by FilmInk Staff
KIT’S FIRST NIGHT ON THE JOB MIGHT BE HER LAST.
Christmas comes early this year with Blue Canaries, the directorial debut from writer-director team Mounsey Lane – Luke Mounsey and Andy Lane. A ground-level look at a not-so-average night on the job for two Australian street cops, Blue Canaries is a layered examination of the nature of police work, delivered as a ticking clock thriller, set on a sweltering Christmas Eve, where rookie probational constable, First Nations woman and AFLW footballer Kit Jones and her senior officer, acerbic Scottish-Australian Sylvester Connor, get caught in a deadly standoff with Waheed, a troubled teenager whose desperation sees him in over his head, and in grave danger.
Blue Canaries follows Kit and Syl on the job, receiving calls, responding to disturbances, navigating fractured families and doing all they can – within a system even they know is ruined – to keep the delicate social fabric of their inner-city beat from exploding into violence. Kit already faces scrutiny from her other job as a professional footballer, facing a hefty suspension for an off-the-ball hit, when it’s reported that cocky teen Waheed, whom Syl’s been trying to keep on the straight and narrow, is missing, and Kit and Syl must race across the city to track him down before he makes the ultimate mistake. Wrestling with a reputation as a dirty player on the field, and the feeling she’s betraying her people by donning a badge off of it, Kit must confront the very nature of policing… and if any of it means anything at all.
Featuring captivating performances from Tahlee Fereday (Foe, TV’s Fisk, Triple Oh!) David Burnstock (Anak), Maia Abbas (TV’s House of Gods) and Rhiannah Peverett, Blue Canaries features a brilliant ensemble cast who bring a lived-in quality to their roles, making this feel more real and urgent than your average police drama.
Inspired by true events, informed by consultation from Gunai woman and ex-cop Veronica Gorrie — whose book on racism in the force, Black and Blue: A memoir of racism and resilience, wrestles with abolishing the Police — Blue Canaries is now available for audiences to experience in the comfort of their own homes, available to rent or purchase on VOD from Apple TV, YouTube, Google Play, Microsoft Store and Vimeo.
