Lone Wolf

It’s not exactly what the Minister of Justice wants to be doing: watching an endless stream of video footage. But a former police officer is very insistent. Together, all this footage – from hidden cameras, phone taps, Skype sessions and security surveillance – can tell an interesting story. Lone Wolf relocates a classic book by Joseph Conrad to a near-future Australia where every aspect of daily life can be spied on by the government. The focus here is on an obscure bookstore where a group of environmental activists are meeting in secret. Idealistic Winnie and her boyfriend Conrad want to disrupt the G20, but aren’t aware that they are possibly being lured into a trap. The main question remains long unanswered: why does the minister need to see this footage? Director Jonathan Ogilvie cleverly builds up to the answer. Its sharp dialogue and smart camerawork make Lone Wolf both an exciting political thriller and an emotion-laden drama. (International Film Festival Rotterdam)