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An Australian film, from an Australian book – if you live in Australia, that’s something to be celebrated.
In fact, I think the birth of every book and film should be the occasion for a party.
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| thanks to Meredith Costain for photo |
So on Thursday evening, the day that
Return to Nim’s Island opened in Victorian cities, actor Toby Wallace’s family and friends joined with mine at the beautiful Palace Westgarth for our own Melbourne ‘premiere’. And although there was no red carpet, lots of people got into the spirit and ‘frocked up’ – which must have surprised the people who simply turned up at their local cinema to see a movie.
What a lovely night. My only regret is that, thanks to Readings Books, I was so busy signing copies of The Nim Stories that I didn’t get a picture of the crowd in the lobby. (Just to be clear – I’d never regret signing books! Just wish I’d got a picture too.) Friends came from as far as Ballarat and Bendigo, Ocean Grove and Gippsland; friends from different periods in my life. My editor, Sue, whom I’ve worked with since 2000, and the editor for The Nim Stories, were both there. Editors are never honoured enough; it was lovely to sit with Sue as to watch the movie that she’s been nearly as excited about as I have.
Seeing the film in the darkness of a big cinema was a different experience from the fun of watching it outdoors on the inflatable screen at the Australia Zoo’s Crocoseum. Seeing it for the second time also meant I was less emotional and could watch it more logically - and liked it even more And so did the audience. The buzz going out was much stronger than going in, when people were simply happy to be celebrating with a friend.
Then some of the girls realised that Toby Wallace was in the audience. I don’t know what the word is for buzz to the power of 10, so I’ll share a text I received on the way home from a 13 year old friend.
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Relaxing afterwards with my lovely editor Sue
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'The movie was terrific. I loved everything. It was such an experience to meet Toby!!!!!!! All the girls loved it and there is non stop talk about Toby and Bindi.’
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| All photos by Ryan Makepeace |
A film premiere is a lot like a wedding. There’s so much excitement about the event – the dress, the venue, the weather – that it’s easy to forget the reason behind it. |
| Mango the baby rhino having a mud scrub |
And when a film premiere is held at Australia Zoo, so that between the media call, the book signing and the red carpet, you watch condors and crocodiles in action, feed kangaroos and elephants, and help to smear a mud bath onto a baby rhinoceros, it’s even easier to forget that you’re there to see the film. To see, for the first time, the culmination of five years of work, crossed fingers, prayers and angst. To be in an audience and understand whether or not the film works. So there I was, in my lovely Argyro Gavalas dress, sitting in front of Russell Crowe and the film’s producer Chris Brown, with my stomach in knots, waiting for Return to Nim’s Island to begin. How would I face Bindi Irwin and Toby Wallace afterwards if I didn’t find them believable? If I thought the film missed the tone the word I created, or was simply lackluster?
I stopped worrying as soon as the first images appeared: Nim and Selkie, as I’ve imagined them since I wrote them in 1999. I was swept up in the story as if I’d never read the script at all. The acting was great; the locations and settings was amazing, the cinematography was breathtaking; I loved the music; the audience laughed and gasped in the right places… it all hung together. In fact, it not only worked, it’s a very good film. If you don’t believe me, go and see it for yourself.
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Toby Wallace & I being hugged by elephants
Another day I'll tell you more about the dress, the baby rhino, and walking the red carpet with a wombat. But I've started with the film, because that's what it's all about. |
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It wasn't all too serious
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| Bindi, Toby & friends arriving at red carpet |
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| Photo by Ryan Makepeace |
I'll write a full post on my Return to Nim's Island Australia Zoo premiere experience tomorrow, but for tonight, while my brain is still in post-whirlwind/red carpet fog, here's a more technical report from the Queensland government.
I was very pleased to meet Ian Walker, Arts Minister for Queensland, at the celebration, and to be able to personally add my thanks for the support from Screen Australia. And of course I was flattered that despite the presence of Russell Crowe as well as Bindi and Terri Irwin, and Toby Wallace, an arts minister took the time to seek out the author and discuss the process with her.
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Queensland is set to shine at tonight’s premiere of Return to Nim’s Island at Australia Zoo on the Sunshine Coast.Arts Minister Ian Walker walked the red carpet for Return to Nim’s Island, starring Bindi Irwin. The movie was filmed on location in 2012 at Magnetic Island and the Gold Coast’s Village Roadshow Studios.“This is the sequel to Nim’s Island which was also filmed in Queensland and grossed over $100 million globally at the box office,” said Mr Walker. |
| Bindi Irwin and Toby Wallace arriving on red carpet, photo credit Ben Beaden/Australia Zoo |
“Screen Queensland invested $30,000 in development funding and an additional $14,000 in marketing funding."Productions such as Return to Nim’s Island demonstrate how the Newman Government is delivering on its pledge to boost tourism and reduce unemployment.”Mr Walker said the production created 153 jobs with more than 80 per cent of the $5 million production budget spent in Queensland. “The film showcases Queensland’s unique locations and its expertise in production that has been the cornerstone of our successful and vibrant screen industry in Queensland,” Mr Walker said. Mr Walker praised the Queensland companies and filmmakers involved in bringing this major Australian production to the big screen.“This is a great example of local companies and filmmakers teaming up with international partners to bring a major film project to the screen” Mr Walker said
Presenting Bindi Irwin with framed Return to Nim's Island poster before screening; photo credit
Ben Beaden/Australia Zoo
If you hurry, you can still buy tickets for the Return to Nim's Island premiere on March 17 at Australia Zoo. What a wonderful place for it! (I've never been there before, so I'm especially excited. Okay, I'm excited about the whole event. Imaginary characters, no matter how much you love them, are not the same as your real children, but seeing the premiere of their movie is still a bit like seeing your child graduate.)
