Leon Narby, The Defiance of Dorothea (1992), Digitised Photography
Remedies Redux – The Desperate and the Beautiful
November 28, 2016 - January 15, 2017
Written and Directed by Peter Wells and Stewart Main, Desperate Remedies is high-camp Cannes-selected melodrama set in an imaginary 19th-century town called Hope. ‘Draper of distinction’ Dorothea Brooks is desperate to save her sister Rose from the clutches of opium, sex and the dastardly Fraser. She begs hunky migrant Lawrence Hayes to marry Rose. Lawrence has his eyes on Dorothea however, and he has competition from malevolent politician Poyser (who has made her an attractive offer), as well as Brooks’ sultry lover.
Starring: Jennifer Ward-Lealand (Dirty Laundry, Auckland Daze, The Almighty Johnsons, Fracture, I’ll Make You Happy), the late Kevin Smith (Xena Warrior Princess), Cliff Curtis (The Dark Horse), Michael Hurst (Spartacus: War of the Damned, The Almighty Johnsons) and Lisa Chappell (McLeod’s Daughters).
Desperate Remedies was part of the official selection at Cannes in 1993 and has won numerous International Awards, including Best Film and Best Design at the 1993 Molodist International Film Festival in Kiev; Best Actress at the 1993 Festival International de Cinema Fantastic De Stiges in Spain; and Best Direction and Best Design at the 1994 Asia Pacific International Film Festival.