The sapphires shines light on aboriginal australia bbc news. A new film, the sapphires, is loosely based on their story. As annoying as chris odowd is, the sapphires is still an entertaining movie, fueled by some great period music. Most of the time they are an english movie but the sapphires is an exception being from australia. Aug 09, 2012 based on a true story and adapted from the stage play, the sapphires is an over the top comedymusicaldrama thatll have you laughing, crying and celebrating the achievement of these four amazing.
The incredible story of an aboriginal band who overcame racism to become australias supremes. But fiction, as is often the case, only got half of the story. The sapphires chronicles 4 australian singers in the. The sapphires is an australian play written by tony briggs and directed by wesley enoch. The sapphires on dvd august 6, 20 starring chris odowd, deborah mailman, jessica mauboy, shari sebbens. Original members of the sapphires singing group slighted. The true story of australian soul music coming to vietnam is told and sung in the sapphires, director wayne blairs musical. The sapphires illustrates how the same old story in this case, the one about a 1960s girl group and its struggles can be freshened up through the novelties of place and characterization. It is based on a true story and true events, he said. In 1968, an australian girl group sings soul music for american troops in vietnam. Mar 15, 20 finally, an unexpectedly delightful story featuring indigenous people has been produced for the big screen. Mar 22, 20 the sapphires tells the story of an allfemale singing quartet on the way to stardom in the 1960s. The film depicts the sapphires as australias answer to the supremes, and how they were talentspotted to. Laurel robinson, beverly briggs and naomi mayers are the three original members of the sapphires, the first popular aboriginal allfemale group.
It was inspired by the true story of briggss mother, laurel robinson, and aunt, lois peeler, who toured vietnam as singers. Laurels son tony briggs wrote the play it is based on, and adapted that into a screenplay. Ms briggs, ms robinson and ms peeler spoke at the national film and sound archive in canberra to explain their reallife stories. And yet the film is afflicted by a curious lack of cultural specificity. That being said, this movie is so much more than a treatise of bigotry. The sapphires was released in 2012 and was directed by wayne blair it was based off of the true story of four aboriginal women. Alfred hitchcock was so impressed by the fictional novel about the events topaz by leon uris that he decided to adapt it into a movie. Mar 27, 20 a very conventional story of a 60s australian girl group gains extra power from its context and setting in this factbased story set to the beat of motown soul. The incredible story of an aboriginal band who overcame racism to become australias supremes new movie tells true story of four indigenous singers plucked from obscurity and. It was inspired by the true story of briggss mother.
Four aboriginal singers go on a journey to entertain vietnam war troops in director wayne blairs upcoming comedy based on a true story. The sapphires, the truelife story of an allgirl aboriginal soul group in 1960s australia is guaranteed to win your heart, and is already winning praise from film festivals the world over. Seats filled left, right and centre as people of all ages came to enjoy the film at the local crc church theatre. Like magic, this movie does not show us the story through the lens of the white male lead, and so does not distort the image of the four beautiful brown women to whom the story belongs. The emotions of soul music are irresistibly universal. Id been hearing great things about this film for over a year when i finally got the chance to watch it, as it was added to netflix instant. The movie is based on the true story of four aboriginal once or twice a year a small picture sneaks into the local cinema and stays for weeks and weeks usually because of word of mouth. Based on a true story, the film follows four indigenous women who travel to vietnam during the war to perform for us marines.
A story of determination, music, hope, prejudice, love and family is told through this onscreen singing. It is based on a play written by tony briggs, the son of one of the singers, portrayed as a toddler in the movie. Based on a true story, the sapphires tells the tale of four ambitious young aboriginal girls from australia who come of age performing before american serviceman in 1968 vietnam. The film, based on true events, follows their journey throughout vietnam and tells the story of aboriginal civil rights movement. Nov 06, 2012 media caption the sapphires cast and director spoke to bbc news about the project. Inspired by a true story, the sapphires follows four vivacious, young and talented australian aboriginal girls from a remote mission as they. Based on a true story, the sapphires is a triumphant celebration of. Apr 15, 20 that reallife aspect the fact that this movie is based on a true story is a large part of what makes the film so endearing. Remembering the real sapphires nfsa national film and sound. Based on a true story and adapted from the stage play, the sapphires is an overthetop comedymusicaldrama thatll have you laughing, crying and celebrating the achievement of.
Cowritten by the son of one of the reallife singers and directed by wayne blair, who starred in the play based on their story, the sapphires is clearly a labor of love for all. The four sapphires are joyfully played by afi award winner deborah mailman, australian pop sensation jessica mauboy and newcomers miranda tapsell and shari. The sapphires is a feelgood film that also tells of australias past. There had been an allfemale australian aboriginal singing group named the sapphires in the 1960s, although. This movie addresses multiple issues that were present in australia at. How push became precious the gritty realism of the film precious is even more intense in the novel push, upon which the film is based. Its plot might seem improbable, but tony briggs, who wrote the screenplay, knows just how true it is. In an era of significant racial discrimination, they used their singing talents to entertain american soldiers in vietnam. Movies based on a true story netflix official site. Authenticity is at the musical heart of this true but littleknown story about four aboriginal women, one of whom happened to be briggss mother. The sapphires is an adaptation of the hugely successful australian stage musical of the same name, and is inspired by the remarkable true story of writer tony briggs mother and three aunts.