O
f course the zoo is also Bindi Irwin's home - no wonder she's so perfect for Nim.
The Nim Stories will hit Australian shops on March 20, but my publisher has kindly rushed copies to the Zoo's Crocoseum Boutique, and I'll be signing copies between 2:00 and 3:00. If you already have a copy of Nim's Island or Nim at Sea I'll be happy to sign those for you too.
Stay after dark at Australia Zoo for the RETURN TO NIM'S ISLAND national movie premiere!
Join our very own wildlife warrior, Bindi Irwin, her co-star Toby Wallace and author, Wendy Orr on Sunday 17 March for the national premiere of RETURN TO NIM'S ISLAND at Australia Zoo in our world famous Crocoseum!
The writer and producer of the smash hit NIM'S ISLAND brings you the much anticipated sequel RETURN TO NIM'S ISLAND, featuring Bindi Irwin, in a wild ride filled with pristine beaches, exotic animals, dastardly pirates and all your favourite characters from the original. When Jack and Nim learn that the Buccaneer Resort Company has purchased Nim's Island, Jack heads to the city to convince the powers that be that the island is worth preserving while Nim insists on staying behind to try another way to save the island by proving that at least three endangered species live there. Nim soon finds Edmund, a young boy who has run away from home, hiding on her island as well as the pirate animal poachers that followed him. Before long, Nim and Edmund are in a battle of cunning and wits to rescue her beloved sea lion Selkie.
With Nim's know-how and Edmund's bravery, they are able to defeat the poachers and maybe even find the endangered animals that would allow Nim to stay on her beloved Island.
Inspired by the Nim’s Island series by author Wendy Orr, Return to Nim’s Island is sure to enchant audiences of all ages
*All times are subject to change. The movie is 90 minutes and will end by 8:00pm.
Return to Nim’s Island comes to the big screen in Australia five years to the day after Nim’s Island; five and a half years after Nim at Sea was published, ten years after the initial contact from the film producer Paula Mazur, thirteen years after the book Nim’s Island was published, and more years than I care to work out since the first draft was written when I was nine.
So, maybe time for a quick overview:
The childhood story, Spring Island, was inspired by seeing a tiny, uninhabitable island off the coast of Vancouver Island. Being infatuated with Anne of Green Gables at the time, I wrote about a little girl running away from an orphanage; she’s joined by a boy running away from his orphanage, and together they head off to live on an island. Years later, I was working on a book of letters between a girl on an island and a famous adventure author with a very boring life. After many false starts I remembered that story and channeled the feelings of that nine-year old writer who wanted to be independent and resourceful – and finally, the story changed its form and Nim’s Island came to life.
It was published in Australia in 1999, in the USA and Canada in 2001, and in six other countries in 2001-2. In 2003, after it was listed in Los Angeles Times best books for 2002, the Hollywood producer Paula Mazur picked it up in her local library for her eight year old son. Two weeks later she emailed to ask me for the film rights. She pitched it to several studios, had interest from four, and by the end of the year we had closed a deal with Walden Media.
The feature film of Nim’s Island was released around the world in 2008, starring Abigail Breslin as Nim, Jodie Foster as the author Alex Rover, and Gerard Butler in the dual roles of Nim’s father Jack and Alex Rover’s fictitious hero.
Nim at Sea, the sequel to the book, was published in Australia in 2007, the USA & Canada in 2008, and slightly later in another 16 countries. By then the first book had been published in 24 languages. 
Return to Nim’s Island, the sequel to the film and based loosely on Nim at Sea stars Bindi Irwin as Nim, Matthew Lillard as Jack, Toby Wallace as Edmund, and John Waters as the evil poacher. It will debut on the Hallmark Channel in the USA on March 17 with the DVD released in Walmart the following day, and on cinemas across Australia on April 4. I’ll post international distribution news as I hear it.
The Nim Stories, featuring Nim's Island and Nim at Sea in one book, will be released in Australia and New Zealand on April 1.
What a lovely night. My only regret is that, thanks to Readings Books, I was so busy signing copies of The Nim Stories that I didn’t get a picture of the crowd in the lobby. (Just to be clear – I’d never regret signing books! Just wish I’d got a picture too.) Friends came from as far as Ballarat and Bendigo, Ocean Grove and Gippsland; friends from different periods in my life. My editor, Sue, whom I’ve worked with since 2000, and the editor for The Nim Stories, were both there. Editors are never honoured enough; it was lovely to sit with Sue as to watch the movie that she’s been nearly as excited about as I have.
Then some of the girls realised that Toby Wallace was in the audience. I don’t know what the word is for buzz to the power of 10, so I’ll share a text I received on the way home from a 13 year old friend. 
