With respect to the approach to fatal illness, a key part of the film, there is a line of dialogue that wisely sums up what “Look Both Ways” is saying: “It’s not how it ends but how it was.” The viewpoint of the film calls for people to maximize opportunities for happiness in their lives and relationships, a positive outlook that renders treatment of death more meaningful. The drama also deals with people in the context of the world in which we live, demonstrating how we exist in the midst of violent or sad events that affect so many lives and that tragedy can strike randomly.

Justine Clarke, an actress who appeared on stage at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) in the production of “Hedda Gabler” that starred Cate Blanchett, is impressive in the role of the shy, warm-hearted Meryl, an artist who has a habit of fearing the worst. Watt, who has earned a reputation with animation, uses quick moments of striking-looking animation to express thoughts that overtake Meryl. Someone knocks on her window, for example, and she fleetingly imagines a robber intruding. She is riding on a train and she imagines a wreck.

The television news is trumpeting details about a real train wreck that has taken a major toll. In the immediate vicinity, a young man has been killed by a train, and the event will affect not only the victim’s family, but the newsmen who come to the scene and the grief-stricken engineer. Meryl saw something of what happened, but there are conflicting interpretations. Was the victim trying to rescue his dog? Or was it suicide?

Watt expertly interweaves her assortment of characters into the story fabric. Handsome, accomplished actor William McInnes (in real life is Watt’s husband) plays Nick, a photographer whose photo related to the local railroad death hits the front page of the local Southern Australia newspaper. He learns that he has cancer, an illness of which his father has died. How severe is it? He has yet to find out. Meanwhile, Nick and Meryl meet, are attracted to one another, and rapidly sleep together. What’s the prognosis for them when he gets up the courage to tell her of his illness?

Other characters whose lives are in various degrees of disarray also come under Watt’s examination, and we watch them trying to sort out their respective problems. The writer-director does an effective juggling act of keeping all of the profiles going and interrelating them entertainingly. It is amazing how many aspects are convincingly covered in the film’s normal timeframe. There is an excellent supporting cast and plenty of visual detail captures the atmosphere of life in the area.