It’s nice being friends with talented people. Earlier this year, I was lucky enough to see a screening of a new Australian film called Exit, written by my friend Martyn Pedler.
I was excited, not just because the film itself was incredible, but because it did everything I’ve long said Australian films should be doing. With no way to compete with the likes of the US or the UK in terms of budget, it’s baffled me why Australian filmmakers don’t make extremely high-concept, left-of-centre films that put the idea front and centre.
The concept is this: a group of men and women walk an imposing city, opening doors and searching for the city’s elusive exit. They are trapped in a maze, and believe there is only one possible way out. And one woman thinks she’s found it. It’s a somewhat surreal, somewhat dystopian fantasy, but even those descriptors don’t quite sum it up.
Every time I go to compare it to a filmmaker or film, I pull up short. Sure, you can identify many of its influences, but the film is so original it stands undeniably on its own feet.
I’ve been dying to see it again, but I won’t be able to for the moment (unless I fly to the US). Americans and Canadians can view the film using VOD, or they can purchase it for $9.99 on iTunes.
Trust me on this one. It’s a cracker.