Oranges and Sunshine

Oranges and Sunshine is a 2010 biographical drama film directed by Jim Loach, in his directorial debut, with a screenplay by Rona Munro, based on the 1994 book Empty Cradles by Margaret Humphreys. The film stars Emily Watson, Hugo Weaving and David Wenham.

Plot The film is based on the true story of Margaret Humphreys, a social worker from Nottingham who uncovered the scandal of "home children", a scheme of forcibly relocating poor children from the United Kingdom to Australia and Canada.

Deported children were promised "oranges and sunshine" but they instead got hard labour and life in institutions such as Keaney College in Bindoon, Western Australia. Many suffered physical and sexual abuse at the hands of the Congregation of Christian Brothers.

Despite the numerous death threats from those who try to stop her, Margaret is successful in reuniting estranged families, who are situated in Australia and the UK, and brings worldwide attention to the cause.

Cast

Emily Watson as Margaret Humphreys Hugo Weaving as Jack David Wenham as Len Richard Dillane as Merv Humphreys Tara Morice as Pauline Stuart Wolfenden as Bill Kate Rutter as Vera Lorraine Ashbourne as Nicky Federay Holmes as Charlotte Helen Grayson as Bureaucrat Ruth Rickman as Orphan Harvey Scrimshaw as Ben Molly Windsor as Rachel Neil Pigot as James Tammy Wakefield as Susan Adam Morgan as the Intruder Neil May as the Commuter Adam Tedder as the Doctor Mandahla Rose as nurse Greg Stone as Bob Aisling Loftus as Susie Geoff Morrell as Walter Russell Dykstra as Dan Chandran Owen as Pointing man in the street

Production Filming Filming took place in Adelaide, South Australia, in Nottingham, and at Wirksworth in Derbyshire. Some interior scenes were filmed at the University of Leicester, Leicestershire, in Nottingham County Hall and in the porte-cochère of Nottingham railway station. Other locations that appear are a train on the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway; Australia House in London and an overview of Nottingham Council House and the Old Market Square.

A casting session was held in Nottingham to find one boy and one girl for the roles of Margaret's children.

Reception Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 71% based on reviews from 73 critics, indicating generally positive reception. The website's critics consensus reads, "Grounded in a heartwrenching fact-based story, steered by Loach's sensitive direction, and led by a powerful performance from Watson, Oranges and Sunshine sidesteps its pacing problems and occasionally clichéd screenplay." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 60 out of 100, based on 17 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.

Acclaimed film critic Roger Ebert awarded the film 3 out of 4 stars and quote, "a quietly stubborn force of nature, who persists."

Accolades Award Category Subject ResultAACTA Award(1st)AFI Members' Choice AwardCamilla Bray, Iain Canning, Emile ShermanBest FilmBest ActorDavid WenhamBest ActressEmily WatsonBest Supporting ActorHugo WeavingBest EditingDany CooperBest Costume DesignCappi IrelandAFCA AwardsBest Australian FilmBest ActorDavid WenhamHugo WeavingBest ActressEmily WatsonASE AwardBest Editing in a Feature FilmDany CooperASSG AwardBest Achievement in Mixing in a Feature FilmGethin CreaghSam HaywardFCCA AwardsBest FilmCamilla Bray, Iain Canning, Emile ShermanBest ActorDavid WenhamBest ActressEmily WatsonBest Supporting ActorHugo WeavingInside Film AwardsBest Feature FilmCamilla Bray, Iain Canning, Jim Loach, Emile ShermanBest ScriptRona MunroBest ActorDavid WenhamBest ActressEmily WatsonBest EditingDany CooperBest MusicLisa GerrardBest SoundGethin CreaghJames CurrieJohn HughesAndrew PlainBest Production DesignMelinda Doring Rome Film FestivalGolden Marc'Aurelio AwardJim LoachSatellite AwardBest ActressEmily WatsonBest Supporting ActorHugo Weaving

Oranges and Sunshine

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