Storm Boy

Storm Boy is a 1976 Australian film based on a children's book, by Colin Thiele, about a boy and his pelican.
==Plot==
Storm Boy (Greg Rowe) likes to wander alone along the fierce deserted coast of South Australia's Coorong, near the mouth of the Murray River. He and his father live a reclusive life among the dunes that face out into the Southern Ocean. After a pelican's mother is shot, Storm Boy rescues three chicks; he names them Mr Proud, Mr Ponder and Mr Percival, and nurses them back to health. His father, known to some as 'Hideaway Tom,' forces Storm Boy to release the birds, but Mr Percival returns. The boy and the pelican form a special bond. Mr Percival is shot by hunters and dies. The story also looks at the conflict between Storm Boy's lifestyle and the externally imposed requirement for him to attend school.
Storm Boy's real name in the film is Mike—the moniker "Storm Boy" was given to him by Fingerbone Bill (David Gulpilil), an Aboriginal man who becomes his friend.
==Cast==
*Greg Rowe as Storm Boy
*Peter Cummins as Hideaway Tom
*David Gulpilil as Fingerbone Bill
*Judy Dick as Miss Walker
*Tony Allison as ranger 1
*Michael Moody as boat master
*Graham Dow as Edwards
*Eric Mack as Jones
*Frank Foster-Brown as Lynch
*Michael Caulfield as hunter 1
*Graeme Duke as hunter 2
*Mr Percival as The pelican
*Paul Smith 
*Hedley Cullen
*Jim Harding
==Production==
Colin Thiele had little involvement in the scripting of the film. His only requirement was that his novel was not turned into a sex comedy.Paul Davies, "Sonia Borg", Cinema Papers, Oct-Nov 1978 p109-111, 162
The budget came from the South Australian Film Corporation, the Australian Film Commission and the Seven television network. Shooting began in May 1976, with exteriors shot near Goolwa and interiors in the SAFC's studio at Norwood. Eleven-year-old Greg Rowe was an untrained actor, selected over 70 other applicants. Three pelicans played the lead pelican.
In 2009 the pelican, Mr Percival died at Royal Adelaide Zoo. He was 33 years old.
==Reception==
===Awards===
It was a popular children's film both in Australia and Britain and won a medal at the Moscow Film Festival in 1977 for best children's film.
Award 	Category 	Subject 	Result
AACTA Awards(1976 AFI Awards)	Best Film 	Matt Carroll 	
AACTA Awards(1976 AFI Awards)	Best Direction 	Henri Safran 	
AACTA Awards(1976 AFI Awards)	Best Screenplay, Original or Adapted 	Sonia Borg 	
AACTA Awards(1976 AFI Awards)	Best Screenplay, Original or Adapted 	Sidney Stebel 	
AACTA Awards(1976 AFI Awards)	Best Actor 	David Gulpilil	
AACTA Awards(1976 AFI Awards)	Best Sound 	Bob Cogger 	
AACTA Awards(1976 AFI Awards)	Best Production Design 	David Copping 	
AACTA Awards(1976 AFI Awards)	Best Costume Design 	Helen Evans 	
ACS Award 	Cinematographer of the Year 	Geoff Burton 	
AWGIE Award 	Best Writing in a Feature Film - Adapted	Sonia Borg 	
AWGIE Award 	Best Writing in a Feature Film - Adapted	Sidney Stebel 	
===Box Office===
Storm Boy was a hit, grossing $2,645,000 at the box office in Australia,Film Victoria – Australian Films at the Australian Box Office which is equivalent to $13,674,650
in 2009 dollars. The same team later reunited on Blue Fin (1978).
==References==
==External links==
*
*Storm Boy at the National Film and Sound Archive
*Storm Boy at Oz Movies
*Murdoch University reading Room
*Australian Film Commission
*Oz Reading School Activities for Senior
*Storm Boy at Australian Screen Online
*Storm Boy at Box Office Prophets
*Storm Boy at film.org.au: the best of Australian Films
Category:1976 films
Category:1970s drama films
Category:Australian films
Category:Australian children's films
Category:Australian drama films
Category:Children's drama films
Category:English-language films
Category:Films based on Australian novels
Category:Films based on children's books
Category:Films directed by Henri Safran
Category:Films set in South Australia
Category:Films shot in Adelaide
Category:Storm Boy films