Bomb Harvest Lao People's Democratic Republic / Australia
2007, 88min.
Prod.: Sylvia Wilczynski, Script: Sylvia Wilczynski, Kim Mordaunt, Dir./Dir. of Phot.: Kim Mordaunt, Compos.: Caitlin Yeo, Sound: Michael Gissing, Edit.: Adrian Rostirolla
Cast: Phonesai Silavan, Laith Stevens, Linthong Syphavong.
Over 35 years ago, during the Vietnam War, American bombs rained down on Laos in the ‘Secret War’, making it the most bombed country, per capita, in history. The deadly legacy of this destruction continues, with the country still scattered with unexploded ordnance.
A huge live bomb is found behind a village school and Australian bomb disposal specialist Laith Stevens arrives to check it out. He’s in the process of training a new team, so reluctantly leaves the bomb’s disposal until the team is up to the task. Reluctant, because rural poverty has triggered a brisk illegal trade in bomb scrap metal and the local children are out hunting for bombs. Laith will take his team of bomb disposal specialists down to a remote area where they will test their new skills on live bombs for the first time. Laith uses his laconic jokes and can-do attitude to bond with the team and local villagers in order to get them through this harrowing task alive.
Bomb Harvest depicts the consequences of war and the incredible bravery of those trying to clear up the mess.
Production Company
Lemur Films
Awards
Best Music in a documentary (Australian Guild of Screen Composers Awards), Best Feature Children’s Advocacy (Artivist IFF and Awards, Hollywood).
| Mordaunt, Kim Kim Mordaunt
Mordaunt began his film career as a researcher on documentaries for BBC and Channel 4 in the UK. His first documentary as director/producer, 45 Years is Enough (26 mins, 1992) for Bulgarian TV, examined life for artists in Bulgaria just before and after the collapse of the Iron Curtain. Then Mordaunt directed and produced the 52 minute documentary Survival about the Aboriginal “Survival Day” concert in Australia, for SBS TV. In 1995, he directed/produced - with Cathy Eatock - CopyRightes (52 mins), also for SBS, about protection of the rights of indigenous artists. It screened in SBS’s Masterpiece slot three times in18 months and has sold around the world. In 2000 he directed the 26 minute documentary Speed City– a picture of the centre of Sydney from the frenzied point-of-view of three bicycle couriers, for SBS TV. It won Best Short Documentary at the Phoenix FF (US) and Best Documentary at the Byron Bay FF and screened at many international film festivals including Rome. Mordaunt directed and wrote the 15-minute drama Mongrel's Ghost, in 2001, a love story set in a psychiatric hospital, which won Best Drama at the Byron Bay FF. It was also invited to numerous international festivals including Los Angeles Short FF, Telluride Indiefest, Bilbao and Sao Paulo. In 2005 Mordaunt directed Jammin’ in the Middle E, a 50 minute drama. It screened at Mumbai and St Kilda FFs and on SBS TV. In 2007 Mordaunt directed his first feature-length film – the documentary Bomb Harvest for cinema release. It premiered to a Standing Ovation at the Sydney FF.
Filmography
45 Years Is Enough (1992), Survival (1994), Copyrights (1995), Speed City (2001), Mongrel's Ghost (2002), Jammin’ in the Middle E (2005), Bomb Harvest (2007).
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