Bad Boy Bubby
Directed by Rolf de Heer
Cast Claire Benito, Ralph Cotterill, Nicholas Hope, Rachael Huddy, Carmel Johnson, Norman Kaye, Celine O'Leary etc. Length: 114 mins. Language: English. Curated by Safina Uberoi
Date: 27th March, 2009 Time: 4:30 pm Venue: Seminar Room, CSDS

This Australian cult film draws extremely dark humor from the story of Bubby, a man who has spent the first 35 years of his life locked in a disgusting basement by his abusive, controlling mother. Having been taught that the outside air is poisonous and that leaving home is sinful, he only realizes the truth when his long-absent father returns to disrupt the already twisted family unit. A tragic confrontation follows, forcing Bubby into the real world. Knowing nothing about life, and undoubtedly suffering from mental disturbance, he stumbles about the city, speaking in a rambling monologue made up mainly of overheard phrases. His behavior is interpreted in different ways by the people he encounters: some think him insane, while others equate his strange speech and erratic behavior with brilliance. The edgy lead performance by Nicholas Hope is key to the film's success, managing to make Bubby a figure that is both sympathetic and at times quite frightening.


Bad Boy Bubby will be curated by Safina Uberoi, a well known Indian filmmaker based in Australia. Safina Uberoi trained at the Mass Communication Research Center in Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi. In 1995 she left India to study in the Australian Film Television and Radio School. Her short films made there include the award winning Nonno Peppe is a Video Head and Guru. She has taught in Australia at the Macquarie University, the Australian Film TV and Radio school, the Sydney International Film School, the National Institute of Dramatic Art.  In india, she has taught at The National School of Drama and given lectures at MCRC, Jamia Millia Islamia. Internationally, she has screened her films and conducted master classes at a number of Universities including New York University, De Paul University in Chicago, University of Los Angeles, University of Westminster and the London School of Economics.