Films directed my multiple filmic talents have the capacity to go one of two ways. And by “multiple directors” I am referring to those that come in segments with one creative in charge of each, as opposed to true collaborative affairs that have two major names at the helm. Think such flicks as the controversial ‘Destricted’, the much-applauded ‘Four Rooms’ or the beautifully whimsical ‘Paris, je t’aime’, all flicks that are known as anthology, omnibus or portmanteau films, depending on which film studies class you graduated from!

Films directed my multiple filmic talents have the capacity to go one of two ways. And by “multiple directors” I am referring to those that come in segments with one creative in charge of each, as opposed to true collaborative affairs that have two major names at the helm. Think such flicks as the controversial ‘Destricted’, the much-applauded ‘Four Rooms’ or the beautifully whimsical ‘Paris, je t’aime’, all flicks that are known as anthology, omnibus or portmanteau films, depending on which film studies class you graduated from!

They are usually a feature film consisting of several different short films, often tied together by only a single theme, premise, or brief interlocking event (often a turning point). Sometimes there is a theme, such as a place (e.g. ‘New York Stories’, ‘Paris, je t'aime’), a person (e.g. ‘Four Rooms’), or a thing (e.g. ‘Twenty Bucks’, ‘Coffee and Cigarettes’), that is present in each story and serves to bind them beautifully together. Sometimes there isn’t though, and they can be more of a mysterious beast.

Which brings me back to the subject of end result going one of two ways - the approach can sometimes work extremely well, or can be an extreme case of too many cooks spoiling the broth. In the case of Tim Winton's ‘The Turning,’ which when it was released was being marketed as "a unique cinema event”, it is definitely a combo of both - but what a beautiful, sprawling combo it is. The passion project of creator Robert Connolly, it is a three-hour epic that adapts author Winton's short-story collection of the same name. Each of the book's 18 stories is interpreted on film by a different team of filmmakers, including talented collaborators from the worlds of theatre, photography, visual art and dance. Connolly said at the time that he wanted the film to feel like “a group exhibition”, and I think that is the perfect description. Some segments you love and some you hate, but all are worth a look in all the same.

The credits include the names of many notable Aussie directors, including Warwick Thornton (‘Samson and Delilah’), Tony Ayres (‘The Slap’), Claire McCarthy (‘The Waiting City’) and Justin Kurzel (the incredible ‘Snowtown’). In addition, two high-profile Aussie actors, Mia Wasikowska and David Wenham, also make impressive directorial debuts, the former in particular. There are some serious stars on the other side of the camera, too, like the inimitable Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Miranda Otto and Richard Roxburgh, whose combined presence helped make the film a success both on home ground and around the world.

Well-made omnibus films often feel like the cinematic equivalent of a beautifully crafted buffet, and ‘The Turning’ definitely sits in this category. It is extremely well crafted, mostly cohesive, surprising and satisfying as a film, although the length was most definitely ambitious in regards to the average viewer. And I count myself amongst the latter - I definitely spent a few moments squirming and looking at my watch, but these were matched by moments of sheer bliss and even - god forbid - a tear in the old eye!

I did love the fact that ‘The Turning’ is an unapologetically Australian film, set in the remote coastal towns and hinterlands of Winton's home in Western Australia and covering the lives of everyone from fishermen and surfers to AFL players and pub stalwarts. And it touches on both the light and the dark, with references to the rampant alcoholism and police corruption that have plagued modern Australia, as well as the subject of child homicide.

So - my final verdict? An absolutely beautiful beast of a film with some incredible cinematic and dramatic moments, but at times its sheer ambition gets the better of it.

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