Finding Your Way: The Films of Peter Weir

‘I like to make films in which, at least emotionally, you are joining in and completing the picture with me.’
– Peter Weir

Wildly different in scale and genre, the films of Peter Weir are united by more than immaculate craftsmanship. If many are beloved classics, it is because his cinema is attuned to the feelings of characters reckoning with what we all must eventually face: the unknown. Whether warring at sea, encountering unfamiliar cultures, or simply waking to the power of poetry for the first time, Weir’s protagonists are spurred to action by overwhelming emotions. Born in Sydney in 1944, Weir spearheaded the Australian New Wave before thriving in Hollywood, reconciling commercial demands with a bold arthouse sensibility. Profoundly moving yet never sentimental, his films reach a transcendent beauty precisely because they grapple with the darker sides of experience. Screening from prints and new restorations, the films in this retrospective celebrate the timeless work of one of cinema’s most humane auteurs.

Elena Lazic, season curator

With thanks to

Peter and Ingrid Weir.

Season programme

The Cars That Ate Paris

Peter Weir’s debut feature is a mordant black comedy and a gem of Ozploitation cinema.

Picnic at Hanging Rock (Director’s Cut)

Between gentle reverie and chilling mystery, this masterpiece of the Australian New Wave established Peter Weir internationally.

Picnic at Hanging Rock (Director’s Cut) + extended intro by season curator Elena Lazic

Between gentle reverie and chilling mystery, this masterpiece of the Australian New Wave established Peter Weir internationally.

The Last Wave

Striking imagery and a dreamlike atmosphere define this poetic reckoning with Australian history.

The Last Wave + intro by producer Jeremy Thomas

Striking imagery and a dreamlike atmosphere define this poetic reckoning with Australian history.

The Plumber

Originally made for television before being released in cinemas, this biting and unpredictable social satire keeps viewers guessing to the end.

The Plumber + discussion about Peter Weir as an Australian director, with academic Dr Stephen Morgan and film critic Tim Robey, hosted by season curator Elena Lazic

Originally made for television before being released in cinemas, this biting and unpredictable social satire keeps viewers guessing to the end.

Gallipoli

Both a devastating war film and stirring coming-of-age story, this rarely screened epic was the most expensive Australian film ever made.

Gallipoli + intro by Dr Stephen Morgan, King’s College London

Both a devastating war film and stirring coming-of-age story, this rarely screened epic was the most expensive Australian film ever made.

The Year of Living Dangerously

Welding a searing critique of Western imperialism with a furious tale of love and desire, this lush adaptation is simply breathtaking.

Witness

Set within the quiet life of an Amish community, this unique crime film finds power in the most fundamental acts of care as it builds towards a nail-biting finale.

Witness + intro by season curator Elena Lazic

Set within the quiet life of an Amish community, this unique crime film finds power in the most fundamental acts of care as it builds towards a nail-biting finale.

The Mosquito Coast

River Phoenix is heartbreaking as the son of Harrison Ford’s stubborn genius in this timeless tale of hubris and community.

Dead Poets Society

A modern classic, this moving yet life-affirming ode to the gift of self-expression has lost none of its power.

Green Card

Peter Weir’s most gentle film is a delightful romcom that refines the definition of ‘opposites attract’.

Fearless + recorded intro by actor Jeff Bridges

Rosie Perez was deservedly Oscar-nominated for her turn, opposite Jeff Bridges, in Peter Weir’s deeply affecting existential drama, which grapples with trauma following a disaster.

The Truman Show

Peter Weir offers a piercing portrait of a media-saturated society and highlights the touching humanity that stands in stark contrast to it.

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

Big screen entertainment at its most enjoyable, this gripping, frequently witty and ultimately touching film is a masterpiece of maritime adventure.

The Way Back

An epic tale of endurance, Peter Weir’s most recent film is an absorbing reflection on one man’s control over his own fate.

IMAX

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World + Q&A