Heaven's Burning

As a director, Craig Lahiff impressed his cast with his laid-back approach and seemingly endless patience. Actress Youki Kudoh remarked: "He's so gentle. I never saw him lose his temper, which was amazing! He was always calm and took the time to explain exactly what he was thinking, whilst still allowing me to express my ideas". Actor Robert Mammone concurred: "He brings a sense of calmness that I haven't previously experienced. I don't think I've ever seen anybody trust his actors so much, he really nurtured us". Cinematographer Brian Breheny described Lahiff's approach as "a wonderful bedside manner...Craig's not [a] confrontationalist, but he gets the shots he wants by letting things go and everyone thinks, 'Oh, I've got my own way', but in fact they haven't, he has!".

One of the most compelling aspects of this film, according to its director Craig Lahiff, was the idea of making a contemporary 'Tristan and Isolde'. He saw Colin [Russell Crowe] and Midori [Yûki Kudô] as "two lost souls, fated to find each other". Lahiff's sentiment was echoed by producer Helen Leake who added: "From a certain perspective it's a modern day 'Romeo and Juliet' in a very unexpected and sometimes violent way. At its heart is the story of two people who come together and in doing so step out of their normal lives."

When Japanese actress Youki Kudoh left Japan to commence work on this movie, there were eight film crews at the airport to record her departure. Kudoh's immense popularity aside, there was no question of her ability to inhabit the psyche of her character Midori.

Japanese actress Youki Kudoh found the contrast between Australia and Japan fascinating and was in no doubt as to the dilemma her character faced. "Japan is so safe, you can walk your dog at midnight. We have no bank robberies and murders rarely occur. For Midori to find herself involved in a bank robbery would be inconceivable. That, coupled with the betrayal by her ex-lover and the disgrace she would encounter in returning to Yukio, left her with few alternatives. When Colin saves her life, she feels she has no choice but to follow as, despite his hostility, there is no-one else. Initially her feelings for Colin are tinged with desperation, but he attracts her because he is so different from traditional Japanese men. She feels that he is amazing, dangerous and generous. She also senses that his toughness is a facade".

As with the casting of Midori (Youki Kudoh), there was really only one person to portray Colin. Several actors were considered, but ultimately director Craig Lahiff and producer Helen Leake felt that only actor Russell Crowe had the right blend of machismo and vulnerability required.