Birdeater Directors Jack Clark and Jim Weir Talk About Modern Masculinity and the Legacy of Wake in Fright in This Interview

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On this episode, Andrew talks with the filmmakers behind one of the most anxiety provoking films of the year: Birdeater. Jack Clark and Jim Weir are co-directors, with Jack writing the script for this story about a bachelor party that takes horrifying and wild turns.

Part thriller, part character piece, always intense, Birdeater is a film that owes its existence to the legacy of the classic Aussie film: Wake in Fright. In the following discussion, Jack and Jim talk about the influence of Wake in Fright on their film, while also touching on their desire to explore modern masculinity. The pair also talk about the troubles they faced in making the film, and the genuine possibility that they might not have been able to finish production on it.

There’s a truly unsettling nature to Birdeater, yet it’s delivered in a masterfully captivating manner.

Birdeater screens at the Melbourne International Film Festival on August 12, 14, and 16, before heading to Cinefest Oz on Saturday 2 September.

Andrew F Peirce

Andrew is passionate about Australian film and culture. He is the co-chair of the Australian Film Critics Association, a Golden Globes voter, and the author of two books on Australian film, The Australian Film Yearbook - 2021 Edition, and Lonely Spirits and the King. You can find him online trying to enlist people into the cult of Mac and Me.

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