Bye Bye London!

My final week in London was cut short due to some hospital time, so unfortunately it wasn't filled with a few of the things I had hoped for, but hey... I did manage to say bye to a lot of nicies. I will miss friends more so than London as a city, because London isn't going anywhere anyhow...
Tomo !
Angela and I squeezed in a last minute date on my 2nd last day. She lives in Hampton just out of London, and she is very cute.
Clare P! We went to Primary School together! Fun to catch up with her.

This is Amy. Hoping that some day we live in the same city again, as we really really clicked, and I would like an extra large serving of Amy time. We met at BritDoc festival in Oxford in July, and shared a hotel room in Sheffield together at the Doc Fest. I am really glad I went to both these festivals, and Edinburgh. I met great filmmakers, saw great films.
I am clearly a dog person but Duncan was a pretty cool cat. We asked him about what films he had seen and he looked a bit confused... At film festivals everyone kinda asks people for their tips etc, so it was kinda weird he looked so confused... Before he could start rattling off ET and Titanic etc, I stopped to check to see if he knew where he was. Turns out he didn't know it was a film festival party, he was a local construction worker from Sheffield out for a good time. Quite funny really!I won't miss the British chips? For a Country known for their chips I didn't understand why they were so average? We didn't actually buy anything here I just wanted to photograph Amy!

She has been living in London for a few years, she is from Capetown South Africa so I like her voice, as it reminds me of Gavi and Alon! I really like her laugh, hence me trying to hear it a few more times before leaving!
Here are some photos from my flat in Stoke Newington.
HOW CUTE IS JO!???
Not happy about leaving this cutie behind, but I hope she will come to Melbourne soon!

My flatmate Janine!
I will miss the views, but I will NOT miss the weather!
Tomo and Bec! We went to a bar and they played Hippy Chick by Soho, haven't heard that one in years! It's got a good beat. Good luck work wise for both you little poppets! Bec and I worked out we both love the same Boston Terrier from Smith st Melbourne! I know that's a random comment, but for me, anything BT related is not random, but heart warming. Speaking of, I was so grateful that Bec and Tomo visited me in hospital on day 3 and brought me toothbrush, toothpaste, lip balm etc! VERY MUCH APPRECIATED!
Claire, who I will see in the sunshine in a few months!
Miss Annie amazed everyone with her amazing ability to budget in an expensive city like London. She should write a book and make some money explaining how she saves it in London!


It was pretty hard to say bye to Billy and his family. I have seen a lot of similarities between Billy and I, so we decided to see what he would look like with Gen locks. NB - Billy does not take his finger off the mouse as he constantly re-loads the cartoon he doesn't want me missing the first few seconds of while posing for the camera.Tina, Gary, Billy and Frankie!
With Billy I know we will keep in touch, because as he says 'Dude I'm on You Tube!' They are eagerly awaiting Meet Billy Pt 2, which I will upload to Youtube as soon as I can!


Billy had a lot of love to give, I got lots of hugs and kisses and I Will Mis Yous and I Love Yous, and lots of other things I won't write about here! I am really glad I met Billy and can't wait to share his charms with the world through Eleven! It is going to be a massive task, as I have footage of kids from all over the world over 2 years, and a lot is not in English! But I can't wait to get stuck in to it, and where better a place to edit than Melbourne.

Behind the 8 ball

SO... I am quite behind... and will catch up soon...

After blogging about Morocco I fell very ill, and spent my last week in London in hospital... Not recommended. I managed to pick up though, out of sheer desperation to get out of that hospital bed and shoot Billy! It was hard saying bye to Billy and his family. I've promised him I will post Meet Billy pt 2 on Youtube soon. I also wanted to farewell lots of my mates, so that was good to squeeze in at the end of the week. I am now in SWEDEN for Christmas! Will post some pics from London and here soon. God Jul, Merry Christmas, and keep healthy!

Out in Africa! Pt 1

MOROC pt 1

Hello from Moroc,

I have been having a good time here, and have many tales to tell:: But for now I must head back to the guesthouse pack and sleep. Tomorrow I head north to Marrakech in a taxi via the Tiz n Test pass which they say has hairpin roads through the mountains.

Given my car history, its fair to say I am a LITTLE bit scared as everyone refers to this track as v dangerous, but hey everyone says that about travelling alone as a women here and I have been fine really.

I am liking wearing traditional dress, even thought tonight I am in a mans jellabah. Guys were trying to talk to me and make conversation late one night. They were coming from behind and speaking english so I had NO IDEA how they knew I wasnt local... then someone back at the guesthouse pointed out, WELL, you are wearing a mans jellabah, and perhaps those trainers give you away. The ladies here dont wear nike waffles style shoes, but I wouldnt be caught dead without these babies. But thats another story.

Photos soon, back to London for a week from Wednesday. I only wish I had pics from the Hammam:: = pubic bath. That was ACE. I am super clean.

Almost in Morocco

Well the last couple of days have been stressful to say the least... but after many phone calls emails and much finger crossing I am off to Morocco in a few hours. I am going with Boris, a Spanish guy I have never met, but he will be at my flat at about 2am so I better start packing!
Stay tuned, this adventure has only just begun!

:) Ay ay ay.

