Buoyancy is a 2019 Australian drama film directed by Rodd Rathjen. It was selected as the Australian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 92nd Academy Awards, but it was not nominated.[1]
Buoyancy | |
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![]() Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | Rodd Rathjen |
Written by | Rodd Rathjen |
Produced by | Kristina Ceyton Samantha Jennings Rita Walsh |
Starring | Sarm Heng |
Cinematography | Michael Latham |
Edited by | Graeme Pereira |
Music by | Lawrence English |
Release date |
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Running time | 93 minutes |
Country | Australia |
Languages | Khmer Thai Isan |
Inspired by actual events, a 14-year-old Cambodian boy becomes a victim of human trafficking when he is enslaved on a Thai fishing trawler.
The film's premiere took place at the 2019 Berlin International Film Festival.[2]
Critic Paul O'Callaghan assessed the film as a "terse minimalist thriller" about slavery in southeast Asia.[3] Screen Daily's Sarah Ward credited Heng with "a captivating lead" with "a rawness to his performance".[4]
Award | Date of Ceremony | Category | Recipients | Result | Ref. |
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Berlin International Film Festival | 17 February 2019 | Prize of the Ecumenical Jury – Panorama | Buoyancy | Won | [5] |
Amnesty International Film Prize | Nominated | ||||
Best First Feature | Nominated | ||||
Panorama Audience Award | Third place | ||||
Melbourne International Film Festival | 18 August 2019 | People's Choice Award for Best Feature | Fifth place | [6] | |
Asia Pacific Screen Awards | 21 November 2019 | Best Youth Feature Film | Won | [7] | |
AACTA Awards | 4 December 2019 | Best Indie Film | Won | [8] |
Australian submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film | |
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