the Curb

Gabriel Mascaro's filmography embraces narrative perspectives that we rarely see on screen. His 2019 film Divine Love is a neon soaked dance experience that amplifies love and unity against a backdrop of bureaucracy, while his 2015 film Neon Bull invites us into a world of rodeos, horse dancing, and flights of fantasy, and in the process, Gabriel invites us to consider the world anew.That approach to narrative storytelling continues with his latest, and in my view best, film, The Blue Trail.On paper, The Blue Trail sounds oppressive, dystopian, and bleak, as it tells the story of a Brazil which seeks to embrace economic recovery by creating a system where senior citizens over 80 are deported to a 'colony'. We're never shown the colony, nor what occurs to the citizens when they reach there, but we don't need to see it either, given the way that elderly citizens are transported in prison like vehicles - a small van with a cage like apparatus on the back - called wrinkle wagons, forcing the elderly into this colony existence.Yet, what Gabriel Mascaro presents is instead a film that is quite beautiful and tender, reminding audiences that while the elderly may be old, it does not mean that they don't have any more life left to live. Our hero of the story is Tereza, conjured into superb existence with one of the best performances of the year by Denise Weinberg, a 77 year old woman who finds herself scooped up in the unexpected age reduction of the colony residents which now includes her age group. Instead of embracing her fate, Tereza defiantly says that she has a life left to live, and embarks on ticking off some of the things she has never achieved, one such activity being that of flying.So, thwarting authorities and making friends with the underworld, Tereza sets off on the Amazon, heading down river to find a place that will help her achieve her goal of flying, and maybe a little bit more along the way.The Blue Trail is a lovely ode to living a full life in your older years. Gabriel Mascaro's direction is a supportive and nurturing one, easing the viewer out of any form of tension and inviting an embrace of comfort and tenderness instead. That direction is wonderfully supported by the stunning cinematography from Guillermo Garza whose lens captures the nature of the Amazon with care, and brings a life to the almost desolate riverside shacks that Tereza makes her way in and out of. Paired with this is the soaring score from Memo Guerra, a composition that pulses with techno like sensibility paired with an almost orchestral vibe at times. It's unique, yet wholly appropriate to the film itself.The Blue Trail stands apart from similar films which might have embraced the tone of a thriller or increased the tension by putting Tereza into precarious situations that she can't get herself out of. It's then a relief to experience The Blue Trail and see that Tereza is a fully rounded person, she might be older than her counterparts on screen, but she's competent and knows how to handle herself. Gabriel clearly cares for her, and in the process of that, he knows that by showing her support and tenderness, he's also inviting audiences to reconsider our relationships with elderly folks.That's one of the discussion points, amongst many, that Gabriel talks on in the following interview, recorded ahead of The Blue Trail's screenings at Perth Festival.

If there's one filmmaker who has left a mark more than any other on my life, it's been Kelly Reichardt. Through her work, I've gleaned an understanding of what American life through the ages is like. From the pioneer days captured with a desolate despair in Meek's Cutoff, to the heart shattering singularity of Wendy and Lucy, to the manner that taste and fortune appear in opportunistic ways in First Cow, and now, with her latest film The Mastermind, we see a nation at another nexus point, pushed by the Vietnam War and a changing society to be something different, something possibly more equal.The Mastermind is a bit of a heist film, but it's a heist film in the way that First Cow was a heist film, meaning, the nature of the heist is almost perfunctory in that while it's the instigating action for the film, it's the outcomes of the heist that throws Josh O'Connor's James Blaine Mooney life into disarray. Not that his life wasn't in some level of disarray with the feckless out of work father mooching off his parents, all the while his loving wife Terri (another great turn from Alana Haim) has to look after their kids while also working a full time job.James comes up with the idea to steal four abstract paintings from the local art gallery. What he intends to do with the paintings once he has them, we never find out. But it's also quite likely he has no idea too. Josh O'Connor is easy to watch here, so captivating as someone who thinks he's smarter than he is, but really just needs to be nudged along to make something of his life.Yet, for me, he's not the interesting part of The Mastermind. Instead, I found Kelly Reichardt's interest in the bystanders of the 1972 Worcester Art Museum robbery to be more fascinating. Kelly has talked in the past about her fascination with people stealing art, but what drew her to this robbery in particular was the schoolgirls who were bystanders and observed it happen. She plants similar girls as observers of James Blaine Mooney's heist, and it's through their brief perspective that we're also invited to see the film from the viewpoint of the women of the story.It's an idea which I asked Kelly about in the following interview, which talks about the viewpoints of The Mastermind, while also discussing how Kelly's films view the changing state of America. We close by talking about the importance of accessible art, and what it means to be able to see art in rural or remote areas.