Not only is the sapphires a story of youth, courage, love, family and soul music. The true story of a group of indigenous singers dubbed the sapphires has been made into a feature film after a successful run in the theatre. It was so scary one night a bomb went off, the bed fell down and the place shook. A feelgood film based on the true story of an aboriginal girl group battling prejudice in 1960s australia wowed cannes and is now a hit down. Laurels son tony briggs wrote the play it is based on. The film got a rapturous response at cannes in may and now opens in the uk after receiving an equally positive reaction at. Sep 05, 2012 the movie, based on the bands true story, was the most successful australian film of 2012. The sapphires chronicles 4 australian singers in the 1960s. In the movie, three aboriginal sisters and their cousin win a competition for a paid gig in. However, this is the true story of four young aboriginal ladies who struck out from their home to experience the world, while reminding us, the viewers, of the intense racism and hatred they were subjected to in their home country of australia.
Billed as australias answer to the supremes, dave secures the sisters their first true gig, and flies them to vietnam to sing for the american troops. It is set in 1968 and it tells the story of the sapphires, a singing group of four yorta yorta women who tour vietnam during the war. The sapphires is about four indigenous australian women, gail deborah mailman. The sapphires, which was directed by queenslander wayne blair, tells the true story of how the four indigenous women defied 1960s racism to entertain troops during the vietnam war. Its plot might seem improbable, but tony briggs, who wrote the screenplay, knows. Based on a true story, the sapphires is a triumphant celebration of youthful emotion, family and music. The story of the sapphires was inspired by reallife events surrounding coscreenwriter tony briggs mother, laurel robinsonwhom he tenderly calls mumand his aunt lois peeler, who were two of. As is usual in such tales, the group, known as the cummeragunja songbirds before their. The sapphires is a 2012 australian musical comedydrama film based on the 2004 stage play of the same name, which is loosely based on a true story. Mar 30, 20 this weeks release, the sapphires, tells the story of a 60s girl group from australia that toured viet nam to perform for american military.
Top sites the sapphires true story images 2019 latest the. Mar 23, 20 a new film, the sapphires, is loosely based on their story. The true story of australian soul music coming to vietnam is told and sung in. The film depicts the sapphires as australias answer to the supremes, and how they were talentspotted to perform soul numbers for the troops in vietnam. This movie addresses multiple issues that were present in australia at the time. A feelgood film based on the true story of an aboriginal girl group battling prejudice in 1960s australia wowed. A feelgood film based on the true story of an aboriginal girl. The movie is entertaining, and the story has a lot for older children to talk about. Original sapphires search for recordings of musical past abc. Aug 08, 2012 the sapphires poster with chris odowd feb 22, 20. Written by firsttime duo keith thompson and tony briggs, the film is based on the story of an australian aboriginal fourgirl group formed by briggss mother in 1968. The sapphires jessica mauboy talks the movies extraordinary reallife story and sings for. As inspired as it is by a true story about a group of women finding their voices and places in the world, it tries to handle two difficult subjects, the awful treatment of the aboriginal peoples.
Interesting true story has good music, not enough soul. Original members of the sapphires singing group slighted by. The sapphires is a feelgood film that also tells of australias past injustices handout image. As an australian film with a star cast, festival acclaim and lots of hype, expectations have been high for the sapphires. Four aboriginal singers go on a journey to entertain vietnam war troops in director wayne blairs. Inspired by a true story, the sapphires follows four vivacious, young and talented australian aboriginal girls from a remote mission as they learn about love, friendship and war when their all. Underdog story the sapphires delivers a harmony of emotions.
Cedric briggs doing welcome to country, with black screen coordinator andrea briggs. Im so glad i was able to discover the sapphires, even if i was so late. This book tells the remarkable true account of one of the greatest espionage scandals to rock the cold war. About politics, about aboriginal people, and about this true story. And ive been the one responsible for pulling their stories together. The sapphires tells the story of an allfemale singing quartet on the way to stardom in the 1960s. The sapphires is a feelgood film that also tells of. The sapphires is based on the reallife story of four courageous indigenous australian women. The free screening of the indigenous australian hit feature film the sapphires in narrandera wiradjuri country in middecember was a great hit. New movie tells true story of four indigenous singers plucked from obscurity.
Media caption the sapphires cast and director spoke to bbc news about the project. It is set in 1968 a year after the referendum expanding the rights of aborigines and it tells the story of the sapphires, a singing group of four yorta yorta women who tour vietnam during the war. The sapphires tells a story of the soul down under the. Gangsters, fighters, athletes, serial killers, celebrities and so much morethese films are the best of the basedonatruestory stories. The film is directed by wayne blair and written by keith thompson and tony briggs, the latter of whom wrote the play. Still of deborah mailman, jessica mauboy, miranda tapsell and shari sebbens in the sapphires. The movie, based on the bands true story, was the most successful australian film of 2012. Remembering the real sapphires nfsa national film and. Everything you need to know about the sapphires movie 20. Awardwinning the sapphires tells the story of reallife aboriginal. Laurels son tony briggs wrote the play it is based. The sapphires tells the story of the aboriginal supremes. Inspired by a true story, the sapphires is a celebration of music, family and selfdiscovery.