About Vivien

Welcome to Kathy's campaign to restore 'ABOUT VIVIEN'

Campaign Successful 2 December

Over target donations allow more of the original 16mm film material to be digitised. Digitisation will preserve the film and provide accessible viewing. Give this LGBTIQ+ historical documentary a long life, which in turn gives back to community.

About Vivien

About Vivien is a 14min documentary made in 2000 at the University of Technology, Sydney. A labour of love on a shoestring budget, it was shot and finished on 16mm film. Re-enactments and Movietone News footage tell a story of gender diversity during repressive years in Australia. But only a couple of VHS tapes survive.

What's the film about? 

In 1947 Walter Lee was discharged from the Army for dressing in women's clothes. A photo later published in the Truth Newspaper with devastating consequences at home. Picking herself up, Vivien grabbed a stash of clothes from under the house and went dancing like a movie star at the Trocadero nightclub in Sydney and private camp parties. 

Walter (also known as Wally) took the name Vivien (also spelled Vivian) after the movie star Vivien Leigh. At the Archibald Fountain in Hyde Park, a little water sprinkled over the head was to honour their given name. 

Film Awards

In 2001, About Vivien received seven awards inlcuding the Queer Screen Audience Award for Best Documentary, runner up, Stephen Cummins Queer Screen Best Film; MQFF Special Commendation; People’s Choice Best Film Screen Me; Excellence in Documentary Telluride Indie Fest.

Note that the historical language used to describe this project may reflect terms in use at the time of making the film and may be offensive or distressing to some. 

About Vivien, camp wedding scene re-enactment: pic Sallie Colechin

Fundraising Goals

• Restore the Film
• Preserve Queer Histories

Unexpectedly, About Vivien has gained traction. Due to its early gender diverse subject matter, the historical value has come around. Rather than leave About Vivien sitting on the shelf, the restored film can be made available to new audiences. 

Director: Kathy Sport

The archival survival of LGBTIQ+ histories is a personal source of pride and joy. It would be terrific to mark the 20-year anniversary of the film's making and re-honour Walter/Vivien who would have turned 94 this year.

Why your support is needed

Made just before the switch to digital technology, no high quality digital version exists of About Vivien.

The restoration of this doco doesn't fit the mainstream funding pathway. But thanks to your generosity and support, all the monies raised will give it new life.

• Fulfilling copyright for the Cinesound Movietone footage opens access; it will enable the (hi-res) film to be uploaded and streamed online, submitted to archives for researchers and to libraries as an educational resource for the classroom.
• Cellulose becomes brittle over time. Digitisation is an archival preservation measure.

Archibald Fountain, Hyde Park, Sydney: pic Kathy Sport

This is an all-or-nothing campaign - target reached, pledges activated. 

Stretch over the target donations welcome until the campaign end date.

Meet the Principle Cast and Crew

Many wonderful people came together in the making of this film bringing their passion and belief.

Principle re-enactment cast: Norrie May Welby as Walter/Vivien

Fabian LoSchiavo (Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence) as the Priest

Keith Howes, Army Sergeant, Stephen Nash, Doctor, Barry McKay, Army Recruit

Director of Photography: Judith Cobb

Still Photography: Sallie Colechin

Production Design: Lise Buckeridge

Costume Designer: Martin Wright

Sound Design: Nick Morphett

Animation: Toula Anastas & Kathy Sport

Dir Kathy Sport (third right, back), DOP Judith Cobb holding the camera, 1999, Annandale, Sydney.

Digital Scanning: $500

Frame-by-frame scanning of the 16mm Master Negative at a company in Melbourne with specialist equipment; includes cleaning, also digitising the interview audio, the sync, the grade, and a dedicated storage drive. 

Outtakes: $50

Preparation of the outtakes and consolidation of original camera rolls in readiness for (future) donation to an archival repository; includes purchase of 14inch reels. 

Copyright for Archival Footage: $3,000

Cinesound Movietone Newsreel footage ($20 p/sec+GST). Copyright covers public displays, all media (online, classroom and exhbition) of the restored film. 

Watch a snippet of the film taken from the VHS tape. Thanks for your interest and support preserving queer histories.