SUNFLOWER

Australia, 2023, 84 minutes, Colour.

Liam Mollica, Luke J.Morgan, Olivia Fildes, Daniel Halmarick, Elias Anton, Diana Ferreira, Sol Galofaro, Mia Barrett.

Directed by Gabriel Carrubba.

Sunflower opens with a young man standing in the vast field of sunflowers, bright blue sky. Then follows a schoolyard bashing sequence a group of young man hitting and kicking another. Later there will be flashbacks to these sequences.

Writer-director, Gabriel Carruba, has noted that his film is semi-autobiographical, set in the working-class suburbs of south-east Melbourne where he grew up. His film is billed as “coming-of-age” but the particular emphasis is on the 17-year-old Leo, his Italian family background, mother at home, father a truck driver and very demanding, a younger brother. Leo is grappling with his sexual orientation, resisting, tense.

Audiences have seen this kind of story before, in recent decades in a number of novels, films, and episodes in television series like Heartbreak High. Which makes one ask while watching the film, who is the intended audience? In an interview, Gabriel Carrubba has said that he didn’t have an audience in mind, just wanted to tell the story. He appreciates that teenagers undergoing the same questions, identity-seeking, will identify with Leo. It is a film which parents could watch and find the situation with their sons, something that they can consider, find challenging. But, many high school homophobic-environment boys not want to watch it.

Gabriel Carrubba has said that his use of sunflowers is an image, the flower ugly when it is growing but, in full bloom, bright, full of colour. And the sunflower imagery in painting and in fields of flowers recurs during the film, Leo surveying the sunlit flowers.

Liam Mollica is effective as Leo, though he and the other high schoolers look rather older. Leo tries to be one of the boys, mates with the rowdy Boof (Luke J.Morgan), more than an eye on the girls at school, but having to confront the reality of sexual encounters and relationships. The film focuses on Leo and his attempts to be as ordinary as he can be, and the rumours and gossip around the school, then the scene we have already noted of the bashing, his being ostracised, his concern about his parents, his growing anger and pushing people away.

It is his sympathetic brother who is aware of the situation and suggests some contact with another boy at the school, Tom, whom audiences have realised is also gay. The friendship grows, Leo begins to accept himself, and, the film ends with hope, Leo’s letter to his father and mother and their response.

This is a small film, the director’s visual coming to terms with his own life, the possibility for next steps in his life and in his career.

1. The title, the visuals, the fields, the flowers, the art work? The symbol of the flower ugly in development, blooming? The contrast with the gay bashing at the opening of the film?
2. Australian film, the Melbourne sitting, the suburbs, homes, schools, streets? Authentic atmosphere? The musical score?
3. The work of the director, semi-autobiographical? Intensity of feeling? Universal themes?
4. Coming-of-age stories, coming-of-age and gay sexual orientation?
5. Leo’s story, his place in the family, his younger brother and friendship and support, his truck driver father, severe in manner, demanding, timetables, supportive mother?
6. Leo, 17, the years at school, one of the boys, sport, locker rooms, bravado and talk, sexual, eyeing the girls? Boof and his friendship, coming to the window, into the house? Leo and masturbation, imagination, there are online contact, the visuals, taking off his shirt? His embarrassment? Shutting the computer? The masturbation sequence, sharing with Boof?
7. Leo and the encounters with Monique, talking,, together, the kissing, her wanting the sexual encounter, his inability, the aftermath? His embarrassment, his anger?
8. The gossip in the school, his reputation, the bashing? The reaction of the boys, his injuries, at home, seclusion? At school? The locker room, everybody walking out?
9. Tom, with the boys, yet alone, audience awareness of his personality and orientation? Leo’s brother, arranging the meeting, the agreement, skateboarding, going out together, the lake, sharing, comfortable with each other? The growing relationship? The discussions?
10. Monique and her reaction, supportive? His embarrassment?
11. The other boys, with the girls, the drinking episode, Leo lying out in the field, lying with Boof, his father rebuking him? Will and his embarrassment? About Leo?
12. Leo, isolation, being solitary, the decision to write the letter, giving it to his brother?
13. The return, the parents reading the letter, sadness, embracing him on his return?
14. The prospects for his future?