Picnic at Hanging Rock (film)
Updated: 12/11/2025, 5:29:43 PM Wikipedia source
Picnic at Hanging Rock is a 1975 Australian mystery film directed by Peter Weir and based on the 1967 novel Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay. Cliff Green adapted the novel into a screenplay. The film stars Rachel Roberts, Dominic Guard, Helen Morse, Vivean Gray and Jacki Weaver. The plot involves the disappearance of several schoolgirls and their teacher during a picnic at Hanging Rock, Victoria on Valentine's Day in 1900, and the subsequent effect on the local community. Picnic at Hanging Rock was a commercial and critical success, and helped draw international attention to the then-emerging Australian New Wave of cinema. It is widely regarded as one of the most iconic and defining films of the New Wave. In 1996 it was voted the best Australian movie of all time in a poll by the Victorian Centenary of Cinema Committee and the NFSA. In 2025 the film was restored in 4K resolution for re-release into cinemas.
Infobox
Directed by
Peter Weir
Screenplay by
Cliff Green
Based on
Picnic at Hanging Rockby Joan Lindsay
Produced by
Hal McElroyJim McElroy
Starring
mw- Rachel Roberts Dominic Guard Helen Morse Jacki Weaver
Cinematography
Russell Boyd
Edited by
Max Lemon
Music by
Gheorghe ZamfirBruce Smeaton
Productioncompanies
B.E.F. Film Distributors South Australian Film Corporation Australian Film Commission McElroy & McElroy Picnic Productions
Distributed by
B.E.F. Film Distributors
Release date
8 August 1975 (1975-08-08)
Running time
115 minutes
Country
Australia
Language
English
Budget
A$443,000–480,000
Box office
A$5.12 million (Australia)
Tables
· Accolades
AACTA Awards
AACTA Awards
Award
AACTA Awards
Category
Best Film
Subject
Hal and Jim McElroy
Result
Nominated
Best Direction
Best Direction
Award
Best Direction
Category
Peter Weir
Subject
Nominated
Best Actress
Best Actress
Award
Best Actress
Category
Helen Morse
Subject
Nominated
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Award
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Category
Tony Llewellyn-Jones
Subject
Nominated
Best Screenplay
Best Screenplay
Award
Best Screenplay
Category
Cliff Green
Subject
Nominated
British Academy Film Awards
British Academy Film Awards
Award
British Academy Film Awards
Category
Best Cinematography
Subject
Russell Boyd
Result
Won
Best Costume Design
Best Costume Design
Award
Best Costume Design
Category
Judith Dorsman
Subject
Nominated
Best Soundtrack
Best Soundtrack
Award
Best Soundtrack
Category
Greg Bell and Dan Connelly
Subject
Nominated
British Society of Cinematographers
British Society of Cinematographers
Award
British Society of Cinematographers
Category
Best Cinematography
Subject
Russell Boyd
Result
Nominated
Saturn Awards
Saturn Awards
Award
Saturn Awards
Category
Best Writing
Subject
Cliff Green
Result
Nominated
Best Cinematography
Best Cinematography
Award
Best Cinematography
Category
Russell Boyd
Subject
Honored
| Award | Category | Subject | Result |
| AACTA Awards | Best Film | Hal and Jim McElroy | Nominated |
| Best Direction | Peter Weir | Nominated | |
| Best Actress | Helen Morse | Nominated | |
| Best Actor in a Supporting Role | Tony Llewellyn-Jones | Nominated | |
| Best Screenplay | Cliff Green | Nominated | |
| British Academy Film Awards | Best Cinematography | Russell Boyd | Won |
| Best Costume Design | Judith Dorsman | Nominated | |
| Best Soundtrack | Greg Bell and Dan Connelly | Nominated | |
| British Society of Cinematographers | Best Cinematography | Russell Boyd | Nominated |
| Saturn Awards | Best Writing | Cliff Green | Nominated |
| Best Cinematography | Russell Boyd | Honored |
References
- The Last New Wave: The Australian Film Revival
- 4 December 1976
- The Films of Peter Weir
- Cinema Papers
- "A Dream Within a Dream": Documentary (120 minutes, Umbrella Entertainment, 2004)
- "The Vault", Storyline, Australian Writers Guild, 2011, p. 68
- The Sydney Morning Heraldhttps://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/the-extraordinary-story-behind-picnic-at-hanging-rock-20170328-gv7upc.html
- Rogers, Anna Backman (2002). Picnic at Hanging Rock. Bloomsbury Publishing, ISBN 9781839023361. pp. 22–23.
- The Oregonian
- "Picnic at Hanging Rock - The Unseen Voices"http://www.brightlightmultimedia.com/blcafe/Articles-PicnicAtHangingRockTheUnseenVoices.htm
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/culture/australia-culture-blog/2014/jan/23/picnic-hanging-rock-rewatching-australian-films
- Australian Chart Book 1970–1992
- Film Victoriahttps://web.archive.org/web/20140209075310/http://film.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/967/AA4_Aust_Box_office_report.pdf
- The Criterion Collectionhttps://www.criterion.com/current/posts/40-picnic-at-hanging-rock
- "Picnic at Hanging Rock"https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-picnic-at-hanging-rock-1975
- The Star-Ledger
- Daily Breeze
- Rotten Tomatoeshttps://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/picnic_at_hanging_rock/
- Metacritichttps://www.metacritic.com/movie/picnic-at-hanging-rock
- "Picnic At Hanging Rock - The Director's Cut [Blu-ray] "https://www.amazon.co.uk/Picnic-At-Hanging-Rock-Directors/dp/B003M91TME
- "Picnic at Hanging Rock Blu-ray"http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Picnic-at-Hanging-Rock-Blu-ray/11645/#Review
- "Umbrella Entertainment - Collector's Edition"https://web.archive.org/web/20130427213806/http://www.umbrellaent.com.au/p-3045-picnic-at-hanging-rock-2-disc-edition.aspx
- Umbrella Entertainment Websitehttps://web.archive.org/web/20120419040239/http://www.umbrellaent.com.au/p-2418-picnic-at-hanging-rock-blu-ray.aspx
- Cinema Papershttps://issuu.com/libuow/docs/cinemapaper1996febno108
- "Picnic at Hanging Rock 4K"https://www.picnicathangingrock.au/journal/picnic-at-hanging-rock-4k-8txgb-dyyeb
- Weirdlandhttp://jake-weird.blogspot.fr/2009/10/virgin-suicides-picnic-at-hanging-rock_21.html
- Film, Fashion & Consumptionhttps://www.academia.edu/5416643
- The Tech Onlinehttp://tech.mit.edu/V120/N26/Virgin_Suicides.26a.html
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/2015/tv/features/leftovers-evie-alive-episode-209-damon-lindelof-1201649433/