Sartaj Singh
Directed by Stelana Kliris, ‘Find Me Falling’ introduces us to aging rock star John Allman, who decides to take a break and move to Cyprus after his comeback album flops. He purchases a beachside property at a very reasonable price and only later discovers that it is a suicide hotspot. His imagined peace and quiet are disrupted as he is compelled to help out desperate souls and is, in turn, taken around town by a new friend. When he unexpectedly comes across his ex-lover from before his rockstar days, John is drawn into a heartfelt romance. Cyprus’ first Netflix movie, ‘Find Me Falling’ narrates a poignant tale of love, ambition, and life affirmation that generates questions regarding its inspirations.
Find Me Falling is Inspired by Don Ritchie — The Guardian Angel
Stelana Kliris began writing ‘Find Me Falling’ after she read a news article about Don Ritchie. The Australian man lived near a suicide point in Sydney and helped save the lives of those standing at the edge of the precipice with kindness and compassion. Kliris began thinking about how the situation may have turned out if someone who was at a low point in his own life ended up in his place. In addition, her own life experiences, affinity for romantic stories, and questions of legacy factored into making the film what it is.
“I read a lovely article about a kind man in Australia who lived near a suicide hot spot and saved many lives, and I wondered what that would look like if a misanthrope lived in a similar spot, and the story developed from there,” she revealed in an interview. “Eventually, in the script, the character became a rock star in crisis, and suddenly, Harry Connick Jr became the perfect choice for the role. So, step by step, the film came together. I also wanted to look at the idea of legacy and what we leave behind when we go – is it our art, our work, our children or simply how we treated people?”
Don Ritchie resided at The Gap, a rocky cliff at the entrance of Sydney Harbour, which had an infamous reputation for suicidal attempts. The retired life insurance salesman lived with his wife of over 50 years, Moya, and kept a lookout over the cliff near his house. If he spotted someone attempting to climb its fence or standing at the precipice, he would walk over to them and warmly offer a cup of tea at his house. With his comforting, raspy voice, kind blue eyes, and disarming smile, Ritchie would often lead desperate souls away from the edge and into his home. Once tucked inside with a warm cup of tea, the couple would listen to their problems and offer solace.
The two lived there for over fifty years and are estimated to have saved over 200 lives, never keeping count personally. Ritchie was recognized for his efforts in 2006 with a Medal of the Order of Australia, one of the country’s highest civilian awards. The elderly couple was also honored with the 2010 Citizens of the Year award. For the many people that Ritchie couldn’t persuade from stepping back, their loved ones thank him for being there in the end. Don Ritchie passed away in 2012, leaving behind the legacy of an angel who walked amongst us.
The Real-Life Dilemma of Romance and Ambition
After taking inspiration from Don Ritchie’s story for her premise, Stelana Kliris created the fictional narrative and character of a declining rockstar around it. The filmmaker utilized these conducive settings and characters to explore themes close to her heart and infuse them with her own life experiences. “I think a big theme for me is sacrifice, often having to make a big choice between love, dreams, family, or your obligations,” said Kliris in an interview. “I feel like that’s a very human thing that everybody goes through at some point, and I’ve noticed it’s something that definitely comes up in my shorts or my features.”
These topics are highlighted as John contemplates his life decisions. The conflict of romance and ambition and the maturity to choose between them come into the picture when he meets up with his old love. The two begin to relive their insecurities and elevated emotions at the time of their separation but come to realize and accept the stage of life they were dealing with at the time. When discussing her introduction of multifaceted emotions and romance into the story in the aforementioned interview, Kliris said, “Yes, I’m very into emotional connections, romance, and love, but my belief has always been that you always need to be ok and independent as an individual before you can go forward with anything else.” The filmmaker thus merged an inspiring true story with her fictional premise to narrate a thoughtful and romantic tale of rediscovery.
Read More: Find Me Falling: Exploring All Filming Locations of the Netflix Movie
