Year:	2007
Production Co:	Pod Film/Horrorshow
Director:	Kriv Stenders
Writer:	Kriv Stenders

Filmmaker Kriv Stenders hasn't had much luck. His only theatrically released film, 2005's The Illustrated Family Doctor, was so in need of a doctor itself it's a wonder anyone gave him money for another movie.

In fact he has a mildly auspicious career as a DOP and short filmmaker, and Blacktown should have been his calling card to producers everywhere.

Two lost souls, aboriginal former con and recovered addict Tony has his life mostly on the straight and narrow, and legal secretary Nikki is seeing a married man and getting increasingly despondent at her lot.

The fallout from a blind date from hell brings them together by chance when Tony rescues Nikki from the psycho who's turned on her, and from that moment on you're fairly hooked on seeing what happens for no other reason than you're faced with a damsel in distress and hope to see her knight ride up on his steed.

Their hesitantly developing relationship doesn't go well at first, and even when it blossoms Blacktown is a story of quiet desperation as both Tony and Nikki have to learn to let their hearts lead the way.

Well shot and acted, it's another document to modern poverty in the suburbs but will grab you more than most.