{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2014}} {{Use Australian English|date=April 2014}} {{Infobox film | name = 33 Postcards | image = 33Postcards2011Poster.jpg | caption = Australian film poster | director = Pauline Chan | producer = {{ubl|Penny Carl-Nelson|Pauline Chan|Lesley Stevens|Liu Zhijiang}} | writer = {{ubl|Martin Edmond|Philip Dalkin|Pauline Chan}} | starring = {{ubl|Guy Pearce|Claudia Karvan|Zhu Lin|Lincoln Lewis|Kain O'Keeffe|Matt Nable|Rhys Muldoon}} | music = Antony Partos | cinematography = Toby Oliver | studio = Portal Pictures Pty Ltd | distributor = {{ubl|Titan View (Aus.& NZ)|Arclight Films (International)}} | released = {{Film date|df=yes|2011|6|9|Sydney Film Festival}} | runtime = 97 minutes | country = Australia<br />China | language = English<br />Mandarin }} [[File:Zhu Lin, Pauline Chan and Lincoln Lewis 2011 (2).jpg|thumb|Zhu Lin, Pauline Chan and Lincoln Lewis]] '''''33 Postcards''''' is a 2011 drama film written and directed by Pauline Chan and starring Guy Pearce.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.encoremagazine.com.au/4-2m-from-nsw-for-23-projects-3951 |title=$4.2m from NSW for 23 projects |publisher=Encore Magazine |date=5 August 2010 |access-date=26 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721160838/http://www.encoremagazine.com.au/4-2m-from-nsw-for-23-projects-3951 |archive-date=21 July 2011 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> It is the first co-production between China and New South Wales.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.content-technology.com/asiapacificnews/?p=71533 |title=Asia-Pacific News |publisher=Content-technology.com |date=27 April 2011 |access-date=26 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324072529/http://www.content-technology.com/asiapacificnews/?p=71533 |archive-date=24 March 2012 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://screen.nsw.gov.au/index.php?page_id=44&news_id=786 |title=screen nsw / news & updates / screen nsw news |publisher=Screen.nsw.gov.au |date=5 August 2010 |access-date=26 May 2011 |archive-date=12 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230812055621/https://www.screen.nsw.gov.au/index.php?page_id=44&news_id=786 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Plot== Mei Mei (Zhu Lin) is a 16-year-old Chinese orphan who has been supported by donations from her Australian sponsor Dean Randall (Guy Pearce), who sends her postcards that describe his family life. When her orphanage choir travels to Australia to participate in an Australian Choir Festival, Mei Mei takes the opportunity to find Dean with the hope he will make her part of his family. However, Mei Mei discovers the shocking truth – Dean is actually a convict in prison for manslaughter. Seeing Dean as her last chance at finding a home, Mei Mei decides to stay in Sydney until Dean gets his parole, in the meantime becoming naively entangled in the criminal world herself. To save Mei Mei from his own fate, Dean must make an impossible sacrifice.
==Development== ''33 Postcards'' was developed under the title ''Mei Mei''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afi.org.au/AM/ContentManagerNet/HTMLDisplay.aspx?ContentID=12199&Section=2011_The_Year_Ahead_Part_2 |title=The Australian Film Institute | The Year Ahead Part 2 |publisher=Afi.org.au |date=2 February 2011 |access-date=26 May 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131230235549/http://www.afi.org.au/AM/ContentManagerNet/HTMLDisplay.aspx?ContentID=12199&Section=2011_The_Year_Ahead_Part_2 |archive-date=30 December 2013 }}</ref> In 2009, ''Mei Mei'' was one of only two Australian screenplays selected from 475 submissions to partake in the Tribeca Film Institute program, Tribeca All Access.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/news_and_events/2009/fsa_090324_tribeca.aspx |title=Media Releases |publisher=Screen Australia |date=24 March 2009 |access-date=26 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110403082231/https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/news_and_events/2009/fsa_090324_tribeca.aspx |archive-date=3 April 2011 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The screenplay also featured as one of only three selected for Dungog Film Festival as part of the in the Raw Program.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.encoremagazine.com.au/in-the-raw-becomes-stand-alone-event-6454 |title=In the Raw becomes stand-alone event |publisher=Encore Magazine |date=13 January 2011 |access-date=26 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721160906/http://www.encoremagazine.com.au/in-the-raw-becomes-stand-alone-event-6454 |archive-date=21 July 2011 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
