When: Tuesday, 19th November 2024, 6:30pm – 9:00pm | Where: Gala Cinema, 204 Cowper St Warrawong, NSW 2502 | Phone: (02) 4274 2777 | Screen Illawarra Screening, Book Signing
and Q&A with Special Guest, Al Clark (Producer/Memoirist). The film commences at 6:45pm, followed by a Q&A at 8:30pm, with the book signings for Al’s memoirs to take place in the foyer at 8:45pm. | Cost: Entry to the film screening is By Donation, or you can pay $30 for both of Al Clark’s memoir books with your film screening ticket. Al Clark’s memoirs (‘Time Flies’ & ‘Time Flies Too’) will also be available for purchase on the night, if you are interested in purchasing them later. Anyone and everyone is welcome to secure a ticket to attend this film screening/signing, network with people, and perhaps consider joining Screen Illawarra.
GET YOUR TICKETS HERE:
https://events.humanitix.com/priscilla-screening-with-q-and-a-by-producer-memoirist-al-clark
SCREEN ILLAWARRA MEMBERSHIP – JOIN/RENEW: https://www.screenillawarra.com/membership
ABOUT SCREEN ILLAWARRA:
Screen Illawarra is a non-profit organisation and local film body for Wollongong, Kiama, Shellharbour and Shoalhaven. We stand by our mission statement to make the Illawarra a hub for global screen production by promoting job opportunities, networking, professional development, education and training. We value respect for others, recognition of difference and the importance of treating all members as equals.
EVENT SUMMARY:
Come and enjoy a 30th anniversary film screening of The Adventures of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert (1994), followed by a Q&A with the film’s producer, Al Clark. In his career, he’s produced, co-produced or executive produced many films, and has written two memoirs which detail his professional life. These books are available to order with your tickets to the event, and can also be purchased at the signing.
SYNOPSIS: Two drag queens and a transgender woman are contracted to perform a drag show at a resort in Alice Springs, a town in the remote Australian desert. As they head west from Sydney aboard their lavender bus, Priscilla, the three friends come to the forefront of a comedy of errors, encountering a number of strange characters, as well as incidents of homophobia, whilst widening comfort zones and finding new horizons.
DURATION: 104 MIN DIRECTOR: Stephan Elliott
RATING: M CAST: Hugo Weaving, Guy Pearce, Terence Stamp
GUEST SPEAKER – AL CLARK (Producer / Co-Producer / Executive Producer / Memoirist):
Born in Huelva, Spain, Al began his working life as a journalist for ‘Time Out’ (London-based magazine). He joined Virgin Records in their early stages, as the company’s publicity director, representing the Sex Pistols, Phil Collins, Mike Oldfield, Tangerine Dream, and others. He became the founder/editor of ‘The Film Yearbook’, then head of production for Virgin Films, co-producing ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’ (1984), and ‘Aria’ (1987). He also executive produced films like ‘Absolute Beginners’ (1986) and ‘Gothic’ (1986). Moving to Sydney, Al was appointed to the board of The Australian Film Commission. During this period he executive produced ‘The Crossing’ (1990) starring a young Russell Crowe, with whom he later worked again on ‘Heaven’s Burning’ (1997). He famously produced Stephan Elliott’s ‘The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’ (1994), which was nominated for a Golden Globe as best picture, won an Oscar for costume design, two BAFTAs and multiple festival awards, and remains one of the most successful Australian films of all time. The stage musical adaptation that followed had lengthy runs in Australia & New Zealand. It played for 3 years in London’s West End, 15 months on Broadway, with nationwide tours of the US & UK. Clark produced two of Stephan Elliott’s other films – ‘Eye of the Beholder’ (1999), & ‘Swinging Safari’ (2018). Other producing credits include ‘Siam Sunset’ (1999), ‘The Hard Word’ (2002), ‘The Book of Revelation’ (2006), ‘Blessed’ (2009) & ‘Red Hill’ (2010). His executive producing credits: ‘Chopper’ (2000), ‘Thunderstruck’ (2004), ‘Razzle Dazzle’ (2007) & ‘Goddess’ (2013). Clark has served on the official juries of the San Sebastian, Valladolid and Adelaide Film Festivals. He is also the author of ‘Raymond Chandler in Hollywood’ and ‘The Lavender Bus’. In January 2013, Al was the recipient of the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Raymond Longford Award for lifetime achievement. It is the nation’s highest screen accolade. In December 2014, he was appointed to the board of Screen Australia. “I thank Australia, where I found something that had eluded me in other places… a sense of belonging” (Al Clark at the 2013 AACTA Raymond Longford Award presentation).
AL CLARK’S MEMOIRS – ‘Time Flies’ & ‘Time Flies Too’:
Across two volumes of evocative, acerbic witticisms and searingly honest insights into the machinations of the dealmaking and dream weaving of an international life in film, music and entertainment, Al Clark brings you the secrets behind the making of the Sex Pistols, the rise of Richard Branson, the creation of films, i.e., ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’ (1984), ‘Absolute Beginners’ (1986), ‘ARIA’ (1987), ‘The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’ (1994), and much more.
