Joffa: The Movie
Encyclopedia
Joffa: The Movie is a 2010 independent
Australian buddy movie starring Australia
's best known sports fan, Joffa Corfe
. The film was financed by Chris Liontos, the Director/ Producer, along with actor Shane McRae, Joffa’s buddy in the movie.
. The pair have a knack for attracting trouble and drives the local priest Father Bob McGuire (played by himself) to the point of despair.
Although there is a car chase, there are no bedroom scenes. Instead the film portrays Joffa playing Joffa, an ordinary man. The fact he attracts the affection of thousands and the hatred of tens of thousands is just how it is for the man who guides the Cheer Squad at games involving Australia's most famous football club.
Joffa said that the ordinary people who inhabit his real world "give the movie its heart." People such as Fr. Bob McGuire and Kevin Bartlett and 93-year-old Mavis, who went to dances with Ron Barassi
's father
.
One of the highlights for Australian audiences is hearing Good Old Collingwood Forever sung in Mandarin. Another is hearing the classic Australian foodstuff, the Chiko Roll
, being explained to a London
er.
The Australian Council on Children and the Media said that the main messages from this movie are: "Working together as a team is what wins the game." And "Mateship is one of the most important and meaningful things in life."
rated Joffa: The Movie as PG -- Parental Guidance Recommended -- for its mild coarse language.
(1980), a classic Australian movie. He decided to explore the world of Aussie Rules "through the eyes of the most passionate supporter in the country."
The risk appears to have paid off. The film is being released nationally on 2 September 2010. For such "an ultra-low budget movie to get a national cinema release - this has never happened (before)," Liontos said.
-- Melbourne
and Drouin
, Victoria
, and partly in the UK -- London
and Glasgow
.
soccer club Celtic F.C.
. So much so, that he included a pilgrimage to Celtic Park
, Glasgow
in the movie.
Professional reviewer Leigh Paatsch said that "With his tatty jacket of gold, albino mullet hairdo and a face made for keeping birds off crops, the infamous general of the Collingwood cheer squad was never going to be your typical movie star." He added that: "Joffa is definitely a natural in front of the cameras. Just a shame that those behind the cameras of Joffa: The Movie are not."
The Australian Council on Children and the Media said that Joffa: The Movie is a "light-hearted mockumentary
targeting an adult audience, but which may appeal to those adolescents with an interest in football. The film has some funny moments, particularly those involving Father Bob."
Donna Demaio, reporter for The Age, likened the movie to Kenny
, another famous Australian mockumentary.
.
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
Australian buddy movie starring Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
's best known sports fan, Joffa Corfe
Joffa Corfe
Jeff "Joffa" Corfe is an Australian rules football supporter best known for being the leader of the Collingwood Football Club cheer squad since 2001...
. The film was financed by Chris Liontos, the Director/ Producer, along with actor Shane McRae, Joffa’s buddy in the movie.
Plot
Joffa Corfe and Shane McRae star as a couple of knockabout handymen with a passion for the Collingwood Football ClubCollingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
. The pair have a knack for attracting trouble and drives the local priest Father Bob McGuire (played by himself) to the point of despair.
Although there is a car chase, there are no bedroom scenes. Instead the film portrays Joffa playing Joffa, an ordinary man. The fact he attracts the affection of thousands and the hatred of tens of thousands is just how it is for the man who guides the Cheer Squad at games involving Australia's most famous football club.
Joffa said that the ordinary people who inhabit his real world "give the movie its heart." People such as Fr. Bob McGuire and Kevin Bartlett and 93-year-old Mavis, who went to dances with Ron Barassi
Ron Barassi
Ronald Dale Barassi, Jr AM is a former Australian rules football player and coach. During a long and decorated career, Barassi has been one of the most important figures in the history of Australian football. His father, Ron Barassi, Sr., was the first Australian footballer killed at Tobruk during...
's father
Ron Barassi, Sr.
Ronald James Barassi was an Australian rules footballer who played with Melbourne in the VFL. His grandfather came from Italy and Ron was the father of Hall of Famer Ron Barassi, Jr. who was signed to the club under the Father-Son rule.Originally from Castlemaine, Barassi was a rover and made his...
.
One of the highlights for Australian audiences is hearing Good Old Collingwood Forever sung in Mandarin. Another is hearing the classic Australian foodstuff, the Chiko Roll
Chiko Roll
The Chiko Roll is an Australian savoury snack, inspired by the Chinese egg roll and spring rolls. It was designed to be easily eaten on the move without a plate or cutlery. The Chiko roll consists of beef, celery, cabbage, barley, carrot, onion, green beans, and spices in a tube of egg, flour and...
, being explained to a London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
er.
The Australian Council on Children and the Media said that the main messages from this movie are: "Working together as a team is what wins the game." And "Mateship is one of the most important and meaningful things in life."
Rating
The Australian Government Classification BoardAustralian Classification Board
The Australian Classification Board is a statutory classification body formed by the Australian Government which classifies films, video games and publications for exhibition, sale or hire in Australia since its establishment in 1970. The Australian Classification Board was originally incorporated...
rated Joffa: The Movie as PG -- Parental Guidance Recommended -- for its mild coarse language.
