Countdown is a multi-layered film which appeals to a wide range of audiences. On one level, it is an efficient, fast-moving and accessible crime thriller. On another, the film addresses a whole range of deeper themes - guilt, parenting, illness, handicap, death and salvation - within its genre format. The jury appreciated the skill and ease with which the director moves between tonal registers - from humour to suspense to pathos - and the persuasive central performance.
