CINEMA REBORN - Excited Facebook conversation about our screening of Corinne Cantrill's IN THIS LIFE'S BODY (1984)

Of all the sixteen features and two shorts screening at CINEMA REBORN between 3-7 May none has attracted Facebook attention that Adrian Martin provoked when he announced: Cinephiles of the World, if you haven't ever seen Corinne Cantrill's IN THIS LIFE'S BODY (1984), you ain't seen nuthin' yet. One of the peaks of cinema. It is featured in the forthcoming CINEMA REBORN festival in Australia, and it should be showcased in every cinemathèque and festival on the planet! Notes on it are here.  

Well..that started something… and Adrian later added Masterpiece!!…. and A must for all human beings!! and …if we can't whip up a full house for this screening, the world is surely doomed!!!

Martha Ansara commented: This is one of the great, compelling must-see Australian films. It has, as I recall, only one piece of moving footage in it. Its construction is brilliant in its simplicity. It proves to me that film making does not necessarily require much in the way of resources but very much in the way of understanding, vision and imagination. I have only seen this film three times. I wish I could be in Sydney to see it again,

Which lead to Margot Nash adding a few words: There is more than one piece of moving footage, but it is very minimal. The film is mainly constructed with still photographs. It is narrated by Corinne with no atmospheric soundtrack or music. The first time I saw it Corinne did Tai Chi in front of the screen during the opening montage. It was hugely inspirational for me when I made The Silences.

Margot also commented: It is wonderful to see the interest in this film. There are many comments on Adrian Martin's Facebook site and people want to buy it so here is the information. A few years ago Corinne and Arthur agreed to me organising a digital restoration of In This Life's Body. I wanted to show it to my 'Australian Film - against the grain' students and there were no longer any facilities to screen 16mm in the classroom. UTS library kindly put up the much needed money to do it. Corinne and Arthur are very concerned about their work being put up on Youtube by someone pirating a copy, so there are restrictions on its screenings and access. If anyone wants to buy a DVD copy for their university library or for themselves they will need to contact Corinne and Arthur directly. Corinne is happy for people to buy it, but you need to negotiate directly with her. You can contact them through their Facebook site or message me and I will send you their direct email. I am thrilled Cinema Reborn are screening it and am looking forward to introducing it. I agree with Adrian. It is a masterpiece. …

Then there were other random comments

Lucian Chaffey:I’m pretty sure I saw this at a special screening at the Valhalla. Would have been early-mid 90s. Arthur invited his students from unimelb. It was a while ago though and I’ve seen numerous Cantrill colabs at cinemas and on campus, so I may be confusing it with another project. It would be good to re/watch this.

Denise RobinsonIts a fabulous film. Cantrills had a screening of it at the ACP in 1989- I think- when I was director. It was a performance and from what I recall Corinne spoke the text/voice as she screened it, they were still working on the soundtrack. it was quite fabulous.

John Conomos:It is, as Adrian rightly suggests, one of the greatest films ever made in this country and in global cinema terms a milestone in the essay film form.

Nicholas Nedelkopoulos: In This Life's Body was originally screened at La Mama on 16-20 May 1984 under the title Journey Through a Face. Corinne's narration was read out live. I was there for one of the sessions. The film having a different title and Corinne's live reading suggest to me the film was yet to be completed.

And…

The film had a return season at La Mama 3-7 October 1984. And in 1985 was being screened as In Life's Body. It was screened widely in Australia and overseas. In 1986 it screened at the St Kilda Film Festival and was awarded second prize. It continued to be screened locally and overseas as a film alone and a film performance piece. The dates & facts have come from the Cantrill's website.

David Wadelton: I saw it at La Mama, if I recall Corinne narrated, at least in part. It was a long long time ago, its debut probably. It is outstanding.

Sue Goldman: I think that I was at La Mama too; but I can’t think of the year. I can recall the screening as if it were yesterday. It was a whole-of-family affair and there were live readings from Corinne.

Tim McQueenVery keen to rewatch this! I’ve only seen it once, from the rare books section of the State Library in Melbourne, which proved a problem as it could only be viewed on site but they had nothing to screen it on!

Mahalya Middlemist:I screened it in 16mm to my students at SCA every year for 15 years.

In This Life's Body screens at CINEMA REBORN on Monday 7 May at 3.00 pm.The screening will be introduced by Margot Nash

Subscription tickets are currently on sale to CINEMA REBORN. $85 admits to all films. Subscriptions may be purchased via Eventbrite 
Details of  all films screening are at CINEMA REBORN's website

Tickets to individual sessions will go on sale shortly.