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"A lush and bruising coming-of-age story." – Screen Daily

Fathers, sons and fireworks sit at the centre of The Rocket, the tale of a seemingly cursed Laotian youngster beset by misfortune at every turn. Only his sheer determination in the face of danger can light the path to a new life, as he endeavours to save his family by figuratively and literally shooting for the sky – with the help of a James Brown impersonator.

One of the few films set and shot in war-ravaged Laos, The Rocket transcends the bounds of outcast-to-saviour tropes in a moving and memorable debut feature from Australian documentarian Kim Mordaunt.

Winner of three awards – Best First Feature, the Amnesty International Film Prize and the Crystal Bear for Best Film in the Generation Kplus program – at the Berlin International Film Festival.

Kim Mordaunt is a guest of the festival.

D/S Kim Mordaunt P Sylvia Wilczynski Dist Curious Film L Lao w/English subtitles TD 35mm/2013