FEARLESS is a one hour documentary about the inspirational 92 year old playwright Julia Britton.
Written, directed and produced by Rob George and Mark Poole.
At the age of 92, you’re supposed to be planning a move to the next world, not a trip to London to put on your next play. Yet this is what playwright Julia Britton is doing.
Julia is lively, outspoken and engaging – a true free spirit. She has constantly reinvented herself over her 90 years, working as a journalist in South Africa, teaching classics in Adelaide before beginning a new life writing plays after her husband died.
Filmmakers Rob George and Mark Poole follow Julia and her crew to London, to see if it pans out to be a brilliant move or a massive folly…
FEARLESS takes us on an intriguing journey that explores the incredibly productive life of an amazing woman, and her volatile relationship with collaborator Robert Chuter, who directs her plays.
Production Details
Fearless was produced over two years with funding from the Australian Film Commission, Film Victoria, and Ovation.
Rob George has known Julia Britton for many years, since they both lived in Adelaide, South Australia. Rob and Mark interviewed Julia and Robert Chuter a number of times before hearing of their proposed trip to London to take the British theatre scene by storm.
With initial funding from the Australian Film Commission, Rob and Mark followed Julia and her entourage to London. The play, Fresh Pleasures, had mixed success.
Upon returning to Australia, Rob and Mark secured the interest of Ovation, the pay TV arts channel, and further funding from the AFC and Film Victoria. This enabled them to complete the film.
Artist ANTHONY BRESLIN produced the initial artwork that forms the opening title of the film, and he was engaged to create more art that forms a number of animated sequences throughout the film. Anthony is clearly a highly talented artist, and his work has substantially contributed to the finished film.
Editor ROSIE JONES was brought on board to complete the editing of the film, and her contribution was considerable. She provided invaluable insights into the material as the ‘fresh pair of eyes’ and her work is why the film flows as well as it does.
Once the film was locked off, Rob and Mark travelled to Adelaide to spend a week with composer QUENTIN EYERS, whose fluency and creativity with the guitar and piano in particular have lifted the film to another level. It was quite an experience working with Quentin, who wouldn’t rest until each piece of music was perfect. Quentin’s QEM Studios also mixed the film.
Review
“The Age” Green Guide by Brad Newsome:
“This captivating and inspiring documentary follows 92-year-old Melbourne playwright Julia Britton, as she arranges for her play Fresh Pleasures, a one-hander about Bloomsbury artist Duncan Grant, to be performed in a small theatre in London. This is remarkable enough in itself, but what’s doubly intriguing is her tempestuous relationship with her long-time director and housemate, Robert Chuter. Although they clearly adore each other, they have many a falling-out, one row being over the fact that Chuter decided – without bothering to tell Britton – that while he’s in London he might as well put on another play (Homme Fatale, a play about American gay porn star Joey Stefano).
The documentary makes excellent use of original music and artwork as it follows the production of Fresh Pleasures, from the casting of actor Tamblyn Lord and the building of the set in Melbourne to the closing night in London. It also tells the story of Britton’s remarkable life, from her childhood in England to her work as a journalist on an anti-apartheid newspaper in South Africa and her later career as a classics teacher in Adelaide. It wasn’t until she reached her 70s that she decided to give playwrighting a whirl, but over the past two decades she has seen some 40 of her works performed. Great stuff.”