Thanks to Luna Palace Cinemas in Leederville I got to attend a special media screening of Head South, featuring an introduction from writer-director Jonathan Ogilvie. Head South is a love letter to the scrappy, defiant spirit of youth and the post-punk subculture that soundtracked it. Set in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1979, this autobiographical coming-of-age tale follows Angus (Ed Oxenbould), a awkward teenager caught between the mundane expectations of his middle-class life and the magnetic pull of a emerging music scene.
The story kicks off with Angus navigating a fractured home life—his mother’s temporary departure leaves him with his father, Gordon (Márton Csókás), a man whose midlife crisis manifests in a hover-mower purchase rather than any meaningful connection. Enter a warped Public Image Ltd. record, mailed from his brother in England, which sparks Angus’s obsession with post-punk. Ogilvie cleverly mirrors this awakening with a shift in aspect ratio, expanding from a claustrophobic frame to widescreen—a visual cue that Angus’s world is cracking open, even if he’s not quite ready for it.
Oxenbould delivers a standout performance as Angus, embodying the nervous unease of adolescence with a mix of desperation. His journey from outsider to reluctant bandleader is fueled by a chance encounter with Kirsten (Stella Bennett, aka Benee), a cool-headed chemist-shop clerk who becomes both muse and anchor.
What I loved most is the film’s celebration of creative misfits, who don’t win but still dare to play. It’s not about polished success; it’s about the messy, thrilling act of making something your own, even when the world doesn’t notice.
At 98 minutes, Head South doesn’t overstay its welcome, Ogilvie’s personal stake in the story is palpable, and there’s an undeniable charm in its rough edges, much like the music it honors. Ultimately, Head South is a nostalgic riff that hits more often than it misses. It’s a film for anyone who’s ever felt out of step, who’s found salvation in a scratched record or a basement gig. Ogilvie may not reinvent the coming-of-age wheel, but he spins it with enough grit and heart to make you want to dust off your old bass guitar—and remember when the world felt wide open.
Head South arrives at Luna Palace Cinemas Thursday, April 3.
Email:neill@outloudculture.com
Socials: @neill_frazer
