# Burning Man (film)

Burning Man is a 2011 Australian drama film written and directed by Jonathan Teplitzky.

## Plot

Burning Man tells the story of Tom (Matthew Goode), a British chef in a Bondi restaurant, who seems to have chosen to disobey his boss, and his actions are tolerated by everyone around him. As Tom descends into darkness from a car crash in his Volkswagen, pieces of a different story start to emerge. Every woman around him tries, in different ways, to help Tom put himself back together.

## Cast

* Matthew Goode as Tom
* Bojana Novakovic as Sarah
* Essie Davis as Karen
* Rachel Griffiths as Miriam
* Kerry Fox as Sally
* Anthony Hayes as Brian
* Jack Heanly as Oscar
* Kate Beahan as Lesley
* Gia Carides as Carol
* Marta Dusseldorp as Lisa
* Robyn Malcolm as Kathryn
* Garry McDonald as Dr Burgess

## Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 74%.
Fiona Williams of SBS awarded the film four stars out of five, observing that the film is an "experiential kaleidoscope of sex, love, and the numbing nihilism that accompanies a traumatic event." She also notes that "Burning Man manages to bring energy, originality and depth to a storyline that is itself something of a trope: ‘The Cancer Film’."

## Accolades

| Award | Category | Subject | Result |
| AACTA Award (2nd) | Best Film | Andy Paterson | Nominated |
| AACTA Award (2nd) | Best Film | Jonathan Teplitzky | Nominated |
| AACTA Award (2nd) | Best Direction | Jonathan Teplitzky | Nominated |
| AACTA Award (2nd) | Best Original Screenplay | Jonathan Teplitzky | Nominated |
| AACTA Award (2nd) | Best Actor | Matthew Goode | Nominated |
| AACTA Award (2nd) | Best Supporting Actress | Essie Davis | Nominated |
| AACTA Award (2nd) | Best Cinematography | Garry Phillips | Nominated |
| AACTA Award (2nd) | Best Editing | Martin Connor | Nominated |
| AACTA Award (2nd) | Best Sound | David Lee | Nominated |
| AACTA Award (2nd) | Best Sound | Gethin Creagh | Nominated |
| AACTA Award (2nd) | Best Sound | Andrew Plain | Nominated |
| AACTA Award (2nd) | Best Production Design | Steven Jones-Evans | Nominated |
| AACTA Award (2nd) | Best Costume Design | Lizzy Gardiner | Nominated |
| Australian Film Critics Association Awards | Best Actor | Matthew Goode | Nominated |
| Australian Film Critics Association Awards | Best Editing | Martin Connor | Won |
| ASE Award | Best Editing in a Feature Film | Martin Connor | Won |
| Australian Screen Sound Guild Award | Best Sound Mixing | David Lee | Nominated |
| Australian Screen Sound Guild Award | Best Sound Mixing | Gethin Creagh | Nominated |
| Australian Screen Sound Guild Award | Best Sound Mixing | Andrew Plain | Nominated |
| AWGIE Award | Feature Film - Original | Jonathan Teplitzky | Won |
| Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards | Best Film | Andy Paterson | Nominated |
| Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards | Best Film | Jonathan Teplitzky | Nominated |
| Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards | Best Director | Jonathan Teplitzky | Nominated |
| Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards | Best Screenplay | Jonathan Teplitzky | Nominated |
| Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards | Best Actor | Matthew Goode | Nominated |
| Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards | Best Actress | Bojana Novakovic | Nominated |
| Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Essie Davis | Nominated |
| Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards | Best Young Actor | Jack Heanly | Nominated |
| Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards | Best Cinematography | Garry Phillips | Nominated |
| Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards | Best Editor | Martin Connor | Won |
| Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards | Best Music Score | Lisa Gerrard | Won |
| Australian Screen Music Award | Feature Film Score of the Year | Lisa Gerrard | Won |