Script
Producer-director Chris Liontos started out by wondering why nobody was making films about Aussie Rules football. His inspiration was The ClubThe Club (play)
The Club is a satirical play by Australian playwright David Williamson, that follows the fortunes of a football club over the course of a season. It explores the clashes between "human loyalty versus materialistic gain". It was inspired by the backroom dealings and antics of the Victorian Football...
(1980), a classic Australian movie. He decided to explore the world of Aussie Rules "through the eyes of the most passionate supporter in the country."
Filming
The overseas segments were filmed on the cheap, with the crew living in backpacker bunkrooms, eating baked beans and dodging crack addicts.The budget
The budget was less than A$200,000. "I took a risk on fully self-funding this, no grants at all", said Mr Liontos. "A lot of films these days do get a lot of (government) funding. Nobody goes and sees them."The risk appears to have paid off. The film is being released nationally on 2 September 2010. For such "an ultra-low budget movie to get a national cinema release - this has never happened (before)," Liontos said.
Locations
The film is set partly in AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
-- Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and Drouin
Drouin, Victoria
Drouin is a major service town, located in West Gippsland, east of Melbourne. Its local government area is the Shire of Baw Baw. The town is supposedly named after a Frenchman who invented a chlorination process for the extraction of ore or an Aboriginal word meaning "north wind". New estate...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, and partly in the UK -- London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
.
Celtic F.C.
Although best known as an active supporter of Australian Rules football, Joffa takes a passionate interest in the Scottish Premier LeagueScottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
soccer club Celtic F.C.
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
. So much so, that he included a pilgrimage to Celtic Park
Celtic Park
Celtic Park is a football stadium in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which is the home ground of Celtic FC. Celtic Park, an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 60,832, is the largest football stadium in Scotland and the sixth-largest stadium in the United Kingdom, after Murrayfield, Old Trafford,...
, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
in the movie.
Cast
The main cast included:- Joffa CorfeJoffa CorfeJeff "Joffa" Corfe is an Australian rules football supporter best known for being the leader of the Collingwood Football Club cheer squad since 2001...
, as Joffa - Shane McRae, as Shane
- Fr. Bob McGuireBob MaguireRobert John Thomas "Bob" Maguire AM, RFD is an Australian Catholic priest, community worker and media personality from South Melbourne. Commonly known as "Father Bob", Maguire was awarded the Order of Australia in 1989...
, as Himself - Kevin Bartlett, as Himself
Critical reception
The film has received a mixed reception to date. While Collingwood supporters provide uniformly positive reviews, non-Collingwood fans have been less than thrilled. Greg King of FilmReviews.net.au said that "the only thing more excruciating than sitting through this film would be to endure watching Collingwood win another premiership."Professional reviewer Leigh Paatsch said that "With his tatty jacket of gold, albino mullet hairdo and a face made for keeping birds off crops, the infamous general of the Collingwood cheer squad was never going to be your typical movie star." He added that: "Joffa is definitely a natural in front of the cameras. Just a shame that those behind the cameras of Joffa: The Movie are not."
The Australian Council on Children and the Media said that Joffa: The Movie is a "light-hearted mockumentary
Mockumentary
A mockumentary , is a type of film or television show in which fictitious events are presented in documentary format. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on current events and issues by using a fictitious setting, or to parody the documentary form itself...
targeting an adult audience, but which may appeal to those adolescents with an interest in football. The film has some funny moments, particularly those involving Father Bob."
Donna Demaio, reporter for The Age, likened the movie to Kenny
Kenny (2006 film)
Kenny is a 2006 Australian mockumentary film starring Shane Jacobson as Kenny Smyth, a Melbourne plumber who works for corporate bathroom rental company Splashdown....
, another famous Australian mockumentary.
DVD Release
Joffa: The Movie was released nationally in Australia on 2 December 2010 by Madman EntertainmentMadman Entertainment
Madman Entertainment is an Australian company that distributes international films as well as Japanese anime and manga in Australia and New Zealand. The company is owned by Funtastic Limited and is one of the major entertainment companies in Australia. It employs 130 people and has an annual...
.
See also
- Cinema of AustraliaCinema of AustraliaCinema of Australia, more commonly referred to as the Australian film industry, refers to the system of production, distribution, and exhibition of films in Australia. Film production commenced in Australia in 1906 with the production of The Story of the Kelly Gang, the earliest feature film made...
- List of Australian films
- Australian films of 2010Australian films of 2010-2010:...
- List of films set in Australia
- List of films shot in Melbourne
External links
- Official site Joffa: The Movie
- Trailer for Joffa: The Movie
- 3AW interview Joffa gets his own full-length movie
- Joffa's Front Page
- Australian Council on Children & the Media Joffa the Movie
- Joffa: You bloody idiot The Age reporter Donna Demaio speaks to Joffa about his movie and tries on the gold jacket for size