Australian
Screen

Clip description

In this clip we are introduced to Bob, Roy, Mick and Ann, all over sixty years of age. They share their thoughts on sexuality and relationships in their later years, including life as a widower, caring for a partner, changes in relationships over time and the positive aspects to ageing.

Curator’s notes

These vignettes are from the opening minutes of the documentary, where bRitt Arthur introduces her main subjects. Their brief comments are representative of the delicate balance between humour and pathos that bRitt Arthur treads throughout the film. While Bob and Ann joke about the not getting flowers anymore and the ‘pain of relationships’, Mick (the filmmaker’s grandfather) and Roy touch on emotional challenges such as the death of a loved one and caring for a sick partner. All their insights are a prompt to think about how society views older members of our community and also express the positive way in which these people see themselves.

bRitt Arthur films Mick taking a shower as we hear him recollect his experience of caring for his late wife and expressing his fears about future relationships. His vulnerability in this scene is handled with great care by bRitt Arthur, who consciously frames his body in close-up. bRitt Arthur uses this technique throughout the documentary, also filming Betheny at her swimming classes (seen here), and Ann receiving a massage. By showing these characters in this way and giving them voice to speak openly about their lives, bRitt Arthur challenges our notions about older people and sexuality.