Sheep producers set to flock to ‘Rams’ movie screenings

29/10/2020

Sheep Central, October 28, 2020

AUSTRALIAN sheep industry identities aren’t sheepish about the release of the homegrown movie ‘Rams’ hitting Village Roadshow cinemas on Friday.

In the movie set in remote Western Australia, two estranged brothers, Colin (Sam Neill) and Les (Michael Caton), are at war. It is an adaption of an Icelandic movie of the same name that also revolved around two brothers, their sheep and a disease outbreak.

Raising separate flocks of the now rare breed Dorset Horns, descended from their family’s prized bloodline, the two Western Australian breeders work side by side yet are worlds apart, according to the movie’s distributor Village Roadshow.

When Les’ prize ram is diagnosed with the sheep wasting disease, Ovine Johne’s Disease, leading authorities to order a purge of every sheep in the valley, Colin attempts to stealthily outwit the powers that be, while Les opts for angry defiance.

Those who have seen the film describe it as a drama dealing with the serious issue of disease control and biosecurity, but with some comedy.

Consultant Jason Trompf said he was looking forward to taking his daughter Madi, 11, to the movie.

“She wants to grow her flock, so she might learn a bit about doing that in the movie.”

Jason said the family doesn’t get to many movies, but liked ‘Australia’, starring Hugh Grant and Nicole Kidman, and were fans of ‘Babe’, ‘Red Dog’ and ‘Dusty’.

Sheep producers of Australia chief executive officer Stephen Crisp said he is a regular moviegoer.

“It seems to have a Castle-esque feel to it and I enjoy that type of thing, so yes, I’ll definitely try and pop along to it.”

He said ‘Babe’ was the last good sheep movie he saw, but it was about the relationship between the pig and the sheep. He also remembers the iconic ‘Sunday Too Far Away’ starring Jack Thompson, but hasn’t seen New Zealand’s contribution to the genre ‘Black Sheep’.

“I’m probably one of the biggest fans of Footrot Flats, but I am aware that it is a Kiwi thing.”

WoolProducer Australia chief executive officer Jo Hall said she believed there was a pre-release screening of the movie in Goulburn, New South Wales, and her father wanted to see it. WPA president Ed Storey and fellow board member Steve Harrison said they also would see the movie.

“I wish this Australian movie every success,” Mr Storey said.

Mecardo managing director Robert Herrmann said he is not a big moviegoer, but will be catching the movie. He also remembered ‘Sunday Too Far Away.’

Australian Wool Innovation CEO Stuart McCullough said he will also be seeing the movie and AWI stakeholder engagement manager Marius Cuming has interviewed Michael Caton in the latest The Yarn podcast. Click here to hear Mr Cuming’s interview on The Yarn.