Learning to soar

Healing is a poignant Australian film set on a minimum security work farm, Won Wron, and tells the tale of one prisoner, Viktor Khadem (played by Dan Hany) and the case worker, Matt Perry (Hugo Weaving) who goes out of his way to secure Viktor’s release back into society.

Viktor, having sent 16 years in prison for murder, is sent to this low-security, pre-release prison where Matt starts a programme to rehabilitate injured raptors – eagles, falcons and owls.

Allowing Viktor to head up this programme, with the help of two other inmates, both an exquisite falcon and Viktor are healed and learn to soar once more – the raptor physically and Viktor through the forgiveness of his son and the softening of his heart to a life which has not always been easy.

Without any of the flash and special effects we have come to expect from Hollywood, this is an amazing story of healing through the love of a wild bird which becomes as much a apart of Viktor as his limbs.

The scenery is true to the Australian landscape with no pretty sets and complements the story which tells of this man’s journey from hardened prisoner to hard-working citizen, ready to return to society and do some good, perhaps at the nearby raptor centre from which the birds on the farm are brought.

Its an emotional tale that is high recommended and well worth the watch.