| Incident at Raven's Gate | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Rolf de Heer |
| Screenplay by |
|
| Based on | an original screenplay by James Michael Vernon |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | Steven Vidler |
| Cinematography | Richard Michalak |
| Edited by | Suresh Ayyar |
| Music by |
|
Production companies |
|
| Distributed by | Filmpac Holdings |
Release date |
|
Running time | 94 minutes |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Budget | AU$2.5 million[1] |
Incident at Raven's Gate (also released asEncounter at Raven's Gate) is a 1988science fictionarthousefeature film directed by prominentAustralian directorRolf de Heer.
The cast ofIncident at Raven's Gate includes long-term Australian stage and screen actorMax Cullen as a policeman andTerry Camilleri as anastrophysicist attached toSpecial Branch, investigating unexplained radar signals in a remoteSouth Australian country town.
At Raven's Gate, a farming property, enthusiastichydroponicist Richard Cleary (Ritchie Singer) is trying innovative farming practices. He is also trying to accommodate his brother Eddie (Steven Vidler), newly out of jail and more interested in Richard's wife Rachel (Celine Griffin)[a] than in working on the property.
Strange events on the property and a minor crime in the town attract policeman Taylor (Max Cullen) and Special Branch investigator Cummings (Terry Camilleri). Eddie has the misfortune to cross local cop Skinner (Vincent Gil), for dating the target of his affections, barmaid Annie (Saturday Rosenberg).
Tensions in personal relationships and mysterious events (bird kills, disappearing water supplies) build. Raven's Gate is assaulted by an alien force, and a number of deaths occur amongst the protagonists.[2][3] The film closes with the stunned survivors Eddie and Rachel standing outside Raven's Gate homestead, newly restored by Special Branch, and the soundtrack playing theEasybeats' song "Friday on My Mind".
Incident at Raven's Gate is a genre-crossing film: part thriller, part science fiction, and part psychological drama.[2] It was shot on location[1] and made inSouth Australia, withSouth Australian Film Corporation support, for a budget ofA$2.5 million.[2] The filmmakers say only $1.1 million was spent on the actual film, and the rest were fees for executive producers, writers and producers.[1]
It was co-produced by de Heer andMarc Rosenberg, who wrote the script from a screenplay by James Michael Vernon.[2] It was filmed in South Australia'sRiverland andMurraylands, andCarrington, New South Wales.
The movie achieved only limited release and did not receive the critical acclaim of many other de Heer films.[2] It nevertheless managed three nominations at the 1988Australian Film Institute Awards.[4]