Jasper Jones opened in Australian cinemas on 2 March with movie-goers showing strong support for the Western Australian film, joining other Aussie box office smash Lion, in the top five its first two weekends.  

Director Rachel Perkins (Bran Nue Dae, Radiance), co-stars Hugo Weaving (The Matrix, The Dressmaker, The Hobbit) and Levi Miller (Pan, Red Dog: True Blue) and Western Australian author of the best-selling novel Craig Silvey talk about transforming the Western Australian town of Pemberton into fictional “Corrigan,” and the warm community support they received in the state’s South West in this special behind-the-scenes video clip.

During filming, co-star Toni Collette (The Sixth Sense, Little Miss Sunshine, Muriel’s Wedding) said  “Pemberton could not be a better backdrop, it’s ideal. I don’t know how you guys found it, it’s just perfect. And everybody has been so supportive and so open and so excited about the fact that a film crew is here. We’re blown away to have the experience of telling this story but to be in this beautiful, natural, totally removed place and to have the experience together has been amazing.”

Based on Silvey’s novel, Jasper Jones is a riveting and moving coming of age story, set in the summer of 1969, about Charlie Bucktin, a bookish boy of 14 living in a small town. One night, local mixed-race outcast Jasper Jones appears at Charlie’s window and the pair embark on a journey to solve a mystery that will consume the entire community.

Since the novel was published in 2009 the story has been regarded as the Australian To Kill a Mockingbird with the themes of racism, class, death, justice, and coming of age.

Critics are having an overwhelmingly positive response with The Guardian calling it “a charming, genre-traversing film. It’s compelling as a whodunnit, touching as a coming-of-age story, insightful as a picture of race relations and crafty as a drama about secrets, concealing a few of its own for a final, satisfying reveal.”

The film has a strong appeal to both teenage and adult audiences. The theatrical release was the culmination of a month-long Australia-wide Q&A tour with key cast and creatives which included three free community screenings in Pemberton.

The production was reunited with the numerous locals who supported the film as support teams, extras and by opening up their homes and businesses.

Pemberton, already a popular tourist destination, will undoubtedly gain more attention with the success of Jasper Jones. Australia’s South West has released a brochure so visitors can walk in the footsteps of Charlie and Jasper and learn more about what it was like to have such high calibre film stars in their modest mill town.

The film’s stellar cast also includes Angourie Rice (These Final Hours, The Nice Guys), Dan Wyllie (Offspring, Muriel’s Wedding), Matt Nable (Riddick, Son of a Gun) and Aaron McGrath (GLITCH).  It was produced by Vincent Sheehan (Animal Kingdom, Little Fish) and David Jowsey (Goldstone, Mystery Road).

Jasper Jones was produced with the assistance of Screenwest and Lotterywest.

Watch the Jasper Jones trailer

For comprehensive information on filming in the WA including the Western Australian Regional Film Fund please visit www.filminwesternaustralia.com

Image caption: Toni Collette (RUTH BUCKTIN), Levi Miller (CHARLIE BUCKTIN) and Dan Wyllie (WES BUCKTIN) in Jasper Jones Photographer: David Dare Parker © Bucktin Productions Pty Ltd.