This review is part of Blitz’s continued coverage of the 71st Sydney Film Festival, 5-16 June. Read the rest of our reviews here.   

Head South is a wonderful coming-of-age indie film, about love, loss, and becoming, set to the backdrop of the punk scene of 70’s Christchurch.
Before the screening, we were lucky enough to get a few words from the writer and director, in which he urged movie-goers to come out and support local projects in cinemas, and fight against the tide of American cultural domination in film through Hollywood, Netflix and A24. The true punk spirit indeed, and a fitting message to start off any movie at the Sydney Film Festival.   

Thus begins, the largely autobiographical story of Head South,  following teenager Angus as he discovers the world of punk music in his own hometown.
Angus is an awkward teenager, struggling to find his place in the world living under a caring dad who has his own problems in his life, and an absentee mother, he tries to find himself in the cool suave world of punk.

A run-in with the owner of 'Middle Earth Records' and a little white lie forces him to quickly assemble a band to open for another Christchurch group, whose lead singer he both fears and admires.

via Sydney Film Festival

The cast of characters are lovely. There are the intimidating older kids who Angus sees as role models who maintain a mystery throughout the beginning of the film, but as Angus later learns, are fallible in their own ways. They exist alongside Angus and his friends who are trying to come of age in a small town against their own fears and insecurities. The contrast between these two groups of 'cool' adults and teenagers in the punk scene and how they often butt heads and struggle to co-exist showcases the struggle of any teenager to make their space in the world. 

Exploring a larger concept through the focused lens of the Christchurch punk scene, this narrative follows a group of kids as they start their own band and strive to find their place in the world. Your heart goes out to them as they stand up to others, navigate their relationships with family and themselves, and take the stage for their first performance. The world is big and scary, and these kids are fighting to carve out their own space in it. You can't help but cheer as Angus and Kirsten get up on stage for the very first time, determined to make their mark in the punk scene.

via Sydney Film Festival

The music, sound design and production of this film is also absolutely amazing. It’s clear that the production department has put a lot of work and love into recreating the 70s for the film, from the cars to the pharmacy shelves, to the consistent beige of it all. Leaving the screening you’ll be surprised to reach into your pocket and pull out an iPhone instead of a cassette player. This love of production design is only matched by the work put into the music of this film. With a wonderful soundtrack, each song is perfectly selected and edited to fit each scene. For a film about punk music the love for punk is clear in every song selection.   

The ending will leave you teary and sharply points out the exact time of the end of coming of age for young Angus. It’s clear that for Ogilive, this is a very personal work and looking back on the film, you can see how each scene builds up to this important point in Oglivie’s own life and reframes the movie wonderfully.  

Inayat Juno Mander is a third-year student studying English and Film (BA). She loves esoteric and odd media and watching insane concepts come to life in art. When not writing, you can find her watching YouTube Video essays or falling down yet another internet rabbit hole.  

You can find her @uknow_juno26 to talk about Head South, alt culture, movies or anything else.