''The Home Song Stories'' is a 2007 Australian

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

written and directed by

Tony Ayres Tony Ayres (born 16 July 1961) is an Australian showrunner, screenwriter, director in television and feature film. He is most notable for his films '' Walking on Water'' and ''The Home Song Stories'', as well his work in television, including ...

, loosely based on aspects of his life. It stars

Joan Chen Joan Chen (born April 26, 1961) is a Chinese-American actress and film director. In China, she performed in the 1979 film and came to the attention of American audiences for her performance in the 1987 film ''The Last Emperor''. She is also ...

Joel Lok Joel Lok (born September 6, 1994) is a Singaporean-Australian actor born in Singapore and based in Melbourne, starring in the recent Australian film in 2007, ''The Home Song Stories'', as the young character, Tom. Joel is the youngest actor to rec ...

Qi Yuwu Qi Yuwu (; born 28 November 1976) is a Chinese actor based in Singapore. He is a permanent resident of Singapore and a contracted artiste under Beijing Enlight Media Group. Early life and career Qi studied at Guangzhou Physical Education Ins ...

, Irene Chen, Steven Vidler and

Kerry Walker Kerry Ann Walker is an Australian actress. She has had a lengthy career on both stage and screen. She was nominated for the AFI Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role three times, in 1985 for ''Bliss'', 1986 for ''Twelfth Night'' and in 1 ...

. The film premiered at the

57th Berlin International Film Festival The 57th Berlin International Film Festival was held from 8 to 18 February 2007. The opening film of this year's festival was Olivier Dahan’s '' La Vie En Rose''. ''Angel'' by François Ozon served as the closing night film. American director ...

on 9 February 2007, and was released in Australia on 23 August 2007, by

Dendy Films Dendy may refer to: * Arthur Dendy, English zoologist who worked on the "living fossil" ''Peripatus'' * Edward Stephen Dendy, English officer of arms * Henry Dendy, founder of Brighton, Melbourne * Marquis Dendy (born 1992), American long jumper * ...

. It was announced as the Australian entry for the

Foreign Language Film World cinema is a term in film theory that refers to films made outside of the American motion picture industry, particularly those in opposition to the aesthetics and values of commercial American cinema.Nagib, Lúcia. "Towards a positive de ...

category of the

Oscars The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

, and received a total of nine nominations at the 2007

Inside Film Awards The Inside Film Awards (now known as the IF Awards) is an annual awards ceremony and broadcast platform for the Australian film industry, developed by the creators of Inside Film Magazine, Stephen Jenner and David Barda, and originally produced fo ...

, winning five.

Plot

The film is an

autobiographical An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life. It is a form of biography. Definition The word "autobiography" was first used deprecatingly by William Taylor in 1797 in the English peri ...

account of

' life at age eight, however the names have been changed. The story is narrated by

Darren Yap Darren Robert Yap is an Australian actor and director. Early life and education Darren Robert Yap was born in Sydney and grew up in the suburb of Cabramatta. He was the third child of a Malaysian-born father and his third-generation Australia- ...

as an adult Tom typing the story on a computer and reflecting on the story "which defines them, which shapes who they are." His mother Rose Hong was a

nightclub singer A nightclub act is a production, usually of nightclub music or comedy, designed for performance at a nightclub, a type of drinking establishment, by a nightclub performer such as a nightclub singer or nightclub dancer, whose performance may ...

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...

in 1964, where she met Bill, an Australian sailor, and married him to seek a better life in Australia, taking her daughter May and son Tom. An opening montage of scenes shows Rose making several unsuccessful attempts to establish herself with Chinese partners before moving in with Bill again. The story begins seven years after their initial migration to Australia, with the family returning to Bill's house in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

