Pawno is a 2016 Australian romantic comedy drama film set in the diverse and multicultural Melbourne suburb of Footscray. It was released in cinemas around Australia on 21 April 2016 by Mind Blowing World.

Pawno
Film poster
Directed byPaul Ireland
Written byDamian Hill
Produced byDamian Hill
Paul Ireland
StarringJohn Brumpton
Damian Hill
Maeve Dermody
Malcolm Kennard
Mark Coles Smith
CinematographyShelley Farthing-Dawe
Edited byGary Woodyard
Music byTristan Dewey
Tai Jordan
Production
companies
ROAR Digital
Toothless Pictures
Distributed byMind Blowing Films
Release date
  • 21 April 2016 (2016-04-21)
Running time
89 minutes
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish

The film was directed by Paul Ireland from a script by Damian Hill. The two co-produced their debut feature film through their production company, Toothless Pictures. It stars John Brumpton, Kerry Armstrong, Maeve Dermody, Damian Hill, Mark Coles Smith and Malcolm Kennard.

The film premiered to critical success, and was the fastest-selling Australian film at the Melbourne International Film Festival 2015, finishing in the top 10 for the MIFF Audience Award. Film critic David Stratton, formerly of At the Movies, gave Pawno four stars in The Australian.[1]

Plot synopsis

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Pawno is set in the multicultural suburb of Footscray, Victoria. A character-driven story, Pawno examines the intersecting lives of 14 local characters and their resident pawnbroker.

Cast

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Production

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The film was independently funded through a crowd-funding campaign,[2] and was shortlisted for the $100,000 CinefestOz Film Prize.[3]

Reception

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Pawno holds a 78% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.[4]

Russell Marks in The Monthly gave the film a scathing review. "Australian cinema regularly produces better, funnier, more perceptive content than Pawno. The film's real quality is in its capacity to market both its multiculturalism and its localism, while reflecting a nostalgia among its audience for a mythic monoculture. Only about half the audience at the screening I was at were laughing, and a couple walked out partway through. I wanted to, but I also wanted to write about it."[5]

Accolades

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Award Category Recipients Result
AACTA Awards
(6th)
Best Original Screenplay Damian Hill Nominated
Best Actor Nominated
John Brumpton Nominated
Best Actress Maeve Dermody Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Mark Coles Smith Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Kerry Armstrong Nominated
Antipodean Film Festival Jury Grand Prix, Best Feature film Paul Ireland Won[6]
AFCA Awards Best Film Paul Ireland Nominated
Damian Hill Nominated
Best Screenplay Nominated
Best Actor John Brumpton Nominated
FCCA Awards Best Script/Screenplay Damian Hill Nominated
Best Actor John Brumpton Nominated
Best Actress Maeve Dermody Nominated
Best Actor - Supporting Role Mark Coles Smith Nominated
Best Actress - Supporting Role Kerry Armstrong Nominated
Golden Trailer Awards Best Independent Trailer Toothless Pictures Nominated
Melbourne International Film Festival People's Choice Award for Best Narrative Feature Paul Ireland Nominated
Screen Music Awards, Australia Best Original Song ("Those Friends of Mine") Tristan Dewey and Tai Jordan Nominated
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival Tridens Award for Best Music Won
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References

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  1. ^ "Film review: Pawno; Marguerite; Wide Open Sky". Archived from the original on 23 April 2016.
  2. ^ Marks, Russell (27 May 2016). "Unredeemed goods". The Monthly.
  3. ^ "Finalists announced for $100,000 CinéfestOZ Film Prize 2015". Cinema Australia. 21 July 2015. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  4. ^ "Pawno (2015)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  5. ^ "Unredeemed goods". 27 May 2016.
  6. ^ "All the Awards from Festival des Antipodes". Rencontres Internationales du Cinéma des Antipodes. Retrieved 28 February 2024.