FOR ALL THE WORLD TO SEE – A Restoration Project

History: The feature film ‘For All the World to See – a portrait of Prof Fred Hollows’ was completed in 1992 and was made on 16mm film. It won an AFI Award (now AACTA) for Best Documentary in 1992. The film raised hundreds of thousands of dollars at the launch of the film, which took place at the Sydney Town Hall for the nascent Fred Hollows Foundation. The ABC had pre-purchased the film, and it screened three times over the next 5 years. The first screening on the ABC took place the night before Fred Hollows passed away. The film had a big audience around the country. There was shock the next morning.

There were many screenings in cinemas around Australia. As the years wore on, the film desperately needed restoration. Last year I took the restoration on myself because it wasn’t on the list of 80 films next on the list to be restored by the NFSA. Ray Argall agreed to do the scanning and see the film through the Restoration process. I embarked on the fundraising to do complete this. I was able to raise enough money to complete the project (about $60,000 out of the $80,000 budget – through a little short) through Documentary Australia and private funding.

I was relieved when Rowena Potts finally had time to come on as impact producer and helped me raise some of the money through Documentary Australia. She did a lot of work contacting businesses, organisations etc and organised a fundraiser with herself facilitating speakers: Gabi Hollows; Dr Marjorie O’Neill, MP; Mitzi Goldman and me We were able to raise $6,500 at this event.

Raising funds was very slow-going, but we eventually got far enough along to pay all the bills.

Ray Argall did a great job. Greg Fitzgerald mixed the film. The dialogue track proved problematic, and Greg had to wildly control it. Ray and I were not happy, and we went back to the NFSA and said it was not right. So, they called in experts and had another go. It had something to do with the rubbers being placed exactly where they need to be on the three soundtracks and that way, the recording would be as good as it can be. This was a big relief, but there was a drawback – it cost more money for Ray to replace the dialogue and Greg to mix it again including renting facilities. We were able to lay in stereo music since I had the components from the composer of original music, Davood Tabrizi, and was able to get the stereo components from Stephen Berry, Coolangubra, whose music we had used as well. It was fantastic that we were able to have stereo music. It made such a difference.

We had a test screening at the Ritz, and it was looking and sounding excellent. We were much happier with the sound and the images were so very crisp, defined, and beautifully graded.

I approached Benji Tamer (one of the owners of the Ritz) about Launching the film there as a Fundraiser for the Fred Hollows Foundation. We came to an agreement to split the proceeds 50/50, and we would have Cinema #1 at 1pm on 22nd September, 2024 and the bar and balcony upstairs cordoned off for us.

There was a Q&A – Rowena facilitating again with Gabi Hollows, Ray Argall and myself on the panel. The film was well-attended, and everyone stayed for the whole film and the Q&A. Afterwards, many of the audience proceeded to the bar upstairs to buy drinks and tuck into the food provided (thanks to Janet Brennand) and rave about the film. We raised $2000 for the foundation.

I have had meetings with the Comms and Publicity people at the Fred Hollows Foundation. We are working out how best they can use the film in a fundraising capacity for the Foundation. There are many ideas that have been discussed. We will reconvene in the new year to nut it all out and hopefully find a way to enable us to ascertain the amount of money they raise from the film.

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