No. 45 (2019) Acute Misfortune. May 19th.

Film No 45 (2019) May 19th.  4:10 PM  LUNA PALACE Leederville. 

"Everything moves towards its end, mate. This is the only profession in the world where your employer wants you to die". (Cullen reels off another of his unhinged philosophies to Erik, as he begins to paint his portrait).    

This uncomfortable retell, depicting Australian artist Adam Cullen's insistence that a biography be written about his life, on his terms, by a young naive journalist, Erik Jensen, is compelling. Actor Thomas M Wright (Sweet Country) directs his first feature and the results are stunning. Cullen, brilliantly played by Daniel Henshall (Snowtown), is best described as unhinged. Jensen, beautifully portrayed by Toby Wallace, is caught in Cullen's narcissistic "headlights". We're never sure if it's in pursuit of the story or because of Cullen's hypnotic aura. Did his elevation to artistic immortality through winning The Archibald Prize, (Australia's most prestigious portrait award) in 2000, ignite a self destructive fuse within a man whose contempt for himself and others was destined to lead to a bad end? Watch and learn, but be warned, Misfortune is stunning but it's not pretty! 10GUMS.