Riot is an Australian drama television film that aired on ABC and ABC iview on February 25, 2018. The film is directed by Jeffrey Walker from a screenplay by Greg Waters and a story by Carrie Anderson. It stars Damon Herriman, Kate Box, Xavier Samuel, Jessica De Gouw, and Josh Quong Tart. It takes a look at the 1970s LGBT rights movement in Australia through the eyes of dedicated activist Lance Gowland.
The film marked the 40th anniversary of the birth of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. It was met with positive reviews, and won four AACTA Awards, including Best Telefeature or Miniseries, from eleven nominations. It was tied with Mystery Road as the most-nominated television program of that year's ceremony.
Synopsis
In 1978, when the push to decriminalise homosexuality has stalled, a group of activists decide they must make one final attempt to celebrate who they are. Led by former union boss Lance Gowland, they get a police permit and spread the word. On a freezing winter's night, they cloak themselves in fancy dress, join hands, and parade down Oxford Street. But they have no idea that angry police lie in wait, and the courage they find that night will finally mobilise the nation.
Cast
Damon Herriman as Lance Gowland
Kate Box as Marg McMann
Xavier Samuel as Jim Walker
Jessica De Gouw as Robyn Plaister
Josh Quong Tart as Ron Austin
Luke Mullins as Peter De Waal
Eden Falk as Peter Bonsall-Boone
Will McDonald as Jeremy
Christian Byers as Murph
Hanna Mangan-Lawrence as Gabrielle Antolovich
Fern Sutherland as Sue Willis
Max Cullen as Gerry Gowland
Susan Prior as Norma Gowland
Andrew McFarlane as Neville Wran
Rob Carlton as Jack Mundey
Heather Mitchell as Joan / Checkerboard Interviewer
Jonny Hawkins as Ken
Patrick Jhanur as Sweetpea
Luke Fewster as Greg
Mark Owen-Taylor as Rector
Kate Cheel as Jenny
Benedict Hardie as Hugh
Pip Miller as Mr. Meagher
George H. Xanthis as Constable Agostini
Christopher Truswell as Constable Bennett
Gerard Carroll as Constable Davidson
Steve Le Marquand as Sergeant Evans
Elliott Weston as Inspector Chambers
Dominic McDonald as Constable Fraser
Ashley Lyons as Keith
Andrew Ryan as Shane
Verushka Darling as Helen Back
Production
Principal photography took place in and around Sydney, New South Wales. The film was shot in twenty days.
A great deal of discussion in pre-production regarding the visual style of Riot specifically focused on the huge nighttime scenes in Kings Cross, New South Wales. During production, the riot began at Kings Cross before seamlessly moving to mocked-up store fronts filmed at Fox Studios in Moore Park.
Reception
Critical response
The film received positive reviews from critics, with particular praise for the performances of the cast, most notably those of Herriman and Box. Luke Buckmaster of the Daily Review gave it three-and-a-half stars out of five and wrote that "moments in Riot are refreshing, purely because they are oriented around voices rarely given narrative priority in mainstream entertainment."