Lights, Camera, Aquatics

In 2021, the School’s Aquatic Centre was the idyllic backdrop for the major motion picture of Tim Winton’s Blueback, an achingly beautiful story about family, belonging and living a life in tune with the environment.

Blueback – a fable for all ages – is a deceptively simple allegory highlighting the greed of humans invading patches of seas. While learning to dive, young Abby befriends a magnificent wild blue groper, beginning her life-long journey to save the world’s coral reefs. When the quiet reef at her coastal hometown is threatened by commercial fishing operators, Abby and her activist Mum take on poachers and developers to save her friend.

Mentone Girls’ Grammar student Helen Strydom (Year 5) plays a body double of the lead character Abby as a child, performing underwater scenes in the School’s Aquatic Centre.

“I had to hold my breath underwater and swim with remote-controlled fish in one of the scenes,” she said, smiling. “I heard one of the crew say I was the best body double!”

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the lead actress could not travel from Queensland to film the aquatic scenes. The contingency plan was to ask the School for any Year 6 students who fit the bill. “My older sister Michaela was one of those students, but she was too tall, so she recommended me and I was only one centimetre taller than the lead actress,” said Helen.

“I even had to cut my hair for the role to look like the actress”.

Acting never crossed Helen’s mind until she landed herself on the set of this major motion picture, yet she would love to explore acting further and study the craft to land future roles.

“I would really like to work in film and television series,” said Helen.

Director Robert Connolly has kindly accepted the invitation to present to our students and screen the movie on campus in the new year. Blueback is in cinemas from 1 January, 2023 starring Eric Bana and Mia Wasikowska.