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Jackie (Jeanie Drynan) is leaving on an Italian ship for Europe. When her friends gather on board for a farewell drink, Noel Oakshot (David Turnbull) tells Will Gardiner (Mark McManus) that he can’t recommend him as writer for a new drama series that he’s getting up in Australia. Will then tells Noel – who has slept the night before with Jackie – what he really thinks of his former friend.
Curator’s notes
Noel’s comeuppance is also a statement of Will’s new-found self confidence in himself as an Australian artist. He has turned a corner and decided his future lies at home. A similar theme can be found in Michael Powell’s film Age of Consent (1969), in which a famous painter returns to Australia to rediscover his inspiration. In both films, the artist who cuts himself off from his own culture ends up dried out or corrupt, like Noel Oakshot. Burstall made a bold statement of his intentions with 2000 Weeks – that an Australian film industry could only be built in Australia, by the people who stayed.
