Sheffield’s world leading documentary film festival, Doc/Fest, celebrates both the art and business of documentary. They offer a film programme full of exceptional international screenings, alternative realities which aid digital and interaction innovation, talks and sessions with various, talented people which help to inspire, inform and provoke thought as well as a marketplace for international business.
This year, Doc/Fest invited the incredibly talented and absolutely fabulous (pun-intended) Joanna Lumley, a British actress turned documentary filmmaker, for a special interview with ITV’s Alastair Stewart. The sold out event, aptly titled The Absolutely Adventurous Joanna Lumley in Conversation was held at the Crucible Theatre on Sunday, June 12th.
Lumley, who is famous for her portrayal of Patsy Stone (an absolute icon) in the television series Absolutely Fabulous said if she had to choose between documentaries and acting, she would “almost certainly” choose documentaries. “These documentaries bring you back to the natural world and this is what I love.” She explained that now she is older, there is not much available for her in the world of acting unless she wants to be the “eccentric aunt”, but as long as she can move and talk there is always work for her in documentary filmmaking.
Overall, Lumley gave a very eloquent, charismatic, funny and down to earth interview. She inspired many in the audience as she shared her thoughts, knowledge and honesty about the world of documentary filmmaking, including those who she has met on the way and the experiences she has gained.
Lumley has examined the theory that Noak’s Ark was preserved on Mount Ararat (Joanna Lumley: The Search for Noah’s Ark), spent nine days surviving on the desert island of Tsarabanjina near Madagascar (Girl Friday), travelled across Norway to track down the elusive yet stunning Northern Lights (Joanna Lumley in the Land of the Northern Lights), voyaged along the River Nile with a man who sees demons (Joanna Lumley’s Nile), explored the history of Greece in which she ends by climbing Mount Olympus (Joanna Lumley’s Greek Odyssey) and travelled 6,400 miles using the Trans-Siberian Railway, which is considered the longest railway line in the world (Joanna Lumley’s Trans-Siberian Adventure). Lumley also explored the history of the relationship between humans and cats, both the house pet and the wild big cats (Joanna Lumley: Cat Woman). She has also focused on people as the subjects for her documentaries, including Ian Fleming, Elvis Presley and even will.i.am.
Seeing the Northern Lights was a life-long dream for Lumley and she tells everyone she meets they must try and see them in their lifetime. After a clip from Joanna Lumley in the Land of the Northern Lights which showed Lumley in absolute awe, Alastair Stewart asked her thoughts on if documentary filmmaking should always have a narrative point or can it just be something such as wow, these are the Northern Lights and they are beautiful. Lumley responded saying seeing the Northern Lights was also a journey so it had a narrative structure, but she added that “you have to entertain before you can inform.”
Lumley provided lots of humorous touches throughout the interview, particularly when she called Gogglebox “that gorgeous programme.” She used this to describe how it is just her speaking to a few people when she is filming a documentary, and when you are at home it’s just you, or maybe up to four people, watching. It’s a very intimate experience. Lumley also pulled out a bra to show us the kind she used to make her bra shoes during the filming of Girl Friday in which she survived for nine days on an island near Madagascar. Her wet shoes were beginning to give her a case of trench foot and the cave floor was too rough to allow her to walk barefoot so she took out the soles of her wet shoes, waited for them to dry and cut up and sewed one of her bras onto them in order to make some fashionable, adjustable shoes. Lumley, of course, pulled these out next – she absolutely still has them and said “I’ve only ever asked for one thing which is when I die I’m buried with these.” (See above video)
Some insight into filmmaking was also shared by Lumley. She explained how saddening it is when you have to cut out a lot of footage in the editing process. There is so much to show. She adds this is why it looks like she is fluent in many languages on screen as they cut out the interpreters. Stewart also complimented Lumley’s respective way of asking questions to those she speaks to in her documentaries as she never imposes a thought on them. Instead, Lumley asks if they feel or want this and lets them tell her rather than her saying, for example, “you must feel such and such.” Plus, if they do, they can only really reply with “yes” which does not make for very entertaining television.
During the audience Q&A, a woman asked Lumley if she had any advice for young filmmakers in the twenty-first century. She quickly responded with “get some money.” The audience laughed and so did she, but unfortunately it was a very valid point in today’s society. She also added that having support for as many sponsors as possible is very helpful.
Another woman challenged Lumley to a much heavier question. As Lumley has explored many people’s lives through her documentaries, she asked Lumley what she thought was the best advice for living. “Banish fear and fill your heart with love” Lumley said, explaining that fear seems to be the biggest threat and you must try to conquer fear and not care what people think.
After giving a very inspiring and fun interview, a standing ovation at the end moved Lumley to tears. Everyone in attendance was very thankful to be in her presence. Lumley has covered a wide variety of topics, people, events and places. So what’s next? Lumley is continuing her documentary filmmaking with a new ITV series where she travels to Japan to explore its rich cultural history. Over the duration of three hour long episodes, Lumley will travel from Hokkaido to Honshu, before visiting the streets of Tokyo and the historical capital city of Kyoto.
Every moment was thrilling, fascinating and often very moving. With my hand on my heart I can say: please come with me… to Japan!
– Joanna Lumley
Keep an eye out for Joanna Lumley’s Japan coming to ITV later in the year. Meanwhile, you can catch her reprising Patsy Stone in Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie in UK cinemas on July 1st.
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