Some local press for THE BIG KITTY

Further to my Blog Post of Saturday 27 April 2022, THE BIG KITTY has just made The Ballarat Times. 

To read the article Small film gets big local screening by Fiona Watson (Ballarat Times, Saturday 7 May) click on the link below: 

https://timesnewsgroup.com.au/ballarat/news/small-film-gets-big-local-screening/

Photo credit: Fiona Watson. 

Pictured L-R: Tom Alberts, Shane Jones, Lisa Barmby and Deborah Klein.

Thank you to Fiona Watson for the article and to Lisa for alerting me to it. 

THE BIG KITTY comes to Ballarat

 

On Monday April 24, artists/filmmakers Tom Alberts and Lisa Barmby visited Ballarat for a very special event: a one-off showing at Cinema Eureka of their prize-winning film, THE BIG KITTY. The indie film has previously screened at numerous international festivals, including the Paris, Saint-Tropez, Rochefort and Cannes Film Festivals. The Ballarat screening followed hot on the heels of THE BIG KITTY’s Australian Premiere at Melbourne’s Classic Cinema, a sold out session that necessitated a second screening. 

Before setting off for Cinema Eureka, Lisa and Tom joined Shane Jones and I for afternoon tea in the upstairs cinema room of our house.

On the wall behind Lisa and I is a photo of some of the BIG KITTY CAST and crew, taken during the filming of one of its penultimate scenes:

Upon arrival at Eureka Cinema, we were delighted to find this welcoming sign by the front gate:

Cinema Eureka is a private cinema owned by Bryan Putt and Megan Finlayson. They’ve been keen to screen the film for a couple of years, and it was marvellous that the event coincided with Tom and Lisa’s all too brief visit to Australia. They return to Paris in a few days.

Ballarat Times journalist Fiona Watson photographs the filmmakers: 

Above and below: Bryan, Tom and Lisa:

Lisa interviewed by Fiona Watson: 

Pictured below: Cinema Eureka co-owner, Megan Finlayson:

Cinema Eureka is a sixteen seater, purpose-built to the side of Bryan and Megan’s house. Prior to the screening, Bryan welcomed the specially invited audience. Pictured below, L-R: Spencer Harrison, Tim Jones, Bryan Putt, Shane Jones, Tom, Lisa, Tim Gresham and Erin M. McCuskey.

Below, L-R: Tom, Lisa, Gaye Britt and Tim Gresham, who has a small, but memorable role in the film:

Below: Lily Mae Martin, Christine Hickson and Erin M. McCuskey:

Spencer Harrison, Tim Jones and Shane Jones:

Carole Wilson, Peter Cooper, Lily Mae Martin and Christine Hickson:

Spencer, Tim, Loris Button, Carole and Peter:

Tom and Lisa introduced the film and held a Q&A immediately after the screening:

Among the audience members was Annie Drum (foreground):

Megan thanks Tom and Lisa and announces post-screening beverages:

Gaye and Tim, Shane and I joined Tom and Lisa for a celebratory meal in the dining room of their hotel, Craig’s Royal:

Afterwards Lisa and Tom invited us all for drinks in their hotel room:

It was a night to remember. Warmest thanks to Bryan and Megan for organising the event to perfection and to Lisa and Tom for taking time out from their hectic schedule to make the trip to Ballarat. We wish them further success with THE BIG KITTY and a Bon Voyage to Paris!

For further reading on THE BIG KITTY, read the article by artist/writer Steve Cox for FILMINK HERE.

THE BIG KITTY - Australian Premiere

 

Pictured above: A pre-screening toast to Tom, Lisa and THE BIG KITTY 

at Classic Cinema’s serendipitously named Copycat restaurant.

Photo credit: Shane Jones.

Last Thursday evening, April 7, saw the Australian Premiere of the Tom Alberts and Lisa Barmby debut feature, THE BIG KITTY. What a memorable night it was. I sincerely hope that all those who were keen to attend heeded the warning of fortune teller, Madame F (my role in the film - see Blog Post Saturday, April 2 - and got in early to purchase tickets, because the event was sold out.

It was a thrill to see THE BIG KITTY in a real cinema with a live, hugely enthusiastic audience, and more exciting still to experience it in the company of its makers and the vast majority of its cast and crew.

Shane Jones and our dear friend Bev Murray, who is visiting from London 

Above: Directly after the screening there was an informative and 

enlightening Q&A with Lewis Miller (actor and various technical support)

and Co-Directors Lisa Barmby and Tom Alberts.

Above: The cast and crew take a bow. Photo credit: Mick Murray.

Above L-R: Tom Alberts, Lisa Barmby and Jasmine Mahon.

Above L-R: supporting cast members Steve Cox, myself, Terry Matassoni 

and Shane Jones. Photo credit: Bev Murray.

At the lively after-screening party, which doubled as a celebration for Tom’s 60th birthday, we had the opportunity to catch up with cast members and congratulate them on their terrific performances.

Above: Paul McCluskey, who plays a shady chauffeur.

Above and following two photos: the post screening party.

Regaled by the dulcet vibes of the Jasmine Mahon Trio (of which I’m an unabashed fan) we stayed on far longer than originally planned. Jasmine, incidentally, plays nightclub singer Jane Blonde in the film, sashaying through her scenes with all the aplomb of the late, great Mae West. 

Pictured above: The Jasmine Mahon Trio

Above: Singing Happy Birthday and toasting Tom (far left). Lisa is on the far right.

If other opportunities to see the THE BIG KITTY arise - and hopefully they will - make sure you don’t miss it.