This is one of those films that prove movies can be more than mere entertainment - this was a deeply moving personal experience for me.I'm an adoptee myself, and being immersed in this world from the side of the prospective parents, well I guess I never really stopped to consider that very much. Now I do.Set the popcorn aside and watch this film, and then think about family and relationships and the impact the arrival and anticipation of a child can have, especially if that child arrives by 'other means'.Congrats Claire, and thanks for making me THINK of the thing that most people take for granted - family.

I saw this film recently at the Sydney Film Festival and I still can't stop thinking about it. It was well beyond my expectations. I don't think I've ever been taken so far away and felt so close to home.I can't recommend this film enough and without giving too much away have to say this is one of the most stand out films I have seen in a very long time. The actors are superb, their chemistry is completely spot on, the way India is filmed made me feel like I was there and in so many moments made me question everything I've ever thought about. The story is touching and so real. I have never seen the lead actors Joel Edgerton and Radha Mitchell look so good or be so likable and I've seen quite few of their movies.The director spoke at the Q&A after wards and mentioned that she spent a lot of time working in India in the slums of Calcutta and also made a documentary film about her younger sister in India. This really shines through. She has clearly put the time in, done the research and knows the world of this story. Her message in the film is also very moving. She has a balanced view of all the things the film covers in the story. The film does deal with some complex things like stresses between long term relationships, expectations between couples, family and cultural differences and a range of other things but somehow I managed to have quite a lot of laughs all the way through.A really good balance between the drama and the funnier side. Very grown up film-making and a pleasure to watch.It is has been a very long time that any film, in particular an Australian film has made me feel even close to what this film has. I cannot recommend THE WAITING CITY enough.

I saw this movie last night in Sydney as part of the Sydney Film Festival. I didn't know what I was seeing or anything about the movie. Overall unfortunately I have to say that while the best intentions were there the film just didn't work.The main problem for me was that I don't think the director really knew what kind of statement she was trying to make with the film. I was waiting for the presentation of what the film was trying to say but it never came. This is surprising considering the subject matter. The director stated at the end of the film in the Q+A that she wasn't making the film primarily about the adoption of children from other countries. But this aspect of the story was way more compelling than watching two boring main characters have lukewarm interaction. I feel the Director should have taken a stronger stance with how she felt about the subject matter she was trying to display. And my God if you are shooting a film in India just get right in there and soak it into the frames ! The beginning of the film was not helped by the music score which alluded to the film almost being presented as a comedy, especially with the choice of music score. That path soon faded away into discombobulation. While a few moments were interesting to watch it just didn't make it in the end.I thought the Joel Edgerton character was not realized well enough. Weather this is through the fault of the director or Joels direction he took the character in. Because the 2 main characters are on the screen so much of the time I really wanted to see more chemistry between them but it just wasn't there. Also the film being shot with the RED digital camera system I would have expected a bit more depth and vitality to the shot choices.Having said all of this the creators of the film were very charming during the Q+A and I think Claire will go onto make some better material. Keep going guys !

This is an unusual movie which combines the plight of an Australian couple trying to adopt a child with the enchantment of India. Fiona (Radha Mitchell) is a high powered attorney who comes to India with her husband Ben ( Joel Edgerton ) a low powered musician who usually has his guitar nearby. They have come to Calcutta to pick up their adopted daughter and initially have to wait several days to make contact with her. They have their own issues between the two of them but are drawn to meet their daughter and also understand the prior short life that she has had. They meet Krishna ( Samrat Chakrabarti) who is on one hand the hotel worker who is serving them in his uncle's hotel but on the other hand seems to be a symbol of the country of their new child. These are the ingredients, that pulls the viewer into a spiritual experience which goes beyond the plot of the story. Fiona and Bill undergo a transformation, which is easy to identify with. The characters appeared to have learned some important things about themselves and the viewers have had an insight into the marital relationship of this couple, the meaning of international adoption and the multifaceted nature of India. Screenwriter and director Claire McCarthy was drawn to India by her own travels there. The film that she has created is authentic, beautifully photographed with muted lighting in soft colors but penetrates below the skin of the country and the people in the story.