Names...

Matthias Herrman
Slava Mogutin
David Wojnarowicz
David Armstrong
Donatien Veismann

To be continued...

In the Bag

After spending a lovely day soaking up the summer sun at the local pool before the weekend wraps up, I scuttled back home to get stuck into my Master's work and the ever-looming final deadline. Though, due to last night's drinking/social marathon, the subsequent lack of sleep and three hours in direct sunlight, I'm left feeling somewhat sleepy and rather uninspired. In order to get my cerebral juices flowing I ended up turning to the web wheelings and dealings of my friends and family and found an entry and request on my sister's old blog which seemed a lot more intriguing than the old book-learning: What's in your bag? The deal is you take a picture of the interior machinations of your messenger bag, pocketbook, briefcase, sparkly clutch, what have you, and then explain to your loyal reader/s what is the what.

Hey ho, let's go:

• Small pocket-sized notebook for jotting down story ideas, anecdotes and other random things I'll never read again
• Pen for writing in said notebook
  
• Sunglasses case, which holds the first pair of sunglasses that I've paid more than ten dollars for, because I'm a big boy
  
• iPod cover
• Security ID so I can get into my work building (complete with alarmingly serial killer-esque photo)
• Stack of CDs
• Lip balm
  
• Prescription pain killers to help me cope with the invasive dental work I'm currently undergoing
  

And just because I took some shit out prior to the shot, I've included a selection of items usually found in my bag that were M.I.A.

• Expensive headphones that have more than paid for themselves since purchase
  
• Wallet
• Lighter
  
• Eau de toilette
  
• Banking correspondence
  

So, what's in yours?

Shit I Like

After a pronounced bout of whining, my flatmate dragged my sorry arse up the road to get breakfast. I thought I'd be much more content to sit in front of my laptop checking out various celebrity blogs and steeping in my own special blend of post-break-up depression juices, but boy-o am I glad I took a break from my mundane indulgence. I was flipping through this magazine and came across the work of an artist that I read about many moons ago but had forgotten existed. His name is Chris Jordan and he looks at the modern age-old artistic obsession with consumption but does it in this ingenius way. My favourite work is this photographic series that, according to his website, explores the notion that "the pervasiveness of our consumerism holds a seductive kind of mob mentality. Collectively we are committing a vast and unsustainable act of taking, but we each are anonymous and no one is in charge or accountable for the consequences."

Me likey.

New Horizons

Today is all about new beginnings, new directions and, indeed, new horizons. Despite a quietly overwhelming sense that the weight of personal history deems it an uphill battle of Sisyphean proportions, I am aiming to make this little vanity project more than what it currently is. What it currently is has turned out to be a dumping ground for published interviews that I put up when I've decided to stay in on a Saturday night and turn to it from sheer boredom. But after reading the first few posts of my friend D's new blog, I'm inspired to be a little less lax about the whole thing and make mine a little more, well, engaging.

So, much like the denizens of so many second-rate addiction rehabilitation institutions, I will fight my hardest against something so inherently part of my nature, let go and let God.

Take my hand...

I Lub Sarah Polley

A couple months back I had the opportunity to have a wee chat with actress/director Sarah Polley, who was doing promotion for her directorial debut, Away From Her. She was smart, friendly and distant, but only in that way that makes you love her more. Afterwards, when I had come down from my celebricrush high, I went through my tape and quickly realised that my recording equipment had picked up my squealing banshee voice but neglected to tape hers. Cut to me freaking out that I had let Sarah, the film company, her agent and the magazine I was writing for down and would never write in this town again, dammit! On a hope and a whim I asked her agent if she could find it in her heart (and schedule) to redo the questions via email and... she said yes! She didn't even do a half-arsed job on the answers the second time round. What a legend to help out a fucktard like me in my time of need.

Here's what went down.

Away from Her is the directorial feature debut of 28-year-old Canadian actress, Sarah Polley. Adapted from Alice Munro’s short story, The Bear Came Over the Mountain, and with a stellar cast including Julie Christie, Gordon Pinsent and Olympia Dukakis, it tells the story of a long-time married couple whose world quietly implodes when they are faced with Alzheimer’s disease. The notoriously private yet affable Polley explains the process of bringing this incredibly moving love story to the screen. Interview by Luke Malone.

What was it about Alice Munro’s story that compelled you to adapt it to film?
I thought it was the most moving, profound love story I'd ever read. I had just worked with Julie Christie and couldn't stop imagining her face in the role. I really think a huge part of me wanting to make the film was to see her play this part.

