McInnes), a photographer with a local paper who has just found out that he has cancer. The film follows them through the hottest weekend of the summer and how they and others deal with the unexpected blows that life often deals us.

A brilliant mix of animation and photographic flashbacks give this film an originality that is fresh and innovative. Its characters are presented in a frank and honest light and are skillfully portrayed by the actors involved. Look out especially for the train driver played by Andreas Sobik.

Sarah Watt has presented the world with a gem of a debut feature that is philosophical and interesting. But don't be turned off if you're just looking for a light comedy. One of this film's greatest attributes is that it deals with such heavy subject manner in a delicate way. It is far from a brow-beating story, its characters are rich, interesting and funny and the cinematography is breathtaking and naturalistic. A definite must see.