CLOSED FOR WINTER
Australia, 2009, 85 minutes, Colour.
Natalie Imbruglia, Daniel Frederiksen, Deborah Kennedy, Danielle Catanzariti, Tony Martin.
Directed by James Bogle.
Closed for Winter, formerly called Elise after the central character, is set in Semaphore, Adelaide, the suburb and the beach and pier. The atmosphere of this part of Adelaide is strongly communicated.
The film focuses on a young woman whose sister disappeared twenty years earlier, without the audience knowing exactly what happened, but thinking of the possibility of running away, killing herself, being snatched by somebody...
Elise has suffered and clings to the memories of the past, her responsibility in losing her sister. Her mother, played by Deborah Kennedy, is still obsessed and searches newspapers for information, cluttering the house with the papers. At work in the theatre, Elise meets Martin, a sympathetic young man who loves her. They decide to move in together, there are various clashes because of Elise’s concern about her sister, but ultimately, Martin supports her and she is able to let go of the memories of the past.
Also influential are the man who runs the shop nearby who has stories from the past, as well as the doctor who treats Elise’s mother.
Singer Natalie Imbruglia plays Elise, rather quietly. Danielle Catanzariti (Hey Hey, It’s Esther Blueberger) is the young Frances in her life before she disappears. Daniel Frederiksen plays Martin.
The film was adapted from a novel by Georgia Blain, written and directed by James Bogle who adapted Tim Winton’s In the Winter Dark for the cinema but has worked mainly in television.
1. The title, the season, the wintry human experience.
2. South Australia, Adelaide, Semaphore, the beaches and the pier, the homes, workplaces, the theatre? The score? The songs?
3. The importance of the time shifts, the moving from the present to the past, the life of the two sisters and their mother, the death of their father? The behaviour of the two girls when young? The mother at work? These things for understanding both of the girls as well as of their mother?
4. Elise as the focus, her age, living with her mother, the mutual bonds and dependence, her work at the theatre, her friend at the theatre, their discussing everything, Martin and his concern, his love for Elise? Her wanting to be alone, pensive, walking along the beach, the bus rides? At home? Her mother and the papers? The pharmacist and his friendship, his memories? The memories of her father? The stories about him? Her decision about Martin, telling her mother, Martin’s visit, clearing away the papers, moving in? The meal? Love, tensions, clashes, her friend’s advice? Their being together, her mother’s illness, staying with her and caring for her, the information about her mother, her realisation of her love for Martin? The background of the father – the possibility of abuse? Frances running away? Killing herself? Ill? The role of the doctor?
5. The flashbacks to the two young girls, the voice-over, their ages, playing together, at the beach, the role of the father, his death, the role of the mother, her work? Elise and her losing Frances? The pharmacist, the search, the bewilderment, twenty years?
6. The portrait of the mother, her preoccupations, her continued search? Memories of the past, her marriage, her husband and his death, the two girls, going to work, her control over them? Her reaction to Martin, her illness? Her dependence on Elise? The doctor?
7. Martin, pleasant, talk, earnest, love for Elise, the meal, meeting her mother, clearing away the papers, his having to go to the conference, hurting Elise, his being hurt himself, the reconciliation?
8. Elise’s friend, their work together, sharing, the modelling, the resolution?
9. The pharmacist, his personality, his role, insight into the past?
10. The doctor, his concern, treatment of the mother, of Elise?
11. The feel of the film, the empathy with characters, the puzzle of the past, letting go of grief and pain?
