Miniseries. 10 episodes. Set in a migrant camp in 1952, BORDERTOWN examines 12 months in the lives of the newly arrived residents through a series on love stories. By the end of 1952 the camp closes and the residents must find a home in wider Australia.
Cate Blanchett Plays Bianca, a European woman (who happens to be albino) who is living in a refugee camp in post-World War II Australia.
The struggles and triumphs of a group of immigrants to Australia in the 1950s as they wait in a refugee camp.
Louise fancies Italian merchant Joe (Joe Petruzzi), who is burdened with his simpleminded brother Nino (Mitchell Butel), although that doesn’t stop Joe from finding the time to woo both acting administrator Bev (Linda Cropper), and Adrianna (Melita Jurisic), a Dutch woman who lives with her former professor, Pieter (Norman Kaye). Another Italian, Dante the barber (Petru Gheorghiu), eagerly welcomes his wife only to find that her ardor has cooled over the years, while Hungarian farmer Mihaly (Alex Menglet) forges an uneasy friendship with a young gypsy who reminds him of his estranged son. All take English lessons from Louise’s widowed father Kenneth (Hugo Weaving), the camp cynic. Cate Blanchett appears in episodes six through eight, playing Bianca, an albino from Nino’s past. Stiff-backed Cpl. Bates (Geoff Morrell) and Scottish housekeeper Maeve (Kim Hillas) also figure prominently.
Original title: Bordertown
Year: 1995
Duration: 50 min.
Country: Australia Australia
Director: Ken Cameron, Ian Gilmour
Screenplay: John Alsop, Sue Smith