. Bill's mother, Norma, who is disapproving of the family, has moved in. When Bill leaves on a tour of duty, Rose and Norma struggle for control over the house. Soon, Rose begins to have an affair with Joe, the son of the local Chinese restaurateur, who is in his twenties. He moves in with Rose, who tells Norma he is her aunt's son. Rose and her children are eventually kicked out when Norma finds Joe in Rose's room. Rose settles in with Joe after renting a place from a Chinese man. Their relationship begins to break down, and Rose attempts suicide, however May and Joe discover an affinity for each other which develops into a friendship. Rose, believing that May is trying to take Joe away from her, beats her and curses her. May, as a result, also attempts suicide and Rose also ends up in despair. However, the mother and daughter are reconciled in forgiveness as Rose tells May the story of the difficulties and traumatic experiences in her childhood, where she was forced into a marriage and lost her first two daughters. The relationship between Rose and Joe collapses, and the family once again returns to Bill's home, with Norma moving out. One afternoon when Tom is walking home with his classmate they encounter Rose in the front yard, and upon overhearing a conversation between two of his classmates bagging out Rose and her clothing, Tom blocks himself from his mother completely. Rose, in the meantime, has had her dream shattered, and is contemplating returning to Hong Kong when Tom abruptly tells her his apathy. The film culminates in the adult Tom narrating, "Of all the things I remember about my childhood, this is what I remember the most." The eight-year-old Tom wakes up early in the morning to see the light to the backyard shed on and enters to find that Rose has hanged herself. Although she does not die initially, Bill receives a phone call later on confirming her death. The epilogue to the film shows the adult Tom and his sister May with her family (who happen to be Ayres' real life family) returning to Bill's home. He narrates again, recalling how he never shed a tear for his mother, but instead, wrote the story fully to understand what has shaped him. The real Tom, Tony Ayres, and his sister stayed with Bill after their mother's death. May ends up marrying the teacher who became their guardian soon after Bill's death.

Cast

Festivals

''The Home Song Stories'' was selected to screen at the following film festivals: *2007

Berlin International Film Festival The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festi ...

(8–18 February 2007) * 2007 Adelaide Film Festival (22 February - 4 March 2007) *2007

Sydney Film Festival The Sydney Film Festival is an annual competitive film festival held in Sydney, Australia, usually over 12 days in June. A number of awards are given, the top one being the Sydney Film Prize. the festival's director is Nashen Moodley. Histo ...

(8–24 June 2007) *2007

New Zealand International Film Festival New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...

(13 July - 28 November 2007) *2007

Bangkok International Film Festival The Bangkok International Film Festival (BKKIFF) ( th, เทศกาลภาพยนตร์นานาชาติกรุงเทพฯ) is an international film festival held annually in Bangkok, Thailand, since 2003. In addition to fi ...

(19–27 July 2007) *2007

Melbourne International Film Festival The Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) is an annual film festival held over three weeks in Melbourne, Australia. It was founded in 1952 and is one of the oldest film festivals in the world following the founding of the Venice Film Fest ...

(25 July - 12 August 2007) *2007

Brisbane International Film Festival The Brisbane International Film Festival (BIFF) is an annual film festival held in Brisbane, Australia. Organised by the Screen Culture unit at Screen Queensland, the festival has taken place since 1992, with the program including features, doc ...

(2–12 August 2007) *2007

Edinburgh International Film Festival The Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) is a film festival that runs for two weeks in June each year. Established in 1947, it is the world's oldest continually running film festival. EIFF presents both UK and international films (all ti ...

(15–26 August 2007) *2007

Toronto International Film Festival The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. Since its founding in 1976, TIFF has grown to become a permane ...

(9–15 September 2007)) *2007

Calgary International Film Festival The Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF) is a film festival held annually in Calgary, Alberta, in late September and early October. CIFF is the largest international film festival in Alberta and the sixth largest in Canada. The Festival's ...

(20–30 September 2007) *2007

Hawaii International Film Festival The Hawai'i International Film Festival (HIFF) is an annual film festival held in the United States state of Hawaii. HIFF has a focus on Asian-Pacific cinema, education, and the work of new and emerging filmmakers. HIFF’s primary festival is h ...

(18–28 October 2007) *2007 International Eurasia Film Festival (19–28 October 2007) *2007

Cairo International Film Festival The Cairo International Film Festival ( ar, مهرجان القاهرة السينمائي الدولي) is an annual internationally accredited film festival held in Cairo Opera House. It was established in 1976 and has taken place every year sin ...

(27 November - 7 December 2007) *2007

Torino Film Festival The Torino Film Festival (also called the Turin Film Festival, TFF) is an international film festival held annually in Turin, Italy. Held every November, it is the second largest film festival in Italy, following the Venice Film Festival. It was f ...

