Starstruck: Australian Movie Portraits
National Portrait Gallery and National Film and Sound Archive of Australia
The story of Australian cinema is reinterpreted in this catalogue, which accompanied an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in collaboration with the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia. Recognising portraiture as not just the actor’s ‘business card’, but important to all aspects of filmmaking, the book features iconic and lesser-known headshots of stars mostly in stills on location. The captivating photographs trace the narrative of film media in Australia from the early 20th century until the present day – from The Sentimental Bloke (1919) and Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) to The Dressmaker (2015) – inviting us to venture behind the scenes. Imbued with multiple perspectives, including those of directors and producers, ‘Starstruck’ transports the reader within and beyond the magic bubble created by film.
