Mull (film)


Mull is a 1988 Australian drama film directed by Don McLennan. The film is based on the popular 1986 book, Mullaway by Bronwen 'Bron' Nichols.

Plot

A sixteen-year-old teenage girl is forced to care for her family, when her mother finds out she is dying of Hodgkin’s disease. The family consists of her father a reformed alcoholic and recently born-again Christian, her heroin-dabbling closet gay older brother, and two trying younger siblings all packed into a rented flat in the Melbourne bayside suburb of St Kilda. She also has to deal with her pregnant Greek best friend, her yearnings for her brother’s lover and her gay former schoolteacher plus his lover.

Cast

Actor/actressCharacter
Nadine GarnerPhoebe Mullens
Bill HunterFrank Mullens
Sue JonesDeborah Mullens
Craig MorrisonSteven Mullens
Bradley KilpatrickAllan Mullens
Kymara StowersJodie Mullens
Dominic SweeneyJim
Juno RoxasGuido
Esme MelvilleFanny
Gerard MaguireDr. Graham
Mary CoustasHelen
Monty MaizelsDon
Nick GiannopoulosGeorge
David CameronLarry
Bruce LangdonPaul
Vince Jonesjazz singer

Production

The film's budget was $3 million but McLennan says only $1.7 million went on the film, the rest went into fees.

Awards

Mull received six nominations at the 1988 Australian Film Institute Awards: 'Best Film', 'Best Director', 'Best Actress', 'Best Supporting Actress' and 'Best Costume Design'. Nadine Garner winning the 'Best Actress' award.
The film was also screened at the 33rd Regus London Film Festival in 1989.