Love, Spells and All That

Set against the tense, turbulent backdrop of the 2004 Redfern riots in Sydney, Australia, Around the Block follows Dino Chalmers (Christina Ricci), an idealistic American drama teacher who takes a position at a high school serving the tough inner-city Aboriginal community of Redfern ("The Block").

Dino takes a talented 16-year-old Indigenous student named Liam Wood (Hunter Page-Lochard) under her wing, casting him as the lead in a school production of Shakespeare's Hamlet. Liam finds himself torn between his genuine passion for theatre and the heavy pressure of his family's cycle of crime, drugs, and gang violence. At the same time, Dino navigates her own personal crossroads, coming to terms with her sexuality and an unhappy relationship while striving to give her students the courage to determine their own destinies.

💡 Did you know?
Ruby Rose's Acting Debut: The film marked the feature film acting debut of Australian media personality and actor Ruby Rose, playing a supporting role as Hannah before her breakout in Orange Is the New Black.

Rooted in Director's Personal Background: Director Sarah Spillane lived in Redfern and taught at the largely Indigenous Eora College, drawing directly on her personal experiences to depict the community's hardships, resilience, and hope.

TIFF Premiere: Around the Block made its world debut at the prestigious 2013 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) before touring major international LGBTQ+ and Indigenous film festivals.

Award-Winning Script: Sarah Spillane's original screenplay won an Australian Directors' Guild (ADG) Award prior to production.

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