Australian movies-for-export tend to come in two varieties: lush period pieces, and over-the-top comedies about sexuality (or the lack of it). The Castle belongs to a third group which rarely makes it out of the Antipodes: warm­hearted comedies about ordinary blokes struggling against the system. Tracing its lineage back to the Dad and Dave classics of the twenties, it is the story of the Kerrigan family, whose house - their 'castle' - stands in the way of Melbourne International Airport's expansion plans. Needless to say, the Kerrigans aren't about to be moved. A first-time effort from writer and director Rob Sitch, who is part of cult Aussie TV comedy set-up Frontline, The Castle was a smash hit at home but dismissed by some critics as too parochial to travel. In the event, Miramax bought it within 36 hours of its international unveiling at Sundance in January of this year.