| A Boy Called Sailboat | |
| Director: | Cameron Nugent |
| Producer: | Andrew Curry Richard Gray Nelson Khoury Cameron Nugent |
| Starring: | Lew Temple Elizabeth De Razzo Noel Gugliemi Jake Busey J. K. Simmons |
| Music: | Leonard Grigoryan Slava Grigoryan |
| Cinematography: | John Garrett |
| Editing: | Cameron Nugent |
| Studio: | Yellow Brick Films Sailboat Productions iCandy Productions |
| Distributor: | ITN Distribution |
| Runtime: | 92 minutes |
| Country: | United States Australia |
| Language: | English Spanish |
A Boy Called Sailboat is a 2018 American-Australian comedy-drama film written and directed by Cameron Nugent and starring Julian Atocani Sanchez, Noel Gugliemi, Elizabeth De Razzo, Jake Busey, and J. K. Simmons.
The film revolves around a poor Hispanic family with a son named Sailboat. Sailboat's friend, Peeti, is obsessed with soccer, but has a disability that prevents him from playing the game. Sailboat finds a "little guitar" (actually a ukelele) in a pile of junk. He learns how to play it, and eventually creates and plays a song for his sick grandmother, who is in hospital.
The film is written, directed, edited, and co-produced by Cameron Nugent. It is his debut feature film as director. The script was drafted over many years, and originally set in Melbourne, Australia, but later transposed to a desert town in New Mexico. It was produced in Silver City, New Mexico. One of the co-producers was Cameron's business partner Andrew Curry, whose family in Melbourne are much involved with the Australian film industry. Andrew's brother, Bernard Curry, plays many bit parts.[1]
Cinematography is by John Garrett.[1]
Other producers are Richard Gray and Nelson Khoury.[2]
The Premiere Entertainment Group, based in Los Angeles, has worldwide rights to the film.[3]
The film was classified PG (Parental Guidance recommended) in Australia.[2]
On Rotten Tomatoes the film has rating of 77%, based on 13 reviews.[4]
It received generally positive reviews from critics.[5] The Sydney Morning Herald called it a "delightfully original family film".[6]
One reviewer likened the film's technique to that of Wes Anderson, in its "hyper-stylized, whimsical settings and symmetrical staging".[7] Another thought the cinematography reminiscent of Wim Wenders' 1984 film Paris Texas.[1]
A Boy Named Sailboat was nominated for the AACTA Award for Best Indie Film in the 10th AACTA Awards in 2020.[8]
At the ARIA Music Awards of 2020, its soundtrack was nominated for Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album.[9]