A behind the scenes look at the lead up to the staging of “Time Travelling Trio” a John Farnham time travelling musical and four of the students involved in it. Every two years, the Sunbury and Macedon Ranges Specialist School’s Bullengarook campus puts on a play. Halle wants to honour her late aunt by singing her favourite song, Josh enjoys the challenge and Elyse is just happy to be involved. Chelsea is most pleased to be involved as she wants to show everyone how funny she is.

Each of the students has their own challenges in life and has come to the school as they feel accepted there and are supported. They do not shy away from showing how their lives actually are such as Chelsea fainting when she gets stressed even though it is confronting.

I guess this is in the same vein as Love on the Spectrum but it does not really feel as forced or as constructed a narrative as that show as the students get to tell their own stories as do the people around them.

Unfortunately I had to run out at the end of the screening and missed the Q&A as some of the students and families involved with the production were at the screening. If I had known that I would not have booked anything else for that day. It certainly was not in the programme.

I would recommend this one if you have an interest in disability rights and seeing stories about young people. It did remind me of the Sweethearts documentary somewhat but it was different in that they were only doing the one performance and not the gigs the band was.

There were several screenings in the regional and schools program during the film festival and it seems like it is going to get screened on the ABC eventually so hopefully lots of people get to see it.

Film details:

Director: Thomas Charles Hyland

Key Cast: Darcy Nolan, Lori Nichols, Tony Rains

Director: Thomas Charles Hyland

Producers: Catherine Bradbury, Jim Wright, Josie Mason Campbell

Premiere Status: World Premiere

Origin: Australia (2023)

Australian Films, Documentaries, MIFF Schools | Feature

Language: English

Trailer: