![]() ![]() When I go to Europe or the US people are surprised that I’m Australian because I obviously look European. The rest of the world is so unaware of Australian’s cultural mix because it’s not the way Australia promotes itself. ![]() Australian film and TV and books are saturated with Anglo or Celtic family life and it’s important for me to explore the cultural upbringing of many Australians. With SAVING FRANCESCA, I decided not to explore the Italian culture as such, but to use it as a backdrop to family life in Australia. We also made tomato sauce every year, a scene that made both the film and the novel. ![]() So LOOKING FOR ALIBRANDI was about that balance and many of the stories about Josie’s grandmother first coming to Australian were similar to those of my grandparents. I certainly felt as if I was balancing two cultures and I didn’t feel as if I belonged to one or the other. I grew up with an Italian born father and a mother of Italian born parents so European culture had much to do with our lives. When it comes to LOOKING FOR ALIBRANDI, I always say that it’s not about me, but it was about my world back when I was a teenager. What part of your own Italian origin has been reflected in these characters? Both main characters in your first two novels have Italian roots that influenced them to a greater or lesser extent. ![]()
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