SHINE (1996)

Director: Scott Hicks

Writer: Scott Hicks, Jan Sardi

Geoffrey Rush as (adult) David
Noah Taylor as (teenage) David
Also Sonia Todd, Chris Haywood

The true story of child prodigy pianist David Helfgott, who like so many is driven hard by his father and teachers, and in this case too far, leading unfortunately to a mental breakdown. Years later he returns to the piano, to popular if not critical acclaim. A landmark film in Australian cinema, not only for its sheer quality, but because Rush won the Best Actor Oscar for this role, the first such achievment by an Australian.