Blacktown

Love can be difficult at the best of times, and the remarkable Blacktown is a disarmingly honest tale of love-against-the-odds. Office secretary Nikki (Nikki Owen) is disillusioned with her fraught, ‘sometime’ relationship with her married boyfriend, Peter. Emotionally scarred by the dysfunctional relationship, she all but gives up on the possibility of finding anything more meaningful. But in the wake of a torturous and disturbing blind date, Nikki meets Tony (Tony Ryan), a “black fella on a white bus”. Despite their obvious differences and Nikki’s disillusionment, the charismatic Tony shows Nikki that there is indeed room for love and romance in the desperate world of Blacktown. (Madman Entertainment)

Directed by Kriv Stenders, Blacktown leans on a strong ensemble — Niki Owen, Tony Ryan, Clayton Jacobson — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2005.