Displaying items by tag: Deborah Kennedy

JIMPA

Australia, 2025, 113 minutes, Colour.

Olivia Colman, John Lithgow, Aud Mason-Hyde, Eamon Farren, Daniel Henshalll, Kate Box, Deborah Kennedy.

Directed by Sophie Hyde.

At the beginning of this film, Adelaide filmmaker, Hannah, played by Olivia Colman, is on a zoom interview concerning financing for her next film. She explains that she does not want conflict. The financiers say conflict is essential to drama. Hannah continues with the plan for her film. But, her understanding of conflict is differences talked over, sorted out, aiming for some kind of resolution, reconciliation. She is not talking about conflict in the sense of dominating and conquering.

This is a very personal film for writer-director, Sophie Hyde. So, she makes it film about preparing a film about her father. And, it is a fictional development of actual characters and events, Sophie Hyde’s father, Jim, marrying, having two children, coming out as gay in the late 1970s in Adelaide, continuing to for social issues until his death in 2018.

But, also based on reality, is the next generation of parenting. Hannah is married to quietly genial Daniel Henschel. Their 16-year-old child, Frances, has emerged as non-binary, exploring their self-identity. And, in fact, Frances is played by Aud Mason-Hyde, non-binary. Sophie Hyde and her husband, film editor, Brian Mason, are the parents in real life.

Family life and parenting have become so much more complex in recent times, and this film surfaces the issues, decisions of Jim (now Jimpa), the grandpa, played forcefully by John Lithgow, leaving his family, moving to Amsterdam as a more congenial setting for a gay man, but still in contact with them. Hannah wants to talk to her father about the making of her film, his opinions, his agreement. He is a powerful and dominating character, always talking, argumentative, heavily involved in social academia, often in the company of his ageing gay friends, relying on his assistant, Richard (Eamon Farren).

The film has some moments of direct frankness in its highlighting of Jimpa’s world. And, there is a complex focus on Frances, relationship with Jimpa, parental approval/not, wanting to stay with him in Amsterdam, discovering various personalities and behaviour in the queer community.

But the latter part of the film also focuses on serious illness, Jimpa, communicating or not, family gathering round him, an assessment of his life and influence.

As, with so many of the significant problems of life, issues need continuing probing and resolving

1. The personal story of the writer-director, her father, her child, gender identification issues?
2. The background of the Adelaide story, Sophie Hyde and her father, marriage, children, divorce, gay, championing gay rights? The background of Sophie Hyde and her partner, Brian Mason, their child, non-binary? And Aud Mason Hyde acting the part that corresponded to her in real life?
3. The central character as a filmmaker, her career, preparing her film, the Zoom discussion with the financial backers, her not wanting conflict, their demanding conflict? The interspersing of Zoom interviews with actual actors as potential cast? Her concern, the writing, communicating with her father, getting his opinion, consent?
4. The situation at home, Hannah, age and experience, the affable relationship with her husband, his gentleness, quiet, supporting his wife, supporting Frances? Frances, a 16, the issue non-binary, her experience at school, communicating with the students, their reactions against her? Her wanting to get out of the school?
5. The family situation, Jim, as played by John Lithgow, the back story, the marriage in the 1970s, two children, the divorce, his coming out, going to Amsterdam, finding life there more congenial, the baths and pickups, his academic work and positions, gay rights, his gay friends, their company, getting older? Richard as his assistant, relying on him, the gay atmosphere?
6. The decision for the family to go to Amsterdam, and wanting to discuss with her father, Frances wanting to meet him, the possibility of staying with him?
7. Jim, grandfather, Jimpa?, Opinions, talking, taking over people? His response to Frances, to Hannah? The issue of his story, the film? The issue of his job, go to Helsinki, the interview, the rival for the job and meeting her party, his recommendation and the board interview in Finland, and the discussions? His retirement?
8. Hannah, her reactions, the discussions, tensions, Hannah and her husband being protective of Francis, the range of discussions with Frances, Frances going out, the group, young, the queer community, the issue of sexual expression, the special friendship, seduction, agreement, the sexual experience, coming back, Jim’s reaction, her parents’ reaction? The possibility of Frances going to London with Hannah on her film work?
9. Jim, his collapse, his illness, previous stroke, in the hospital, Hannah and her being with her father, talking, signals of pressing his hand, listening? Frances at the hospital? Hannah and her sister, the relationship, the past, her complaints and demands, with her father?
10. The future, Hannah and her film (and Sophie Hyde actually making this film)? Her husband, Brian Mason being the editor of the film? The husband filming within the film? The rest of the family? Frances, decisions, relationships and identity? And the success of the film, Jimpa?