Essay Questions

What does Lantana refer to and what is the symbolism in the film?

Lantana is a flower that is common in Australia. The Lantana bush is also where Valerie's body is found when she goes missing. The symbolism relates to the opening shot of the film where we see the blooms of the lantana flowers, but as the camera dips below the surface we see a lifeless body. Thus there is far more going on in this film than what is seen on the surface and this is the case for the relationships between the characters.

What source material is the film based on?

Lantana is based on a play by Andrew Bovell called Speaking in Tongues. The play won an AWGIE in 1997 for excellence in writing for theater from the Australian Writers' Guild.

What is the significance of Jane inviting Nik over for coffee?

Jane has just recently had an affair with Leon while separated from her husband. She's told all of this to her neighbors Paula and Nik. The next day Jane invites Nik for coffee which he finds strange, and when Paula finds out she tells Nik she will cut off his manhood if he messes with their marriage and puts a stop to Jane ever asking Nik for coffee again. The significance is two-fold. First, it reveals how every action Jane makes now relates to her based on her affair with a married man while she is still married, thus she is not trusted. Second, these characters become separated and do not talk, which leads to Jane calling the police instead of talking to Nik and Paula when she sees Nik throw a shoe into the brush.

What is the symbolism in Leon breaking the man's nose while running?

Leon slams into a man on the street when he's out for his morning jog and breaks the guys nose. Leon screams at the man before realizing he was in the wrong. The man eventually cries in his arms. The symbolism is that men are meant to be hard and callous in society, but this leads only to harming oneself and others while what they need is the opportunity to be vulnerable with each other without shame.