Mullet comes to Gala Cinema in 4K for its 25th anniversary. Photo: Mullet.
A film shot entirely in the Illawarra is having a full circle moment this week.
Screen Illawarra will mark the 25th anniversary of Aussie gem Mullet (2001) at Gala Cinema in Warrawong, with a special screening of the 4K restoration of the original film.
The loosely autobiographical film by South Coast director David Caesar was shot in the Illawarra in June 2000, and the Gala was the very cinema where the film first opened for an exclusive two-week run before its national release 24 years ago.
At the heart of the film is Mullet (Ben Mendelsohn), a former local football hero and resident larrikin, who drifts back into town after three years away, bringing with him a whirlwind of past grievances, unresolved tensions and reluctant affection.
His homecoming does more than ruffle the calm of this coastal village; it exposes the hidden dreams, quiet disappointments and unspoken desires of the people around him.
Despite some pressure to move filming north, Caesar chose to film on his beloved South Coast where he’d spent his formative years fishing for mullet, playing rugby league and dreaming of breaking into the film industry.
“For me, growing up, I was very aware of what a wonderful place the South Coast was, and I loved being there. I loved going surfing and the beaches and the low density, but that was torn with an urge to spread my wings in the big city,” he says.
“From quite young I knew I wanted to be in the film industry, but the only TV station we got growing up was WIN 4. I remember there was a show made in Wollongong, and my biggest ambition was to work on it.
“It was this really surreal show called You Say the Word. People would do day-to-day stuff like go to the shops and buy things, but they’d use this very slow, clearly annunciated English. After every scene, one of the actors would turn to the camera and say ‘Now you say the word’.
“I think it was actually designed for new migrants working at the steelworks and mines who were learning English. It might’ve actually been co-funded by BHP. I doubt it was shown anywhere else in the world, but to me, it meant people in my world were making a show with actors and cameras, and it felt like anything was possible.
“The film is about that – a guy who loves that world but also, who doesn’t entirely belong in it. An outsider.”
Illawarra audiences watching Mullet will clearly spot landmarks such as Kiama Harbour and the Cronin Hotel in Gerringong.
Caesar’s affection for his subjects extends to their everyday labour and local traditions. The film’s production was itself a testament to community collaboration: the Kiama Knights became the fictional Coollawarra Crows, local fishing personality Steve Starling supplied not only mullet but also a cameo appearance, and Illawarra netball legend Val Bunker guided actors Susie Porter and Peta Brady through the choreography of the sport.
Deborah McBride, who had recently helped establish Film Illawarra, cast extras and ensured the film’s small-town authenticity resonated beyond the script.
And now, 25 years later, the streets, beaches and alleys of Caesar’s fictional Coollawarra come alive again at a screening this Sunday (9 November), followed by words from Caesar and Sheehan themselves.
“David Caesar and I are thrilled to bring Mullet back to the Gala,” Sheehan says. “What a treasure the cinema is for the Illawarra.”
The Screen Illawarra Mullet 25th anniversary 4K screening and Q & A takes place at Gala Cinema this Sunday 9 November at 6 pm.