(23 November - 1 December 2007) *2007

Asia Pacific Film Festival The Asia-Pacific Film Festival (abbreviated APFF) is an annual film festival hosted by the Federation of Motion Picture Producers in Asia-Pacific. The festival was first held in Tokyo, Japan, in 1954. History The festival was first held in Toky ...

(13 November 2007) *2008

San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival CAAMFest, known prior to 2013 as the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival (SFIAAFF), is presented every March in the San Francisco Bay Area in the United States as the nation’s largest showcase for new Asian American and Asia ...

(13–23 March 2008) *2008

Silk Screen Asian American Film Festival The Silk Screen Asian American Film Festival was a 10-day film festival held annually in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to show the most recent films and music by artists with Asian ethnic origins, such as from Japan, China, Taiwan, India, Pakistan, Ind ...

(9–18 May 2008)

Nominations

2007

*Best Feature Film *Best Director -

*Best Actor - Joel Lok *Best Actress -

*Best Cinematography - Nigel Bluck *Best Music - Antony Partos *Best Script - Tony Ayres *Best Production Design - Melinda Doring *Best Sound - Craig Carter, John Wilkinson, James Harvey & Andrew Neil 2007

Australian Film Institute Awards The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards, known as the AACTA Awards, are presented annually by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA). The awards recognise excellence in the film and television industry, ...

*L'Oréal Paris AFI Award for Best Film *L'Oréal Paris AFI Young Actor Award - Joel Lok *L'Oréal Paris AFI Young Actor Award - Irene Chen *Macquarie Private Health AFI Award for Best Screenplay -

*Best Direction -

*Best Lead Actor -

*Best Lead Actress -

*Best Supporting Actress - Irene Chen *Best Cinematography - Nigel Bluck *Best Editing - Denise Haratzis ASE *Best Sound - Craig Carter, James Harvey, Andrew Neil & John Wilkinson *Best Original Music Score - Antony Partos *Best Production Design - Melinda Doring *Best Costume Design - Cappi Ireland 2007

Golden Horse Awards The Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards () is a film festival and awards ceremony held annually in Taiwan. It was founded in 1962 by the Government Information Office of the Republic of China (ROC) in Taiwan. The awards ceremony is us ...

*Best Feature Film - "Home Song Stories" *Best Leading Actress -

*Best Supporting Actor -

*Best New Performer -

*Best Original Screenplay -

*Best Art Direction - Melinda Doring *Best Makeup & Costume Design - Kirsten Veysey and Cappi Ireland 2007 Asia Pacific Screen Awards *Best Performance by an Actress -

Won

*FIPRESCI International Jury Award

*Halekulani Golden Orchid for Best Feature Film

Torino International Film Festival The Torino Film Festival (also called the Turin Film Festival, TFF) is an international film festival held annually in Turin, Italy. Held every November, it is the second largest film festival in Italy, following the Venice Film Festival. It was f ...

*Best Actress -

2007

*Best Director -

*Best Actor -

*Best Actress -

*Best Cinematography - Nigel Bluck *Best Production Design - Melinda Doring 2007

* Best Direction -

* Best Lead Actress -

* Best Screenplay -

* Best Cinematography - Nigel Bluck * Best Editing - Denise Haratzis * Best Original Music Score - Antony Partos * Best Production Design – Melinda Doring * Best Costume Design – Cappi Ireland 2007

* Best Actress -

* Best Original Screenplay -

2007

New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards The New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, also known as the NSW Premier's Literary Awards, were first awarded in 1979. They are among the richest literary awards in Australia. Notable prizes include the Christina Stead Prize for Fiction, th ...

* Script Writing Award

Box office

''The Home Song Stories'' grossed $452,488 at the box office in Australia.''Film Victoria - Australian Films at the Australian Box Office''
/ref>

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Home Song Stories, The 2007 films 2007 biographical drama films 2007 multilingual films 2000s Cantonese-language films 2000s English-language films 2000s Mandarin-language films Australian biographical drama films Australian multilingual films Autobiographical films Films directed by Tony Ayres Films produced by Liz Watts Films set in Melbourne Films shot in Melbourne Films about mother–son relationships Films about suicide

Plot

Cast

Festivals

Nominations

Won

Box office

See also

References

External links