Emmanuel Courcol's heartwarming and heartbreaking film My Brother's Band, aka En Fanfare or The Marching Band, is a film about Thibaut (Benjamin Lavernhe), a conductor who discovers he has leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant. After discovering that his sister is not his blood related sibling and the he was adopted as a child, Thibaut goes down a path of discovery to find his birth mother, and possible siblings. He discovers he has a brother, Jimmy (Pierre Lottin), a working class man who also has an affinity for music.My Brother's Band invites us to consider just who has access to art, and whether restricting art to those who can afford to engage with it is the right thing at all. It's also about the power of sibling relationships, both from adopted families and from blood relatives. If there's another film from this year that feels aligned to the tone and message that Emmanuel Courcoul is putting forward, it would be Miki Magasiva's Tinā, which also speaks of the power of music and the joy it can bring in the shadow of personal upheaval.I spoke to director Emmanuel Courcoul, with the assistance of interpreter Sally Blackwood, about the making of My Brother's Band, the emotionality of the film, and what he hopes that Australian audiences will get from the film.For those who don't speak French, the first half of this episode includes the interpreted responses from Sally Blackwood, while the second half of the interview includes both Emmanuel's French responses and Sally's interpreted responses.My Brother's Band is in full release across Australia from Boxing Day, with advanced screenings taking place from 12 - 14 December 2025. Check your local cinema for screening details. This is a film that is best seen with a full audience.

Shaun Tan is many things. He's an Academy Award winning animator, he's an artist who has taken the fantastical to suburbia and made both feel real and otherworldly, and he's someone who has poured years into shaping personal stories into profound imagery.  To me, he's more than just those things. He's someone who has translated what it means to live in Perth, what it means to grow up in a version of suburbia that spreads far beyond our horizon, and more importantly, what it means to grow up in a multicultural landscape like Perth, where the history of pearl divers in Broome can linger in the ochre brick homes of Wanneroo, or vacant lots become the home to giant oxen.  This conversation with Shaun sees the artist open up about his work, the relationship with the suburbs, and how these aspects played into facilitating the translation of his acclaimed book Tales from Outer Suburbia into the new ABC animated series, Shaun Tan's Tales from Outer Suburbia. It hits ABC iView on 1 January 2026 and it's quite simply one of the most beautiful, humane, and family oriented animated series I've seen in a while. This is not just a show for kids, it's for people of all ages.

In its current form, Old Habits is part of the ABC Compass series, but as you'll hear in this interview with Alfie Faber, he's working on expanding the short into a feature length documentary. And gosh, what a film it will be if he gets it to a feature length. Old Habits is a delight, utilising the charm and vibrancy of the Sisters to expand upon a hidden part of Australian queer history. Watching Old Habits reminded me of my conversation with Julie Peters about her documentary The Accidental Archivist. In that film, Julie talks about the self-documentation of queer history in Australia and discovering her place in the LGBTIQA+ community. Old Habits acts as an extension of the opening of queer history archives, ensuring that Australian queer history is accessible to future generations. To find out more about the Order of Perpetual Indulgence and its Sydney members, visit UniversalJoy.com.au. After discussing Old Habits, Alfie also talks about his podcast series Sound Perspective, an in depth series featuring interviews with creatives about the role of sound in films. I highly recommend listening to it. Make sure to also check out Final_Final_Locked from the Australian Screen Editors. Watch Old Habits on ABC iView here. Note: This series is only available to Australian residents.Follow Alfie Faber on Instagram here and The Sydney Order of Perpetual Indulgence here.

Andrew interviews filmmaker Kitale Wilson about his short film A Silent Rebellion.Visit thecurb.com.au/subscribe to support this podcast.

In this episode, Andrew interviews Lynette Wallworth about her collaborative documentary Edge of Life. This interview was recorded during the national release of Edge of Life, currently in a limited run in Australian cinemas. Check out your local cinema guide for details, or visit Kismet Movies for additional information on where and how to view the film.the Curb is a reader and listener supported independent publication. To help keep us independent, visit our Subscription page for membership options.

A brilliant circus family’s hidden legacy unfolds as descendants reunite across continents, revealing their Australian Aboriginal ancestry, global stardom, and the extraordinary secrets they kept in order to survive. The greatest entertainment on earth in the 1900s was the circus and its performers were the global superstars. The big top transported children and adults alike into a world where anything was possible.Con Colleano, ‘the wizard on the wire’ defied gravity, while he and his family defied all odds to become a global phenomenon. Through the Colleano family's remarkable home movies, never-before-seen footage, family interviews and archive, their extraordinary story is revealed. Rooted in humble beginnings from the Australian bush, the family outmanoeuvred punitive Australian laws and prejudice to travel the world, concealing their Indigenous heritage and reaching the highest echelons of circus stardom.Con Colleano dazzled fans while also mingling with icons including Charlie Chaplin, at the most exclusive social sets of America and Europe, beguiling even the likes of Hitler and Mussolini.As the filmmaker, Pauline Clague, reveals her connection to the story, she finds Australian Deb Hescott, who uncovers her own secret link to this family. Connecting with Molly, one of the oral history holders of the family, they go on a profound journey of discovery. The Colleano Heart unravels the hidden secrets of their family of circus royalty, revealing them as survivors of Australia’s Hidden Generation of Aboriginal people.The Colleano Heart presents a rich portrait of the family, and the global socio-cultural shifts shaping First Nations lives. The Colleano Heart recently screened at the Adelaide Film Festival, and Nadine Whitney spoke with director Pauline Clague ahead of the films screening about her film.