The Importance of Being Ari: Chris Berry Takes a Sideways Glance at 'Head On'

Is it just my impression, or has Head On (Ana Kokkinos, 1998) not been getting the kind of critical attention and analysis you might expect for what is probably the Australian film of the year? As far as I can tell, most discussion has tended to pigeonhole it as a gay or ethnic film and leave it at that. But it seems more significant to me than just another niche market movie. Personally, I am hoping that with Head On, Ana Kokkinos has demonstrated that you do not have to do quirky or comedy to get good box office in Australia, and that a serious film that deals with so-called 'minority issues' can attract a wide audience. I do not think I am the only person who has been hanging out for someone to make that successful break away from 'quirky' and to place questions about Australian cultural identity into cinema in a way that is not only critically but also commercially successful. The question is how Kokkinos has managed that.