33 Postcards

Pauline Chan's (Little White Lies, Traps) deceptively sweet drama about a young Chinese orphan's search for belonging and acceptance is underscored by gritty realism and a precise eye for the daily rhythms of Sydney life. Sixteen-year-old Mei Mei (Zhu Lin) has dreamt of meeting her Australian sponsor and pen-friend Dean Randall (Guy Pearce) and his 'perfect family' for ten years. When her orphanage travels to Australia to attend a choir festival, Mei Mei disobeys the school leader and sets out to find him, navigating unfamiliar streets with the help of Carl (Lincoln Lewis), the charismatic son of a dodgy car dealer. When she discovers that the idyllic life Dean depicted in his postcards is far from the truth, Mei Mei remains tenacious in her efforts to connect with him. The first official Chinese-NSW co-production is driven by a sparkling turn from newcomer Zhu Lin and superbly nuanced performances from Pearce and Claudia Karvan.

World Premiere

Filmmaker Guests Pauline Chan, Lesley Stevens, Penny Carl-Nelson