Get rooted

It received a standing ovation when it closed the Cannes Film Festival earlier in the year and now a critically-acclaimed French film shot in southeast Queensland is about to sprout in cinemas.

Writer/director Julie Bertucelli used a combination French and Australian crew on the production, including renowned French actress Charlotte Gainsbourg (above) and Aussie rising star Tom Russell. It follows the story of an eight-year-old girl who is struggling to deal with the sudden death of her father. She soon becomes convinced that her father is speaking to her through the leaves of her favourite tree and he has come back to protect her family.

Bertucelli said although the story deals with death, it shows how grief can transport people to new places beyond their sadness.
"I think it is very interesting to see how when there are terrible things happening around you, you don't just have to be sad but that it is possible to take that and invent something else. . .to create something with that sadness, to try to be an artist with it,'' she said.

The film has been praised for its breathtaking cinematography and powerful performances, but the real stars are the towering Morton Bay Fig and Boonah country side. The Tree is released in cinemas on Thursday, September 30.