Reviews

Awards

Camera d'Or (best first feature)

Cannes Film Festival 2009

Best Feature Film

Asia Pacific Awards 2009

Best Film, Director, Script, Cinematography, Sound, Young Actors (jointly awarded Marissa Gibson & Rowan McNamara) and AFI Member's Choice Award

Australian Film Institute Awards 2009

Best Film, Director, Script, Music, Actor, Actress

IF (Inside Film) Awards 2009

Best Editor, Feature (Roland Gallois)

Australian Screen Editor's Guild Awards 2009

Best Achievement in Sound Design (Liam Egan and team)

Australian Screen Sound Awards 2009

Blue Angel Award for Best Director

17th Art Film Fest, Slovakia

AWGIE Awards (Australian Writer's Guild Awards)

Feature Film Screenplay (Original)

Major AWGIE Award (for most outstanding script in any discipline)

Audience Award

Adelaide Film Festival

Kate Challis RAKA Award for Indigenous script writing

Grand Jury Prize

Best Female Actor - Marissa Gibson

Best Male Actor - Rowan McNamara

St Tropez Film Festival, France

The City Prize for best film (awarded by the teenage jury)

Jury Grand Prize for best film (awarded by the adult jury)

Festival Ciné-jeune, France

Grand Jury Award

Press Jury Award

EKWA Film Festival of the Indian Ocean (Reunion Island)

Grand Premio (Best Film)

Amazonas Film Festival, Brazil

IFA Cultural Film Award

Around the World in 14 Films - Berlin Independent Filmfest

Quotes

“An inside look at a world rarely, if ever, depicted on the big screen”
Screen International

“Rowan McNamara and Marissa Gibson give performances of such power and grace I haven't been able to stop thinking about them or their characters"

"Attending the film's hometown premiere... and watching the crowd fall under the film's spell, was an unforgettable experience for me"
Des Partridge, The Courier Mail

"Samson & Delilah is, in my opinion, the best (some would say the first) Australian film yet made"
Bob Ellis, Encore

"A tender, realistic love story and a lyrical piece of visual art."
Michael Adams, Empire

"One of the bravest Australian films I've ever seen. I can't wait to see it again."
Jim Schembri, The Age

"...the Australian film that takes every cliche you hate about Australian film and manages to turn them into something utterly brilliant"
Aint It Cool News

"Samson & Delilah is an original."
Louise Keller, Urban Cinfile

International Reviews

"...intense grip and power."

Screen International

"... an engrossing and touching snapshot of an Australia too often left on the cutting-room floor."

Variety

Australian Reviews

At The Movies, ABC TV
"...one of the most wonderful films this country has ever produced."

Margaret (five stars) *****
David (five stars) *****
Full review here.

The Australian
"...anyone who cares about Australia should see it."

(Five stars) *****
Full review here.

Sunday Times
"...captured lightning in a bottle."

(Five stars) *****
Full review here.

Melbourne Sunday Age
"Warwick Thornton's feature debut is a triumph"

(4 1/2 stars) ****1/2
Full review here.

Aint It Cool News
"It's a hell of a feature debut..."

Full review here.

The Adelaide Review
"...a major breakthrough in Australian cinema."

Full review here.