===Coproduction=== ''33 Postcards'' is an official film and television co-production in Australia. The co-production is between Australia and China, for which a co-production treaty did not exist prior to 2008.<ref>{{cite web|last=Stolz |first=Greg |url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/australia-and-china-form-film-alliance/story-e6frf7ko-1225963329881 |title=Australia and China form film alliance |publisher=Herald Sun |date=30 November 2010 |access-date=26 May 2011}}</ref> ''33 Postcards'' is only the second film to be produced under this treaty and the first co-production between NSW and China.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.screenhub.com.au/news/shownewsarticleG.asp?newsID=34424 |title=Mei Mei: in post post |publisher=Screen Hub |date=10 September 2010 |access-date=26 May 2011}} {{dead link|date=April 2016}}</ref> This opportunity for co-productions to exist between China and Australia is largely unrealised in both countries, but has been identified as a potentially lucrative endeavour.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.screenqueensland.com.au/the-vault/marketing-reports/268-australia-china-industry-form-freshwater-pictures.html |title=Australia-China Industry Form (Freshwater Pictures) |publisher=Screenqueensland.com.au |date=27 January 2011 |access-date=26 May 2011 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120910063224/http://www.screenqueensland.com.au/the-vault/marketing-reports/268-australia-china-industry-form-freshwater-pictures.html |archive-date=10 September 2012 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/movies/filmmakers-say-hello-to-chinawood-20110607-1fqty.html |title=Filmmakers say hello to Chinawood |publisher=Smh.com.au |date=8 June 2011 |access-date=1 November 2011}}</ref>
==Production== Lead actress Zhu Lin began production knowing little more than a dozen words in the English language.<ref name="screendaily1">{{cite web|last=Hatherley |first=Frank |url=http://www.screendaily.com/reviews/latest-reviews/-33-postcards/5028614.article |title=33 Postcards |publisher=Screendaily.com |date=10 June 2011 |access-date=1 November 2011}}</ref> The film was shot in both Australia and Zhejiang Province, China.
==Festivals== ''33 Postcards'' has featured and been in competition at the following festivals * 2011 Melbourne International Film Festival * 2011 Sydney International Film Festival – In Competition * 2011 Shanghai Film Festival China – In Competition * 2011 Travelling Film Festival Huskisson Australia * 2011 Singapore International Film Festival * 2011 Hawaii International Film Festival * 2012 Mostly British Film Festival San Francisco * 2012 Beijing Film Festival China * 2012 Real Film Festival Newcastle, Australia – Closing Night Film * 2012 Newport Beach Film Festival USA * 2012 Fiuggi Family Film Festival Italy – In Competition * 2012 CinFest OZ – Opening Night Film * 2012 Chinese International Film Festival * 2012 Raglan Film Festival New Zealand * 2012 Italian Parliamentary Screening * 2012 Canberra International Film Festival * 2013 Beijing Film Festival – Co-production Case Study * 2013 Social Film Festival Sorrento Italy * 2013 CineMigrante International Film Festival Buenos Aires
==Awards== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Award!! Category !! Nominated!! Outcome |- | The Sydney Film Festival || Community Relations Commission Award || ''33 Postcards'' || {{won}} |- | Shanghai Film Festival China || Rising Star Award || Zhu Lin || {{won}} |- | Movie Convention Gold Coast Australia || Male Star of Tomorrow || Lincoln Lewis || {{won}} |- | Mostly British Film Festival || Retrospective || Guy Pearce || {{won}} |- | Fiuggi Family Film Festival Italy || Social World Film Festival Award || ''33 Postcards'' || {{won}} |- | Chinese International Film Festival (Sydney) || Best Director || Pauline Chan || {{nom}} |- | Chinese International Film Festival (Sydney) || Organising Committee Special Film Award || ''33 Postcards'' || {{nom}} |- | AACTA Awards || Best Lead Actor || Guy Pearce || {{nom}} |- | AACTA Awards || Best Original Music Score || Antony Partos || {{nom}} |}
==Future== ''33 Postcards'' was anticipated for release in the second half of 2011 in Australia<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/calendar/?region=au|title = IMDb: Upcoming Releases for Australia| website=IMDb }}</ref> and also in China.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://imagineaustralia.net/en/2011/02/%E2%80%9C33-postcards%E2%80%9D-comes-to-china/ |title=33 Postcards coming to China |publisher=Imagine Australia |date=16 February 2011 |access-date=26 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324141632/https://imagineaustralia.net/en/2011/02/%E2%80%9C33-postcards%E2%80%9D-comes-to-china/ |archive-date=24 March 2012 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The film was released to video on demand on 15 April 2013.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.indiewire.com/article/the-10-indies-to-watch-on-vod-this-april | title=The 10 Indies to Watch on VOD This April | website=Indiewire | date=6 April 2013 | first=Nigel M. | last=Smith | access-date=27 May 2013 }}</ref>
==See also== * Cinema of Australia
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{commons}} * {{Official website|http://33postcardsthemovie.com/}} * {{IMDb title|1704161}} * {{Metacritic film}} * {{Rotten tomatoes|33_postcards_2011}}
Category:2011 English-language films Category:2011 Mandarin-language films Category:2011 Chinese films Category:2011 films Category:2011 drama films Category:Films about orphans Category:Australian drama films Category:Chinese drama films Category:2011 multilingual films Category:Australian multilingual films Category:Chinese multilingual films Category:English-language drama films