![]() 'Ninnu Kori' is directed by Shive Nirvana. The cast includes new faces and familiar faces with Aadi, Tanikella Bharani, Murali Sharma, Prudhvi, Rajasri Nayyar, Neethu, Bhoopal Raj, Kedar Shankar, Padmaja and Priyanka Naidu. Nani is an actor with a 'boy next-door' vibe which helps him sink into the role quickly and submerge into the emotion of the movie, which is one of the many reasons why the 'Ninnu Kori' has the potential to be a great hit.The reality of being an ‘overnight-success-story’ is a rare phenomenon, particularly in the creative industry. As an art enthusiast, writer, and small business owner, I have first-hand experience of the years of hard work and dedication required to get most creative projects off the ground, which is why I wasn’t especially surprised to learn that Australian feature film, SUBMERGE (released 1 March) was ten years in the making. Whilst SUBMERGE is only the second Australian lesbian feature film to attain commercial release (Emma-Kate Croghan’s 1996 Love and Other Catastrophes being the first), it feels like ‘pigeon-holing’ to simply label the film as a ‘lesbian flick’. SUBMERGE consists of so many complex layers for the viewer to peel back, depending on how much they want be challenged. I recently caught up with Canberra-based Producer Kat Holmes, who explained that: “I had always wanted to present a queer character to a mainstream audience. I never set out to make queer films I just set out to make films. That the character happens to be gay is a side point … yes I have a desire to present a queer character to a mainstream audience, but also just to present a character … I think it’s always been about the character of Jordan, and the rest was the plot that formed around that.” SUBMERGE follows the journey of twenty-year-old student and competitive swimmer, Jordan (Lily Hall, Neighbours). Jordan is trying to juggle training, tertiary studies, and an active social life, whilst meeting the expectations of her ambitious mother and embarking upon a controversial relationship with her tutor, Angie. ![]() The relationship that develops between Jordan and Angie is not controversial because it is a same-sex relationship, but because Angie is already in a relationship with Jordan’s history lecturer, Cameron. Whilst SUBMERGE tackles the theme of sexuality, it will appeal to gay and straight audiences alike as a relatable story for anyone who’s been a 20-year-old student. This is one step beyond a ‘coming-of-age’ flick, this is a ‘welcome-to-life’ story. “It’s a story about a person going through a fairly modern tale,” summarises Holmes. It has been a year since the film’s first release in New York, and nearly ten years since completion of the first draft of the film. So whilst SUBMERGE might appear to be another home-grown overnight success story, Kat assures me that this labour of love has been a long, complicated journey. “They say you make three films: the screenplay is the first film, what you shoot is the second film, and then what you end up editing and putting out is the third film, and that couldn’t be more true for this film,” says Holmes as she elaborates on her journey. Part of the film’s success lies in the creative tension between Producer, Holmes and Director, Sophie O’Connor, who are two very different people. Holmes describes O’Connor as “a true creative, and I am a true practical, logistics person with a creative bend, so there’s always been some tension there. But it’s like the natural tension that you find, say, between sales and finance … and it’s been ten years, so no matter what differences we’ve had, the fact is we’ve been on a decade-long journey together. It’s the longest relationship I’ve ever had … you get quite close”. ![]() ![]() It is not for one but many reasons that this film impresses. ![]()
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