EACH year the Young at Heart Festival adds an extra sprinkling of silver to the silver screen – and Australian film and television veteran Lynette Curran urges seniors to enjoy this year’s event.
Young at Heart boasts of being the only festival in the world catering specifically to senior film lovers.
Highlights of this year’s festival, at the Palace Verona in Paddington and Palace Norton Street in Leichhardt from April 3-9, include the Australian premiere of Indian period drama Viceroy’s House; Whiteley, which profiles late Australian artist Brett Whiteley; and retrospective screenings of classic films including The Lion in Winter.
Lynette has been acting for screen and television since the 1960s, when she spent seven years on the ABC series Bellbird before moving on to films including Alvin Purple and Caddie.
She has since gone on to feature in films including Oscar & Lucinda, Japanese Story, The Boys and Somersault, winning an AFI award for her performance in the latter. She has also amassed a number of stage credits.
Lynette is thrilled to be ambassador for the festival. “I love film. I love that they are fun but can also teach and move us.”
She has already seen several films from this year’s program and says audiences will be treated to films of the highest quality. Films have featured at prominent events, including at the Cannes, Toronto, Berlin and the Sundance film festivals.
Lynette has enjoyed many favourite moments in her career, but as a survivor of a sexual assault, she lists her role in The Boys, which earned her an AFI nomination, as a major professional highlight.
Sharing a stage with close friend and late actress Deborah Kerr in a production during the birth of Kerr’s first grandchild and touring with Cate Blanchett for a production with Sydney Theatre Company for three months in 2012 are other highlights.
Lynette is now looking ahead to a project with Shane Jacobson.
“The work is still coming,” she said. “I said as a kid, if I don’t get this out of my system by the time I’m 30, I’ll probably stay with it – and it looks like that is the case.”
The festival is also on at Palace Cinemas in Canberra (April 3-9), Adelaide (April 10-16), Melbourne (April 20-26 Balwyn and Brighton Bay) and Brisbane (April 20-26).
