![A still from Freedom, directed by Peter Cousens. 2014 A still from Freedom, directed by Peter Cousens. 2014](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-feed-data/1b90f9af-d97f-483e-b8f5-85d8900e5fe0.jpg/r0_0_3872_2592_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
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PETER Cousens was a first-time director when he took on the making of Freedom, an uplifting drama that lands in cinemas next week. But he was no novice.
When Hurricane Sandy struck the Connecticut coastline in the North American autumn of 2012 where he was in the middle of a tight 25-day shooting schedule, he saw it as an opportunity.
Despite needing to shoot sailing scenes using a classic vessel and several props, it was an instant halt to proceedings.
"It gave us time to hunker down for three days," the veteran Australian actor and musical performer says. "It gave us time to reflect."
Talk about calm in a storm . . .
Freedom comes to the big screen with an enormous passion from its financial investors and makers, but a modest $3 million budget. It stars Cuba Gooding jnr (The Butler, Jerry Maguire), Sharon Leal (Dreamgirls, Private Practice) and William Sadler (Homeland, The Shawshank Redemption, Die Hard 2).
The storyline follows the escape from slavery by a black family who travels the "Underground Railroad" trying to flee from Virginia to Canada in the 1850s. But there is another critical layer to the film, the inspiration provided by music, particularly the song Amazing Grace, which was written more than 100 years before the tumultuous American Civil War.
"The essence of the song inspires the journey to freedom of our main character," Cousens says. "Music, to me and most people, captures the creative imagination. It expresses a thing that can't be shackled."
Any film is financial risk, but Cousens and the film's primary investor, whose identity remains unpublicised, were willing to back a great feel-good story.
Queensland-based Heritage Films, which is carrying the film, takes pride in their catchline: "Movies change people. People change the world." While Heritage backs films with a focus on faith and family, it doesn't mean all of their productions are overtly religious.
"We always dreamed of having a voice in the community that went beyond our area of expression; me as a performer, he as a successful businessman," the Sydney-based Cousens says. "We decided both of us wanted to have a voice, and film became the platform for that. We combined our skills, although neither one of us had ever made a film."
Cousens was scheduled to be the producer, but the original director pulled out and Cousens knew what the goal was so he became the director (as well as executive producer).
"We felt it would be a stepping stone to more films," he says. "But it became a passion. Many others we brought with us started to catch the passion."
Cousens insists it is an Australian film made in America with universal themes.
He had experienced, talented people on his team. Cinematographer Dean Cundey (Apollo 13, Jurassic Park, Hook) was invaluable. Australian friend and writer John Senczuk helped edit the script.
Gooding caught the passion and supported the editing. He also introduced Cousens to Lee Daniels, producer of Monster's Ball, Precious and The Butler.
"I spent a few days with him while he was editing," Cousens says of Daniels, whose films have an edgy racial point of view.
"He was fantastic, because of his sensitivity to African American politics. There is a range of thought from African Americans now - they have different views. The input from him was different than Cuba Gooding."
Cousens never lost sight of his own motivation.
"Here I am, a white boy from Sydney, observing, taking a particular stance with this movie."
Daniels and Steve McQueen, director of Oscar winner 12 Years a Slave, are both black men. "There is the weight of bitterness and anger" in the work they do, Cousens says. "They have a different view, and in any artistic expression you are going to reveal your attitude."
As a veteran of live theatre, Cousens is extremely responsive to live audiences. He's attended 25 screenings of Freedom and has found the reception overwhelming.
"I'm used to live performance. I'm always connected to audiences," he says. "That's where I discovered the power of music and storytelling, the impact on people's lives . . .
"For me the challenge was to see if that power could happen on film. I found that really gratifying. A reasonable majority have come up afterwards with tears in their eyes."
There are 11 songs in the movie, and although some are heard for only 20 or 30 seconds they are a key element.
"They do carry the heart and soul of the film."