Some people might find it odd that a woman in her 20s chose to direct a love story about 70 year olds.
It never crossed my mind at any point when I was working on the film. Since it has been made I have realized that it's a somewhat surprising choice for a first feature. In my mind it was just a really beautiful story that I had a lot to learn from. Making the film was my way of walking around inside the story for a few years and trying to absorb what there was to learn from it. I had a lot of support in making the film, from Alice Munro's writing to the actors who were in their 60s and 70s themselves. So I had a lot of insight from the people around me.

How do you think this movie will appeal to younger audiences, especially those who haven’t had any firsthand experience with Alzheimer’s?
Well, I think it’s ultimately a love story and not a movie about a disease. Anyone that has ever been in love, is in love or looking for it, is naturally intrigued by where it's all going if it works out. In this case, the film deals with a very strong, albeit complicated love that has lasted a long time, and what that looks like at the end of the day when life has had its way with it.

Are you finding that people approach you to share their own experiences with Alzheimer’s since the film’s release?
One of the main privileges of showing the film is getting to hear people's personal experiences with their parents or grandparents. People have been very generous with their stories and that's been overwhelming.

Did you have any reservations about stepping behind the camera to do a feature?
It was the most terrifying and exhilarating experience I've ever had. I think every first time filmmaker is full of fear. But it also felt great to just jump into the unknown like this, not having any idea if it would be a dismal failure or not.

Does your acting experience aid or hinder you as a director?
It helped in the sense that I feel very comfortable in the environment of a film set. It's probably where I feel most at home. But it felt like a disadvantage in that it made me terribly self-conscious – constantly analysing how my direction would sound if I were receiving it myself.

Much has been said about your big coup in getting Julie Christie to take on the role of Fiona. Why was it so important for you to cast her?
For me, it was impossible to imagine anyone else in the role. The character is sharp, witty and full of grace, but also has an ephemeral quality that is very rare and strange. Julie was the only actor who really encapsulated this quality for me.

How did you actually convince her to take the part?
It just took a lot of time; a lot of phone calls, e-mails and a few trips to London. She has a performance consultant in Australia named Lindy Davies who was very supportive of the script. I think she had a lot to do with Julie eventually agreeing to it. Lindy was also with us when we made the film and was an enormous help to us all.

Was it at all intimidating to direct more seasoned actors than yourself?
At first it was incredibly intimidating. These were actors I'd looked up to for my whole life. But within days it felt fine. They were very generous to me and really welcomed me into their process.

Olympia Dukakis’ own mother died of Alzheimer’s. How do you think that affected her input in the making of the film?
I think it gave her an urgency in terms of wanting to see the film get made, and wanting to be a part of it. She shared a lot of her personal experiences with me and that was really helpful in making the film.

The film deals with the trials of marriage. Did you find this impacting on your view of your own marriage?
Delving into a subject matter like this for so long does make you reflect upon your own life. In this case it was even more exaggerated because my husband David also edited the film. We basically spent three months together alone in a dark room talking about a fictional couple's marriage. It was like some kind of intensive therapy – it was fascinating.

Was the undercurrent of subtle humour throughout the film an intentional device?
I thought it was important that the film not take itself too seriously. My favourite art always acknowledges that it is not the centre of the world, no matter the weight of the personal tragedy. I wanted there to be a sense that life was going on, moving forward, and that laughter was still possible even in the saddest moments.

What directors do you look to for inspiration?
Terence Malick and Ingmar Bergman. They changed the way I see the world.

What actors would you like to have the chance to direct?
Tilda Swinton, Holly Hunter and Cate Blanchett. I think they are utterly brilliant and constantly making interesting choices.

How do you feel about Lionsgate’s plans to launch an Academy Award’s campaign for the film?
That all feels a bit surreal and ridiculous. I'm thrilled that they've taken the film so seriously and given it such a good release. Anything that comes after that is out of my control – all you can do is be an amused spectator.

(An edited version of this interview was printed in the November 2007 issue of Harper's BAZAAR Australia).

Sporadic

Well, it's been, what, eleventy-five years since my last online confession? Here's to running out of things to do after two days with the flu and remembering this little pipe dream that was destined to fail. Let's see if we can revive it for one last hurrah. Or two.

Hello? Operator?

An awed silence fell amongst fags inhabiting the publishing world recently with news that transsexual luminary Amanda Lepore may be releasing a biography. According to her team, a “major publishing house” is on the hunt for a writer to collaborate with the tranny superstar.

Call me an ambulance!