The Sapphires is a 2012 Australian musical comedy-drama movie based on a 2004 stage play of the same name.
Loosely based on a true story, the story is about 4 indigenous Australian women, Gail (portrayed by Deborah Mailman), Julie (portrayed by Jessica Mauboy), Kay (portrayed by Shari Sebbens) and Cynthia (portrayed by Miranda Tapsell).
These 4 girls with the awesome singing voices are discovered by a talent scout (Chris O'Dowd). When told they could perform as an act in Vietnam and earn $30.00 a week, they go for it.
They form The Sapphires, go to Vietnam in 1968 to sing for the troops fighting there.
Production began in 2010 on the movie with the casting of the 4 women who would portray The Sapphires.
Filmed in Australia and Vietnam during August and September 2011, The Sapphires premiered at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. In August 2012, it was theatrically released in Australia and then had a limited release in the United States in March 2013.
My Thoughts
If you're looking for a feel-good movie with some good music, The Sapphires is it. The 4 girls portray sisters who love each other and fight with each other just as siblings often do.
What's interesting is the back story of the rift between 3 of the girls, who really are sisters, and the 4th girl who is actually not a sister.
In Louisiana where I was born, it was public policy in the bad old days to try to erase the Cajun patois from language, forcing all children to speak only English.
According to the movie's back story, in Australia, back in their bad old days, they forcibly removed light-skinned indigenous children from their homes and "gave" them to white families to adopt.
During the course of the movie, we get that history lesson and its emotional fallout on children and families who went through that. We also get a story with heart and optimism about 4 women determined to have more in their lives than the general public thought they should have.
Takeaway Truth
My husband and I both enjoyed this movie because of the story, the acting, the emotion, and the music. I think you'll enjoy it too!
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