by Ramon Lobato

Difficult, demanding and infinitely rewarding, John Curran's debut feature "Praise" is an Australian film the rest of the world desperately needs to see. With no ultra-colourful characters, no cheap sentimentality, no easy answers, "Praise" bears none of the hallmarks of what many see as 'the Australian style', as defined by the success of easily palatable, deliberately quirky films like "Strictly Ballroom", "Muriel's Wedding" and "Priscilla". Having raised many eyebrows at festivals, including Sundance, Toronto and Berlin, Curran is now back in his homeland for the opening of what he fondly refers to as his 'anti-film'.

'I know that "Praise" is going to polarise people,' says Curran. 'You don't make a film like "Strictly Ballroom" hoping that not everyone will like it. It's not a criticism of those films, it's just that they're designed to be that kind of ... accessible, money-making film' -- something the ultra-low-budgeted "Praise" most certainly is not. For "Praise" is something quite rare in Australian film: a film experience that is truly different, that proudly bears a style and expresses an intention that Australian audiences have not before seen the likes of.

At the same time, "Praise" is as Australian as the meat pie, the VB stubbie and the tub of Vegemite. Filmed in Brisbane and complete with a Dirty Three score and fantastic Tex Perkins cameo. "Praise" is a beer-drenched, cigarette smoke-filled tribute to today's Australian male -- ironically, directed by an American ex-pat. Based on Andrew McGahan's best-selling novel, "Praise" sees Peter Fenton, former leader singer of much missed Melbourne band Crow, play Gordon, a mono-syllabic, chain-smoking asthmatic. Enter Cynthia (played brilliantly by Sacha Horler): an overweight nymphomaniac, with chronic eczema. An unlikely and far from beautiful couple, Gordon and Cynthia share something that is about as romantic as a Geelong nightclub, yet manages to leave the viewer feeling incredibly moved.

This is what lies at the heart of "Praise": finding beauty in ugliness, or as Curran says: 'Take a romantic view of what essentially could be seen as an ugly environment. That interests me a lot me than airbrushing everything and cleaning it up and glossying it up and making it all look pretty, because those kinds of films really depress me.'

Despite the film's lush cinematography and distinctive visual style, Curran was always careful not to give Brisbane nor any of its people any unauthentic sense of sophistication. Curran had this in mind when choosing his leads, avoiding actors who relied on 'contrived quirkiness'. 'When I was casting, I met a lot of actors that would try that on: if he was a smart alec or if he was just doing it for entertainment's sake,' he explains. 'There's a real arrogance to that you know?'

A long time Crow fan, Curran once had plans which never eventuated, to direct a series of clips for the band (who played their last-ever gig in March). In Fenton, who makes his screen debut with "Praise", Curran found exactly what he was looking for. 'What I wanted was someone that was naturally socially wooden,' he says, 'but also elegant in another way.'

"Praise" is a strange kind of love story that doesn't necessarily have a tragic ending, but not a bright happy, sweet ending either,' he concludes. 'It wasn't any kind of transparent effort to be different, but I did see the opportunity to break through the formula of conventional love stories, most of which really horrify me. But what I love about "Praise" is it's kind of like Gordon in a way -- it works in the opposite way to everybody else.'

"Praise" is out now in Australia.