Riot (2018 film)

Riot is an Australian drama television film that aired on ABC and ABC iview on February 25, 2018. The film is directed by Jeffrey Walker from a screenplay by Greg Waters and a story by Carrie Anderson. It stars Damon Herriman, Kate Box, Xavier Samuel, Jessica De Gouw, and Josh Quong Tart. It takes a look at the 1970s LGBT rights movement in Australia through the eyes of dedicated activist Lance Gowland.

The film marked the 40th anniversary of the birth of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. It was met with positive reviews, and won four AACTA Awards, including Best Telefeature or Miniseries, from eleven nominations. It was tied with Mystery Road as the most-nominated television program of that year's ceremony.

Synopsis
In 1978, when the push to decriminalise homosexuality has stalled, a group of activists decide they must make one final attempt to celebrate who they are. Led by former union boss Lance Gowland, they get a police permit and spread the word. On a freezing winter's night, they cloak themselves in fancy dress, join hands, and parade down Oxford Street. But they have no idea that angry police lie in wait, and the courage they find that night will finally mobilise the nation.

Cast

 * Damon Herriman as Lance Gowland
 * Kate Box as Marg McMann
 * Xavier Samuel as Jim Walker
 * Jessica De Gouw as Robyn Plaister
 * Josh Quong Tart as Ron Austin
 * Luke Mullins as Peter De Waal
 * Eden Falk as Peter Bonsall-Boone
 * Will McDonald as Jeremy
 * Christian Byers as Murph
 * Hanna Mangan-Lawrence as Gabrielle Antolovich
 * Fern Sutherland as Sue Willis
 * Max Cullen as Gerry Gowland
 * Susan Prior as Norma Gowland
 * Andrew McFarlane as Neville Wran
 * Rob Carlton as Jack Mundey
 * Heather Mitchell as Joan / Checkerboard Interviewer
 * Jonny Hawkins as Ken
 * Patrick Jhanur as Sweetpea
 * Luke Fewster as Greg
 * Mark Owen-Taylor as Rector
 * Kate Cheel as Jenny
 * Benedict Hardie as Hugh
 * Pip Miller as Mr. Meagher
 * George H. Xanthis as Constable Agostini
 * Christopher Truswell as Constable Bennett
 * Gerard Carroll as Constable Davidson
 * Steve Le Marquand as Sergeant Evans
 * Elliott Weston as Inspector Chambers
 * Dominic McDonald as Constable Fraser
 * Ashley Lyons as Keith
 * Andrew Ryan as Shane
 * Verushka Darling as Helen Back

Production
Principal photography took place in and around Sydney, New South Wales. The film was shot in twenty days.

A great deal of discussion in pre-production regarding the visual style of Riot specifically focused on the huge nighttime scenes in Kings Cross, New South Wales. During production, the riot began at Kings Cross before seamlessly moving to mocked-up store fronts filmed at Fox Studios in Moore Park.

Critical response
The film received positive reviews from critics, with particular praise for the performances of the cast, most notably those of Herriman and Box. Luke Buckmaster of the Daily Review gave it three-and-a-half stars out of five and wrote that "moments in Riot are refreshing, purely because they are oriented around voices rarely given narrative priority in mainstream entertainment."