We Are Together

I had a good time at Sheffield Doc Fest a couple of weeks ago. It was about a 2.5 hour train ride from London. The highlight was seeing We Are Together, am amazing film. Check out their website www.wearetogether.org
You can read about the film on the site.
http://cdbaby.com/cd/childrenofagape/from/simunyeproject
If you click here you can listen to my fave song from the film, sung by am amazing 7 year old, who is now approaching 11, if you get my drift! I now have my heart set on going to South Africa to meet Mbali. Her song is number 2, Pigogo, you can only hear a sample but her spirit comes blasting out of the speakers! I love it! Going to buy the CD now.

Happy Day is also very cool, but even more fun when you see the kids singing it in the studio. Such amazing faces and voices! I want a copy of the film to watch over and over. Now thats the sign of a great film! Its also extremely sad. It is such an important film, and I hope it gets released widely in Australia.

Theatrical Trailer

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Theatrical Trailer for Billy the Kid

Billy the Kid, one of my fave films of the year is being released theatrically in the US, which is a big deal for a doco so fingers crossed thousands of people flock to the cinemas! It really is an awesome film. Here are two trailers for it. Well done Chiemi, Jen and Billy!

BILLY THE KID - TRAILER

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It has been great to be based over here and see so many awesome films at festivals. Meeting the filmmakers and quizzing them about their processes has been really insightful indeed! I have learnt a lot about doco making, and hope to continue to put all these new skills in to practise.

Oui Oui Oui Kiss Kiss Kiss

Well, I have never been kissed by so many different people in one week!
Kiss Kiss Kiss. ALWAYS 3. So when I met 8 new people that was 48 kisses in an hour! Hello and goodbyes. Doesn't matter if you dont swap names, but kissing, Oui!

I have been enjoying the beautiful village of Marguelone in the south of France! It has been so wonderful to get out of London and to experience a new Country. Marguleone is just outside of Montpellier where I flew for just 1 penny plus tax, yes its true, those cheap flights really do exist, and I am glad I took advantage of them even if they are super early in the morning when my chronic pain is at its worst.




Within minutes of landing I was instantly intrigued and sold on the area! Very different to Japan but that instant feeling of excitement and also calm that struck me when I first hit Tokyo, hit again. I am keen to go back and spend more time in France and with my new friends there. I really like the architecture! I loved the windy streets that had no cars parked on them as it looks so much nicer! I met the lovely Celine and she took us to her stepfathers house, where we spent night 1. His place is amazing, its 600 years old so I was just saying WOW a lot. I also said yummy a lot which everyone found cute... but everything really was yummy! I felt very at home, falling asleep in front of the fire place more than once! I was very well taken care of. Lucky girl.


The lovely Celine, voice of an Angel, but not in a Charlotte Church kinda way. Celine studied in India with Bahauddhin the Indian musician I shot on tour in 2002 around OZ. The wonder that is John Anderson facilitated this hook up and I am most grateful. We get on great! She has a great french accent but occasionaly slips in to a great Indian accent and wiggles her head. Very cute.
This is Celines sister Elsa with yummy french cake. Yes, I ate cake, oooh did I eat cakes! And I drank a lot of Cassis my fave drink in the whole world which I have only ever drunk in Japan but it is actually French. I highly recommend it with orange juice or soda. Its like alcoholic blackcurrant juice which is my fave childhood drink.
This is Celine's mum's house, so homely, huge rooms and big windows. I really enjoyed the space to write and relax.. But of course... my main priority? ELEVEN year old!?
Within 24 hours we found Remi, he was recommended to us by Celines Mums neighbour. HER house was ridiculously gorgeous but I didn't photograph it! Next time!

Anyhow, in short, I had a SUPER time with Remi and his family, he is an amazing boy, a 'humanist' as he calls himself. He lives in a completely solar powered home by the sea and is a VERY exciting addition to my documentary. I am excited about editing. He will win hearts I am certain, he certainly won mine! He was gorgeous with his sisters Violette and Alice. They really wanted to come shoot with us and I am glad they did as it was a fun outing interviewing such lovely kids by the sea and in the French countryside! Pretty special!





Each time I packed up the camera something made me pull it out of the bag again. It was really hard to say goodbye to Remi and the girls! I get emotional wondering when I will see these 11 year old kids again! Remi really reminded me of someone, can you guess?






Remi suggested I shoot the moon from his garden.



So, words cant really describe how surreal getting a massage at a strangers dining table whilst watching Borat simultaneously on a huge plasma screened, being fed crossaints but said massage man who is smoking a cigarette and drinking wine. It was THAT scene in Borat, ay ay ay, very graphic! A long stretch from the little massage room I am used to on Lygon st with dear Valde! But still, an experience! I got 3 kisses of course but never actually got his name so I will call him smoking massage man. He explained to everyone in the room that he had never felt a back as bad as mine in his career.. and I am pretty sure his career expands past his lounge, he was quite good. So yeah my back and neck and pretty horrendous but I am keeping a brave face ! Necessary!


After massage I rang John to hear about the election news! I rang Joe and he was screaming so I assumed good things! YAH! We can look forward to a future with no Howard. I am glad, and I am guessing the vibe in Oz was huge this last week!



I really was meant to be in France, so many wonderful memories, thanks to Celine and everyone! It was nice to be in the Country my name originates from, which also meant that EVERYONE pronounced it correctly, as in, Shen-Fieff. Quite chic! They found my way, 'Genaveeve' quite funny!

Of course just minutes after the Ruddslide news I meet this little Frenchie at the door of smoking massage mans house. He was the first and last Frenchie I would see in France... and of course, he was 11!


More soon!